Sept 9, 2007(by Jess)

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday (Saturday) we all rode the Number One bus over to People’s Park, where we spent the afternoon. Newt thought there were some shops there where he could buy something to hang on his wall, but there wasn’t anything there anymore. The bus was VERY hot, and we were glad to get off!

So we went to McDonald’s. Aside from the Chinese writing everywhere, you’d have never known we were in China! Brad had a fish patty, which he said was as good as or better than any he’d ever had back home. I had a spicy chicken sandwich and a chocolate milkshake, and both tasted the same as they would back home. The only things we noticed that were peculiar were green-bean pies in the place of apple pies (crazy!) and corn as an alternative to French fries.

We walked around People’s Park afterward, with Shannon’s boyfriend, Peter Lucas-Roberts, who is studying Chinese in Beijing this semester. Next semester, when Newt leaves, Peter will join us on staff here at Langfang Teacher’s College. We like having him along because he makes Shannon smile so much, and because he speaks Chinese so well!

Today (Sunday) we started the morning with a group meeting time. We sang songs, talked to Bono, read his book, described our regrets from this week, shared our thanks, and thought of our many students. We are so thankful for the many times we have spent with students this week!

Brad and I attempted to find someone to mend holes in two articles of clothing. We didn’t have any luck, but two of our students came up and offered to take our clothes to be mended and bring them back to us on Tuesday. So we left our clothes with them and met the rest of the group to go shopping with a student named Queenie who showed us where to find art for Newt’s wall. Queenie reminds me of a Chinese Cher with her hippie-style clothes and her long dark hair that hangs past her waist.

After strolling around a very large furniture warehouse-type place with our petite escort, we headed back just in time to meet the men installing our Internet! We were thrilled to finally be able to get on the Internet in the privacy of our own home, rather than in a public office. So if you are keeping up with us on facebook, we were finally able to get on for the first time! Brad is actually working on loading our photographs on facebook right now.

Thank you for thinking of us each day we are apart. We love you all.
Jess (and Brad) Distad