Welcome Home, in case you were wondering, the Honeymoon's definitely over...

Just a quick post, because I've promised the Allens to work on that, but mostly because I am jet-lagged and ready to sleep in my own big, unparalleled, envied, comfortable China bed.
Coming to China the second time is a little less glamorous, and a little less nerve-racking, but you can still be thrown for some incredible loops. My trip home included lost tickets in the Hong Kong airport, baggage "probably being on the same airplane you are", lugging around 60 lbs of suitcase (inexplicably, since I only left with 45...) with immense loss of face around the Chinese and their phenomenally tiny packing skills! I had forgotten most of my Chinese, we arrived home in Shiyan to a downpour promised to continue "twice as harder" in the next two days, and I walked into my apartment in clothes soaked to the skin with rain and sweat, in who knows what order. But all of this paled in comparison to the greatest tragedy: missing the DNC speech by the fabulous Michelle Obama, and the Roll Call Coverage selecting Future President of the United States Barack Obama!
But in less important news...I am home, safe and sound, and so happy to be here. Come to find out, I still love China! I can't wait to wake up tomorrow, clean my apartment (cause I am a sick person who finds her happiness in that) and hit the rain soaked streets to fresh my ZhongWen...but for now, my bed is calling, as is the Joe Biden speech on YouTube to diatribe me to sleep...Good night, Wode Meiguoren Pengyou...

My Meditation

You said "Ask and you will receive" whatever you need
You Said "Pr-y and I'll hear from heaven and I'll heal your land"
You said, Your glory will fill the earth like water to seas
You said "Lift up your eyes the harvest is here the kingdom is near"

You said ask and I'll give the nations to you
Oh L-rd, thats the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see your light as it rises on us

Giving Out Your Phone Number Online...now that's just desperate

I realize that many of you tried desperately to call me last year while I was in China, but your best attempts were thwarted and confused by the british chick on my answering machine, and the forwarded international number. (I choose to blame the difficulties of communication, and not the ambivelance of my loved ones) I have faced the difficulties of long distance communicae myself (ask the Heather to tell you a Spain story!), so I am attempting to do my part...and begging for your phone calls...hopefully a culture-shocked American will be thanking her clever self in the future.

SKYPE is an amazing invention.
If you have SKYPE, this means:
*We can talk for free...anytime...anyway.
*We can chat for free...when I am around my computer.

If you do NOT have SKYPE:
*Its free, you should download it
*Check out www.skype.com for more information on what it means.

Otherwise:
I have just shelled out a hefty sum of my summer fund to pay for another 12 months of an international phone number. My phone number is 1-360-566-2881.
If you call this number, you will either hear my sweet, childlike voice on the other end, or a snobby British girl forwarding you on to my cell phone in China. Either way, I will get your phone call! And if I miss you, I have voicemail!
1-360-566-2881, this is a Washington State phone numer, please, feel free to put it in your phone. For my fellow technologically challenged friends, having this is what this means:
*For others with 360 numbers, this is A LOCAL CALL and charged as such.
*For those with other stateside area codes, its your NORMAL LONG DISTANCE. After 7 on nights and weekends...FREE with most cell phone plans!

Please, if you have any questions...well...I'm not sure I could explain it any more clearly. Put check out SKYPE's website, or send me an email. I want to hear from all my loved ones while I am over there, and while I would love to contact you myself, it IS CHEAPER FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED FOR YOU TO CALL ME. So, you know, feel free. Now that's "putting yourself out there" ;o)