Everyone always gets so excited when I'm coming to America. They are so excited that I am coming "home." I tell people often that my home is in China. I do love America though. However, it is very hard for me to be here in America. There are several things that are hard...culture shock (yes, I have culture shock in America) and being away from China are both very hard for me, but the hardest thing is that most people don't really know how to relate to me anymore.
I live in a foreign country and it has changed me so much. When I come to America that makes me and my life foreign and weird to people in America. People don't really know what to do or say or ask about. This is compounded by the fact that I really struggle talking about myself. I love it when people ask questions. (If you need some ideas for questions to ask, I've written a bunch at the bottom of the post...just to get you going.) I know that if you haven't been to China it is hard to understand my life, my passion for it, and well anything about it. However, PLEASE ask anyway. It makes me feel loved when you want to know and when you listen to what I have to say. Honestly, nothing hurts more than visiting with someone who never or very rarely asks me what my life is like. It feels like you don't care about me or my life...even though I know you don't intend it that way.
So, my wonderful America friends, please help me combat my homesickness by asking me about the place I love so much. It will help me feel better and hopefully you'll understand a little bit of my love for China and my life there because of it. And just so you know, I would LOVE to have some of you come visit me someday. Thank you so much to those of you who already have.
Questions you can ask me about China...
Please don’t ask:
·
So how’s China?
·
So what’s China like?
o I
have NO idea how to answer these questions. Can you be more specific? And please listen and respond if you ask a question. I really want you to understand and I
really want to share my life with you.
Please try:
·
About China
o What
are the Chinese people like?
o What
is the coolest thing about living in China?
o What
is the hardest thing about living in China?
o What
is it like to go shopping?
o What
is it like to go grocery shopping?
o How
do you get around?
o How
do you pay your bills?
o What
kinds of fruits and vegetables do you eat in China that you didn’t eat in
America?
o Where
do you live in China? How big is your city?
o Do
you like living on the coast?
o What
is the weather like?
o Does
your city have bad pollution?
·
About School
o Tell
me about your school?
o What
is your class/classroom like?
o What
are the people you work with like?
o What
is it like to work with TCK’s? (Or what is a TCK?)
o What
nationalities have you taught?
o Do
you teach in English? What is the
curriculum like?
o What
is the best thing that happened in the class this year?
o What
was the hardest thing that happened in your class this year?
o What
is your favorite subject to teach?
o What
is your least favorite subject to teach?
·
About travel
o What
places have you traveled to?
o What
is your favorite place you have been?
o Have
you been to the Great Wall, Xi’an, etc.?
o What
is your favorite activity you did on a vacation since moving to China?
·
Learning Chinese
o Can
you say something in Chinese for me?
o Is
learning Chinese hard?
o How
often do you study Chinese?
o Are
you fluent?
o Can
you read Chinese characters?
·
About Living in China
o How
long do you plan to stay in China?
o How
do you know God wants you in China?
o Is
it hard to live in China?
o Is
home in America or China?
o What
do you miss about America? What do
you not miss about America?
o What
are you missing about China? What are you not missing about China?
o What
is wonderful about visiting America?
What is hard about visiting America?
o What
is the best thing that has happened to you since you moved to China?
o What
is the hardest thing that has happened to you since you moved to China?
o What
is your apartment like? Do you
have roommates?
o Tell
me about your friends?
o What
do you do for fun?
o What
is your favorite thing to eat?
Have you eaten anything weird?
o Why
do you want to keep living in China?
·
Keeping in touch
o How
can I pray for you?
o Can
we stay in contact?
o Will
you keep me updated on your life?
I have had people ask me "how is China?" in the past, and I know exactly how you feel; it is a bit like saying "tell me all about music" - where do I start?!
ReplyDelete(BTW - for those of you that aren't Amy or know me, I am the music teacher of another local International school; hence the music comment!)
The only answer I have ever really been able to give to "how is China?" is simple - China is... Chinese.
Oh, and by the way, your friends in China miss you just as much as you miss it!
PS - what IS the best thing that has happened to you since you moved to China?!
Great post, friend! And a great list of questions that are practical and can keep conversation going. :) Happy America'ing...
ReplyDeleteThanks to both of you. Sam, the best things...well, I would probably have to say getting to know and love such a wonderful group of people. How many people get to have such a wonderful adoptive family? :)
ReplyDelete