My China Girl

This is our second year hosting an exchange student from China. The girl chosen for our family this year is Anni (in the middle of the backseat in picture above), a sweet 16 year old from Chongqing, a small town of about 30 million. She has been here for almost a week and it has been an adventure. A good adventure.

Overall the adventure so far has been sweet. There is something very special about living with and getting to know someone from a culture totally opposite of and so different from my own. I have been to China. I have seen the sights, smelled the smells, and tasted the food. But this experience is different....my senses aren't on overload....I am in the comfort of my own home and the only piece of China that I get to think about right now is the heart of a 16 year old. A precious girl created by our heavenly Father, just like me. That may be the only thing we have in common.

I have really been enjoying getting to hear about her life in China. Here is a glimpse:

* she goes to school Monday-Saturday. She goes to school from 7:30am-10:30pm with a two hour break for lunch which she goes home for. Dinner is served at school where she eats with her friends.

*The only meals she eats with her family, not to mention the only time she interacts with her family, is on Sundays.

* when asked why she goes to school so much she says, "society puts pressure on us".

* she does not know one person who goes to any kind of church, she thinks she might know where a Buddhist temple is....

* she does not know any teenager who is allowed to date, she says they must all wait for "the university"

* she said she has heard about "God" mentioned in school as "American culture". (oh, my.)

Everyday I learn so much more from her......I am pretty sure I am getting more out of this situation than she is. I do wonder what she is thinking. She is still pretty quiet. I am working on getting her out of her shell......

As for now, I am so thankful for the opportunity to have my mind stretched outside of my little middle-class American brain. She will be with us for 2 1/2 more weeks.

Thank you, Lord, for this adventure.