The News

Hello to everybody! Life continues to speed by here in Karamay even though we live a much slower-paced life than we did in America (or so it seems). Classes are going well - nothing too unusual - and the weather has actually stayed at a comfortable temperature. We have recently bought the first two seasons of Remington Steele (eat your hearts out moms!) and have enjoyed a nightly episode in place of a much more time-consuming movie. Our friendships with various people here are developing very nicely, our Chinese is improving on a weekly basis, and we can now perform a 5 minute Tai Chi demonstration from the classes we've begun to take. Wow!

We've both been trying our best to keep up with the lives of our friends back in the US and of course the news with our families. Megan, my sister, is doing very well with her volleyball team. She is in a close race for 1st place in her division, and she is playing a great senior year! Tiff and I are bummed we cannot be there to see it, but we cheer her on anyway. I have personally been trying to keep up with news back in the US by downloading podcasts, sports and news related, and reading articles on the internet - I like to feel connected. At first I felt it was a great way get information, but now I'm beginning to feel otherwise.

Try doing this for a second: imagine that the only thing you knew about any country was derived from mass-media news sources. Rwanda is plagued by the remains and cleanup of genocide, Iraq is the most dangerous place to live, Taiwanese people are protesting a corrupt leader (and his wife), etc. Is that all you know about these country? Likewise, if I didn't know anything more than what I read in the news on a daily basis right now, my view of America would be quite twisted. As I read one article after another about America I get depressed by the moral depravity, violence, and civil war-like bickering that seems to fill every news release. I realize we've only been gone for 3 months, yet from what I read it seems as though the place I call home has changed dramatically. My point is this: don't judge a country entirely by its news, for actions of kindness, peace, and love rarely make the news. I believe this both of America and also my new temporary home.

We may be enjoying this new temporary home, but we still miss all of you and think of you often. Please keep in touch and let us know all of the fun and exciting things that are going on in your area. Oh, and Go Geneva Golden Tornadoes!!