Home is...

Linking up at Velvet Ashes today! I want to be better at actually remembering to blog so here we go!

Home is... well I guess it's wherever I have a key that turns the lock. Who says you can only have one set of keys?

Less than a month ago, I was frantically running around packing, unpack, and repacking as I prepared to leave the only home I had ever known as I prepared to move to China. The house I had grown to lovingly refer to as home, the constant in my life. Technically we had moved there when I was 4, so there was another house before that one; I've also reffered to other places as home at the time I was living there; the dorm, sorority house, apartment, and the multiple places I had spent my summers in Orlando and Thailand while in college. But this house the big blue house with the oak tree out front it was and is my home, never did I doubt that it would always be there wander wherever I may but home would always be there. It is the home my family lives in: the one that has pictures on the wall of my childhood, the grandfather clock I had taken countless pictures in front of, my bubble gum pink room walls, the memories that fill my mind happened there, my dogs, the address I list as the "permanent" one because it is a constant it's always been there. It's the house that made Memphis my home, the one who made me #choose901 and begin to love the city I called home. The city and surrounding area (lots) of my friends are, the center point of where I hung out, got coffee, went to school, shopped, and became the point of location to measure distances by. No single things made it a home, it simply was my home... lots went into making it that the family, friends, memories, sights, location all playing a part of where I belonged, lived, and loved. Home is the big blue house with the oak tree and everything that went along with it.

However, less than a month ago I packed my bags and left home. Since then I have found my self in Colorado, on lots of airplanes, a hostel in Beijing, and finally arriving at my new home in Nanjing... a 19th floor apartment with a fantastic view of a huge city. The city where I don't speak the language, know how to navigate around, know more than the people on my team, or have fond memories growing up in; but this 19th floor apartment is my new home because its where I live, its my home even if only a little while. Its mine to grow in, make memories in, love, enjoy. No it's not the home I grew up in or even in the same hemisphere as it but it too is home in the short 20 days I've lived here. It hasn't taken the place of home that the blue house with the oak tree, it may one day, or somewhere else may; but for now at day 20 (almost 21) they are both home to me. The home I lived in and love, am thankful for,and learned a lot it and the home I live in and love, am thankful for, and am learning a lot in.

I also know that while I have two homes for now on the earth, that neither is my actual home. As it isn't found anywhere on this globe, and I long for that home; and look forward to enjoying it with friends from every place I've ever called home.

At this point I'm ok with having two homes, I actually enjoy it. One has been my home for 21 years and the other a short but lovely 21 days. One home helped prepare me for the other, they are different homes in many ways. They aren't the same or even remotely similar from the outside. One has a city I've grown to love, live in, embrace, and so much more wrapped up in it not to mention the people that also call Memphis home that I love. The other I've been anxiously awaiting to arrive in, everything is new, exciting, and different (maybe I'm still in the honeymoon phase... ok probably), I only know a few people but it is to a place I love filled with 8 million people I haven't meet yet but still love. I understand that one day that is may not be the case, and having two homes may not be ok; but for now at day 21 I'm ok with that. So I guess home is where ever I have a key that turns the lock. Who says you only get one set of keys?

Tomorrow I am 23 :)

Ok so my actual birthday isn't tomorrow but it is Chinese New Year! So first let me tell you Happy Chinese New Year! Tomorrow is the first day of the New Year in China, and official begins 2014, the year of the horse. Which means me and 1.35 billion of my closest friends all get a year older tomorrow! That's right as of tomorrow "I am 23 this year" so I will be closing out my 22nd year at least according to  all of China.

Well Chinese New Year is pretty great and all of Nanjing it seems like has decorated and began setting off fireworks! They are SO LOUD and everywhere at all times of the day, no need to wait until night time here :) Most of the shops and such have closed for the holiday and I never realized that a city of 8 million could feel so empty with everyone celebrating with their families and many people traveling home.

the entrance of my building

The traditional color to decorate for New Years is red, because of a legend of a monster named Nian who is afraid of the color red. The Chinese put red around the door post and the top of the door so that the evil monster will pass over them and their house hold and let them prosper in the new year.

The Chinese also light fireworks to celebrate New Years. The fireworks are LOUD and are believed to help scare away Nian as well as he is frightened by the loud noise. The Fireworks have happened all week and at all times, no need to wait until nightfall! Seriously fireworks here make the Fourth of July look minimal.

 

 

some of the fireworks from my window

I am enjoying celebrating Chinese New Year for the first time, learning some culture and language, and having the chance to explore Nanjing while people are traveling and in the holiday spirit. As I walk around and see the red marking the door post I am reminded of another passing over and how the Father protects and knows his children and look forward to the day when the sky is filled with sounds of a trumpet, not trying to keep something away but announcing the One who has defeated every evil spirit and is calling to himself a people.

Ni Hao Nanjing!

Ni hao Nanjing! Ok so apparently I only blog from Asia... the good news is well that I am in Asia again for the next 18 months so we shall see how this whole blog thing goes! Well I have finally made it to my new home for the next 18 months and have been here for almost a week, a very very busy week! This week has been our orientation week, we have moved into our apartments, meet the team, toured the city and learned a little bit about Chinese customs and what our lives will look like in China. Will and I got to see the Nanjing Normal University where we will be studying this semester and have gotten to learn from the team that has been here. We have learned some favorite food spots and (a little) how to order food and how to get around Nanjing! Joining a team that has lived and been  here has been so helpful and I am extremely grateful for their wisdom.

This week has been a bit of a whirlwind and I keep having to remind myself that I live in China now. Of course, the moment I realize I can't communicate or read the menu I'm quickly reminded of this fact. Aside from the language barrier a few more experiences have landed on the oh yeah I'm in China map... so far this week I've experienced the second death lane and ran into a scooter (thankfully I'm fine!), fallen in love with public transportation (hello why don't we have this in Memphis?), found out we had the wrong visa (oops, thankfully we (ok really the lovely Ashley) got this taken care of and new multientry visas are on their way), kind of figured out how to get around the neighborhood, learned a FEW Chinese words, and so much more!

The view from my window one morning... Nanjing really is a beautiful city

The Outside of the Forbidden City from our day in Beijing   

It's still a little hard to believe I live in China, but I am loving being here and can not wait to see what all the Father has in store for me and my team over the coming months.

Zai Jian
April