There is just too much to say in such a small space.
The sights,
smells,
sounds,
sounds,
people,
tea,
smiles,
foods,
foods,
new students,
visits from former students,
the teaching teams,
that blend together each year to make our unique
CH*NA EXPERIENCE 2011
is too complicated for print.
But I'll give one small example of Inner Mongolian hospitality that our family experienced Thursday:
Hot Pot
One of my former students that has become a friend over the past 5 years asked if she and her mother could host our family for a meal. Because I had already told Duxin that my favorite meal was Mongolian Hot Pot, they booked a table at the world head quarters for the famous
Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot
(google search it...there may be one in a large American city near you!)
A bowl of a delicious smelling soup for which the Little Sheep restaurant is famous was place in front of each of us. You could choose mild or spicy...so I picked both. My pot had a
divider with the different soups on each side.
divider with the different soups on each side.
And then the food parade began...
a plate of sesame seed coated rolls
a plate of sesame seed coated rolls
at least six plates of various types of raw meats, thinly sliced and rolled into delicate tubes
at least six plates of various vegetables, mushrooms, lettuces to cook
a plate of fish balls, shrimp balls, and crab
a plate of dumplings
two or three "cold dishes"
We each put the food we wanted cooked into our own pot, and after it was sufficiently cooked, had a gastronomic feast. Fishing for slippery sweet potatoes at the bottom of the pot is quite a feat with chopsticks!
It could have been the beginning of a Tums commercial.
Although the location and the meal were a somewhat exotic adventure,
we felt the same warm hospitality of Duxin and her mom were priceless.
It was less about the food and more about
the process of sharing it with
friends.
How can a heart be knit to mine while we are in a classroom for only 8 days?
How can the sporadic contact throughout the year turn into such a friendship?
How can I feel such kinship with Duxin's mom when we can barely communicate beyond our translator's help?
It's part of the mystery of these trips, and the mystery of the One who does all things well and with purpose.
Some amazing "flowers" that were planted 5 years ago are in full bloom, and I'm so grateful.
at least six plates of various vegetables, mushrooms, lettuces to cook
a plate of fish balls, shrimp balls, and crab
a plate of dumplings
two or three "cold dishes"
We each put the food we wanted cooked into our own pot, and after it was sufficiently cooked, had a gastronomic feast. Fishing for slippery sweet potatoes at the bottom of the pot is quite a feat with chopsticks!
It could have been the beginning of a Tums commercial.
Although the location and the meal were a somewhat exotic adventure,
we felt the same warm hospitality of Duxin and her mom were priceless.
It was less about the food and more about
the process of sharing it with
friends.
How can a heart be knit to mine while we are in a classroom for only 8 days?
How can the sporadic contact throughout the year turn into such a friendship?
How can I feel such kinship with Duxin's mom when we can barely communicate beyond our translator's help?
It's part of the mystery of these trips, and the mystery of the One who does all things well and with purpose.
Some amazing "flowers" that were planted 5 years ago are in full bloom, and I'm so grateful.
so neat dorothy! can't wait for tomorrow! post pics if you can!! One can calm hearts and i am *thinking good thoughts* that He will!
ReplyDeleteerika
So fun that you get to see and experience so much... and that each year builds on the next. So happy for you that you've seen flowers bloom on this trip.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not surprised at all that you chose both when offered a choice of mild or spicy soup. ;) It sounds amazing!