Trail blazing: it's a love-hate relationship

Yesterday, Scott and I went to the bank to open an account here in "Boone". We only needed 2 American dollars to open the account! It also took us over an hour just to get our information into the computers... not because the system is complicated but because they kept putting our names in wrong. I told Scott "Tell her just to copy everything from the passport!" and he said "She doesn't know how to read a passport."

Then we realized: she's never seen a passport before.

It was so interesting to me... and things started to come together a little bit. The hardest thing about traveling and studying in tiny little "Boone" has not been the weather, the food, or the housing....the hardest thing is how much we stick out like a sore thumb. We think we're only the 4th or 5th foreigners to ever come to this town (it's the best kept secret in Asia) and so blue eyes and blond hair and long legs get us noticed right off the bat! But it's not only that.... we need to explain our reasons for almost everything we do.

"Why don't you want to eat this chicken foot?"

"We don't eat the foot in America."

"Why do you want that big dog for a pet?"

"ALL dogs are pets in America." (implying that only small dogs are pets in Boone. Big ones are for dinner)

"Why do you take a shower every day?"

"Because that's what my mom made me do when I was a kid." (some kids in our city get a bath once a month or less)

"Why do you want to move to a different house?"

"We're not used to scooping out the shower water."

and so on....

One of the most common things we've found is that even if we speak the local language, many people are too nervous to talk to us. Often times, they will say "I don't understand English." and we'll say "We're not speaking English!" and then the look of surprise is hilarious when they realize, "Oh, I can understand them!"

Yesterday we were trying to communicate with our driver and he kept saying "Ting bu Dong" (I don't understand) before we could complete a sentence. We were finally able to say "We're speaking Boone language!" and he said, "Oh!" and had a good laugh.

On some days, being a trailblazer can really get me down. We're so misunderstood and we get ripped off because everyone thinks we're rich.

But some days, I absolutely ADORE being one of the first foreigners to live here. Last night, we didn't get a chance to eat until 8:30. I ran to our favorite noodle shop and ordered some noodles and rice. (we eat at this place at least 5 times a week) I saw that the woman who usually cooks our food was sitting down with her husband and daughter and grandmother. I sat at their table and we chatted. Because we were speaking the local language, some students felt brave enough to say "hello". It was so adorable. The group said "Welcome to "Boone" and a few more phrases in English... but their shyness caused them to blush bright pink and bury their faces in their hands several times.

It's times like that when they think we're so interesting but once they pluck up the courage to come talk to us that they find we're not so different from them.

One thing that has helped the novelty wear off is English Corner and movie night. When they see Scott and I laughing and playing a silly game, they realize we're young, too, and like to have fun.

My good friend Lisa is enamoured by our marriage. There is almost zero romance in this country, so when Scott carries me across a patch of mud or brings me flowers or kisses my cheek for no reason, Lisa always tells us we should be in a movie! She also thinks that all American men are like Scott! I told her that there are bad husbands in every country, even in America. Only a man who loves God will treat his wife with such kindness.

After that conversation, she broke up with her boyfriend because he is too quick to anger. I was so happy that she desires to have the same thing that we have... I've told her many times how she can have joy like us.

Well, spring has come to lovely little "Boone". Cherry trees everywhere are pink and red, and the green buds on the trees have turned into big, bushy green leaves. The weather has become more and more beautiful every day. Since we came back from Thailand, it's snowed twice and rained a few times. Mostly it's sunny and blue skies and 70 degrees in the afternoon... and I've been getting lots of attention by wearing flip-flops. Scott wore shorts and a T-shirt yesterday, and he got too many stares for my liking. haha!

~

Something really fun to do is let our friends try American food. Below are Heidi and Lisa, two of the sweetest girls you'll ever find. I gave them a small piece of cheese to try, and the looks on their faces were hilarious! They did NOT like it.

One night they came to play Scrabble to help their English, and I had put out all the ingredients for banana muffins. They were very interested in cinnamon and butter and baking powder. Heidi mashed the bananas and Lisa sifted the dry ingredients.

We had a big laugh because we had poured the batter into the muffin tin when we realized the butter was still in the microwave! We had been so busy goofing off and having a good time. So we scooped out all the batter and mixed in the butter.

They kept saying we needed to add more water and more this and that... I told them that if we don't do what my piece of paper said, the muffins won't get bigger and it won't taste right. They didn't believe me until they saw the muffins rise while in the oven! When I told them that's what baking powder/baking soda are for, they were very impressed.
They were SO skeptical about trying one. Asian candy has hardly any sugar in it, so almost all western desserts are too sweet for them. But they nibbled on the muffins and quickly asked for a second and third! I gave them the rest of the batch to give out at the dormitory- they were a hit!

I'll be making about a million batches for our Easter party!