China Challenge Accepted : Oh, the Places I've Been

The last two weeks, and really the last 2.5 months have been life changing. Today makes day 5 of trying to sit down and write this post because I really don’t know where to start. As I have been in China my eyes have been opened to self-discovery, philosophical view points, and new dreams I didn’t know I had. It’s hard to put it all into words.

I almost just want to say, “the blog ends here, pack your bag and go on an adventure. Stop reading and become a student of the world and make new discoveries.” But I do think sharing our experiences and beautifully obtained moments is almost as important as acquiring them ourselves, so I will try my best to convey some of mine.

Friday, April 27th, my group and I embarked on our big 9-day vacation that we get during our stay here as volunteer teachers. We started our excursion by taking a 13-hour sleeper train (i.e. transportable, Closter phobic, 3 person bunkbeds from hell) to Pt. I of our trip: BEIJING. Beijing had more for me in store than I can wrap my head around. It made the hellish ride 100% worth it.

After arriving Saturday morning, we spent a nice afternoon at the Summer Palace and then made a new friend who we had dinner with. We settled in at our hostel to prepare for our Sunday. We had planned to attend the LDS branch there and then go to the Forbidden City. I’ve shared some of my church experience here so many of you know my typically church routine is all through technology. I call in on a landline and listen. The only branches we can attend here are international because the laws here prohibit foreigners from worshiping with the nationals. In some largely populated cities in China they have international branches that meet in person; Beijing is one of those cities. Being able to attend was important to me because it meant getting to partake of the sacrament. However, we learned Saturday night that if there was any chance of getting into the Forbidden City, we would have to get there 1st thing in the morning which would mean missing church. All of us were torn but eventually decided collectively that we would go to the Forbidden City. We are in China after all. I woke up the next morning with the just a slight impression in my heart that I should go to church. I almost didn’t say anything because if I wanted to go I would need two others from our group to come as well. Moments before we were about to head out I casually mentioned my plan and was pleased to find 2 other girls in my group were having the same desire to attend the branch. So off we went. To church in China.

For the remainder of the day I found myself repeating over and over the phrase “I cannot BELIEVE I almost didn’t go.” YOU GUYS. I ran into one of my best friend’s fiancé, the niece of a lady from my teeny tiny hometown, a guy who is good friends with my childhood best friend, and the cousin of a lady from my mission who is one of the most influential ladies in my life! Um, Hi. Did I mention I’m in CHINA?! 4 connections from the states while I’m IN CHINA. My heart was exploding! Not to mention, the talks that were given were exactly what I needed to hear, AND I met two different women who are basically on the path that I am working to get on. Here in China, I have decided that I will be changing my major. I still have the same ultimate career goals, but my path there has shifted. I was able to talk to these two women I met about my ideas and my goals, which synced up very closely with theirs. It was like God was personally telling me, “Yes, you are making the right choices, carry on with confidence.” I’m still bamboozled. AND 4 out of 6 of these people don’t even regularly attend this branch! We all just happened to be there, for one Sunday only, all on this particular Sunday.

I was elated in receiving yet another witness that God knows ME. Me and the two other girls in my group enjoyed the rest of our afternoon in the gardens next to the Forbidden City. We marveled at the wonder of being God’s children living on this incredible earth he has created for each of us individually.

That was just the start of my week and a half excursion. Read ahead for more of the OOOH’s and AWWW’s of this life I’m so blessed to live.

THE GREAT WALL. I’ll be honest, the name doesn’t do it justice. I’ll be more honest; I don’t know how to adequately describe just how great it is. REMEDY: GO THERE! We were able to explore the side of the wall that hasn’t been redone. We are talking B.C. years here, people. Some of the steps were so crumbled that they could hardly be identified as steps. it was really sketchy. Because this is not the touristy part of the wall, it is not really photographed. My mind did not give me the picture I was expecting. Its more, just... uasldjfilsdjf… ugh. GO THERE. Anyway. I’m looking at this wall, and I’m going back to my thought I shared previously on my blog about how God’s creations are what give me the most joy. It’s nature and people that fills my soul to the brim. But then I’m looking at the wall and I just think, people MADE this! This 13,000 mile (and counting), incredibly ancient wall in the mountains was made by human hands. I realized we truly are meant to CREATE! President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: “You might say, I am not the creative type. If that is how you feel, think again and remember that you are spirit daughters [and sons] of the most creative being in the Universe”. God made us and he made this earth so that we could build upon it and develop ourselves and each other. In the words of Dr. Seuss. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose”. We all have unlimited potential to become GREAT if we set our sights high, seek adventure, and aspire to do what may seem right now, in our little, but oh so powerful minds, impossible. Walt Disney once said, “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible”.

After backpacking for 3 hours, eating, watching the sunset, and setting up a tent on the Great Wall of China, I lied inside my tent and thought, I want my life to be Great. My mind suddenly flooded with things I want to do. I want to start a vlog, I want to travel to Norway, and Romania, and Korea, Morocco and everyplace far and in between. I want to be an influence for good. I want to be spontaneous and go on weekend trips even when I’m swamped with the responsibilities life brings. I want to write a book. I want to change the world. Granted, I wanted to do most of these things before camping on the Great Wall of China, but it was in this moment that it really just clicked that I actually can. I’ve always been an advocate for following your dreams and making them happen, but it just hit me that dreams never have to end or expire. We shouldn’t limit our dreams. We should fill our lives as full as we can with greatness. I don’t want to waste any time. I want to take every moment I have and live in it! With all my heart, might, mind and soul.

I think this epiphany that I had in contrast with coming home and getting back in to a routine of teaching screaming children who don’t actually speak the same language as you, is what made this post so incredibly hard to write. I was so inspired under the tower on a tiny section of such an insurmountable wall. I had great gumption and real intent to take my life by the reigns and live the best life I could every single day. Yet here I am in my small apartment in China on a Friday night, doing nothing but stumbling over words for a blog and wishing I was home so I could move on to the next thing in my life. Life is HARD.

I believed Dr. Seuss when he said,

“You’ll be on your way up!

You’ll be seeing great sights!

You’ll join the high fliers

Who soar to high heights.

“You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.”

But he also hit it on the head as he continues and says:

“I’m sorry to say so

but, sadly, it’s true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.”

But Oh the Places I’ve already been.

After Beijing I headed to the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, Yangshuo. Home of the renowned Dr. Seuss mountains and endless adventures. I river rafted through the whimsical shaped mountains. I “river drifted” (friendly term for a level 4 white water rapid with handles to hold on to instead ores to steer). I took a moped through rice fields and the lushest greenery. I explored a cave and exfoliated every inch of my body in pool of thick, creamy, mud. I hiked Moon Hill. I drank the most delicious mango smoothies made from the biggest mangos you will ever encounter. I swam in a river than looked like it was straight out of a movie scene. I sat on a balcony with the friends I’ve made here and watched the sun set as I laughed and ate Indian food.

Dr. Seuss says “KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUTAINS. I think in Yangshuo, the mountains moved me. BUT, I know on good days or bad days, there are still many adventures awaiting. I’m off to Great Places. Today is my day. My mountain is waiting. I’m on my way.

We are all on our way to greatness. So, the blog ends here, pack your bag and go on an adventure. Whether your bags are literal and you travel all the way to Asia, or they are more figurative and your adventure is in the room over sharing memory with a loved one, there is so much waiting for you to make your life great. And don’t forget to stop and look at places you’ve already been. God is so merciful and full of love. He is shaping us and standing by our side through every adventure. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”

Yangshuo is my new happy place

When I thought the end of my life was on this sleeper train.

Summer Palace

Cami's fiance, Dallin

Jenny's cousin, Ellie

My long lost soul sister, Cecilly. Literally living my life.

Garden next to the Forbidden City

HEEYYY, Great Wall.

Scarier in real life.

All of us with some of the Dr. Seuss mountains

Bamboo rafts!

Our raft rower was the BEST. He was so funny, was splashing us a ton, and encouraged us to splash everyone we passed.

Mango Smoothies on the daily. My favorite one was this Mango Avocado one.

Mud is proven to increase happiness by 78.96%. 100% when it's in a cave. Don't fact check me.

A little spring to get clean

Cultural difference: everyone else on this river drifting excursion was in full clothes and rain poncho's. We are talking heels and long sleeved shirts. But i mean, I think we all know who was more prepared.