Kristen's two cents...

I realized that the depth of my posts has maxed out with chinese jokes and an analysis of how ugly the dogs are. I swear my intellect is higher than that of a five year old's, so here is a post to keep the thoughts in check.

I've had two realizations recently...

1) I want my life to be a combination of different lifestyles and mannerisms that I learn from every culture I experience. Most people live their life not truely experiencing different cultures (and no, drinking tequila on Cinco de Mayo or frequenting the local Wok does not count). Subsequently, they live their life as they are used to. I want to be able to pick out what I like about each culture that I experience and create my own lifestyle. Maybe I still want to eat pizza, fries and bagels...but maybe I want to use chopsticks instead of Western utensils. Maybe I still want my 15 inches of personal space...but I want to be able to push and shove on the subway and not apologize if we brush elbows. Maybe I still want to own an oven...but I want to be able to buy 95% of my food on the street. The life I live is my own...and it's sad to think that the majority of people are living the life that either they are told to live, or their life is like it is because they know no differently. Man, there is so much out there to learn. I have got to believe that discovery is one of God's greatest gifts to us, and it is a shame to not exhaust that and discover as much as possible and let it shape your life.

2. People are the same everywhere you go. More often than not, Chinese people will sport the peace sign in pictures, wear thick-rimmed black glasses with no lens, eat meat off the street, use public bathrooms, terminate the definition of personal space as we know it...things that we aren't accustom to. But really, these things are just the minor details that make relationships interesting! What's important is what's behind the peace sign and underneath the silly glasses - and that is a cross-culture similarity. Where you're at makes you you no less thankful for a random stranger who helps you when you're lost on the street. A mother's love is irreplacable no matter where you go. You get the same feeling no matter where you are when your boss reviews your work. Sharing dinner with friends always brightens your day. It's just amazing that despite so many differences, there really is no difference at all.

All right, enough of that! Coming soon...a FULL post (with pictures) about why the dogs are so ugly in China. My brains hurts, so I'm going to bed. Really though, I think I've been on full-throttle sleep deprivation since I've gotten here. Night!