Hey everyone!! So some sad news, my internet has decided it wants to be difficult. :( For some reason my computer is having a hard time with the schools network so I have been and will be out of internet until who knows when. Luckily some of my teammates have internet and I am able to come by their place to check email and jump online! Things are always a little more complicated when you're in a foreign place I suppose. :)
I wanted to at least stop by and give a quick update and share some photos while I was around the net. EVERYTHING has arrived!! My guitar came in this week on Wednesday, along with our last two beautiful teammates to arrive in our city. It is great to have it back with me especially without having the internet I have been playing until my fingers are purple.
So much has happened but there is not enough time or enough blog space to share it all. I started teaching September 1st and have been going since then! It was rough at first I am not even going to lie but as time has passed through out this week things have been getting much smoother! I really do love it. Most of my classes are really sweet and try hard for me.
I went out exploring earlier this week and found behind my house that there is an awesome path around the lakes in the city, with an incredible view of all of the mountains, it leads to this really beautiful Chinese park. It has become my favorite part of my day. Reminds me just how close He really is.
Being here has really opened me up to feeling more vulnerable and exposed than ever before. Dad has been my best friend, my constant, and I am finding that there are many things in my heart that just keep surfacing. Sometimes its hard but I know it is a good pain. :) I have had a chance to share with some exactly why I am here, which was a gift from Him I know. As I was walking today I saw a little boy with his father on their lunch break ( here everyone takes a lunch break in the middle of the day for two or three hours), the father was teaching his son how to use his sling shot. The son looked determined and was totally focused as hard as he could and when he let go the rock went no where but in front of him and to the ground. The boy looked at his father as if to say " I tried!" and his father looked at him and started laughing, he picked the rock up and stood holding the boys hands in place and showing him again encouraging him to keep trying. I realized I am so much like that boy in Dads hands and how often He must just laugh at me pat me on the head and encourage me to keep on trying until I get it just right, never leaving but always pointing me in the right direction. So good to know that He is more than just something in the distance. He is living and with me.
I want to leave you all with a funny story I wrote down last week after I went to my first official Chinese meal. :) I hope you enjoy and find it just as funny as it was!!
I love you all so much and am grateful for your support and love through all of this. I would be nothing without the other members of the body out there lifting me up and supporting me. I miss you all and home often. Please email me with updates on yourselves and things I can be lifting up for you!! chelsieleighpriest@gmail.com
August 27th 2011

I just ate dinner for the first time with William, the school leaders and other teachers. The Chinese culture is all about food and company. At first I was nervous that it would feel weird to be there. But I agreed to go anyway not really knowing exactly what it was. Then when I arrived at the car I found Williams sister and his nephew. His nephew is quite possibly the cutest child ever. He is 11 years old, his English name is Peter and he did he best to speak with me. I kind of felt like he and I were on the same page walking into the dinner, he maybe a step ahead of me. He held my hand on the streets and walked with me into the restaurant. As silly as it seems I was grateful for his company. I have never seen or been apart of so many toasts in my life. Not to mention when I refused the alcohol I was poured corn juice. Yes, corn juice it is exactly what it sounds like. Needless to say my lesson has been learned. I was stuck toasting all night with the chunks of corn just hanging out. It was gross. I made up my mind I was just going to bare through sipping a little with each toast. On the upper hand the food was great. The food is placed on a round rotating table top and is spun through out the meal. You take what you want into your bowl as it goes. It is all about presentation so it looks beautiful. There were a lot of foreign foods to me and since it was my first time I kind of played it safe. Most of what I tried I liked. At one point I had something that was black and looked like a mushroom but was extremely squishy. I had no clue what I had placed in my mouth and just kept going. (only in hina) Through out the meal they drink and talk and toast. Toasting is their way of supporting, encouraging and boasting about others. They do it often. Everyone toasts everyone. It is a huge part of their culture. I was greeted warmly and everyone came to give me a welcome toast. Then at the very end we all stood for one last toast. I had managed to keep my glass pretty full just sipping a little. I thought I has beat the system. Then I heard the dreadful words, “bottoms up”, which I found out means exactly what it says. It is done for the last toast to end the night. Yep, you guessed it I had to down the almost ¾ glass full of corn juice. I am not going to lie I was prying to get it down. So lesson #1 if you don’t like what your drinking make sure you ask for something else because whether you like it or not you will drink it.

Some photo's of my home pre- decor. :) ( there are more to come I just didnt have enough time to add them all! )