happiness

is teaching these two faces every day and feeling like I'm making a difference in their lives.

bittersweet

I miss New England and my family, but I never want to leave my students.

real talent

People help the people

                             And if you're homesick, give me your hand and I'll hold it

People help the people

And nothing will drag you down

In the quiet of China

It's just me and the resident kitty, Timmy, on our floor tonight. Everyone else left for vacation yesterday, but I decided to stay at the school to save my knee, money and to finish classes. It's been a quiet day, full of naps, snacking and movies and Timmy curled up by my feet. It's comforting, having him here. The school is empty of both kids and teachers and the street lights below me glow over empty streets. China is quiet tonight and I'm nostalgic. The world continues to turn back in the States and so much is changing back there and I wonder what kind of world I'll be retiring to in a few months. But it doesnt matter. In the silence, I find myself dreaming and listing and making goals and plans. It's like I'm rediscovering myself here, and everything that I forgot, I'm beginning to remember again. And that fills the silence up with my own music and words and emotions and feelings. 

And it's a beautiful song. 

I was tagged!

I was tagged by Alexandra a while ago, but I just saw it and now I'm going to do it!

THE RULES

1. Post these rules 

2. Post 11 random things about yourself 

3. Answer the questions provided by the one who tagged you 

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag 

5. Go to their blog and tell them they've been tagged!

11 random things about myself:
1. I want to adopt a manatee someday. Not really adopt one. Just sponsor it through a wildlife program or something. 
2. My favorite hair color was little mermaid red. I wish it wasn't so hard to maintain, because I would rock it all the time.
3. I think I have a pinched nerve in my back.
4. Socks make my feet feel claustrophobic. I don't own more than three or four pairs and I never wear them unless absolutely necessary. 
5. When given the opportunity, I will take the long way home. I love to drive. 
6. I still sleep with a teddy bear. It used to be my dad's. When I was little, I thought it was the ugliest thing in the world and hid it under my bed until one day, my dad told me that it used to be his. I haven't slept a night without my bear since. 
7. I am absolutely terrified of falling through sewer grates in the street, and I will do whatever funky dance moves necessary to avoid stepping on them.
8. I drove 42 hours straight with my dad last April across the country. It took me three weeks to recover.
9. I'm currently learning how to speak Mandarin. It makes spanish look like a piece of cake.
10. I marched in marching band all four years of high school and band camp seriously was the high light of my summer.  
11. I hate my eyebrows. 


Questions Alexandra asked!

1. What is your favorite nickname people call you?

I like it when people start calling me Chels because it means they are comfortable enough with me to not address me "formally". My favorite nickname is Chelsabelle, but only a select few people call me that.

2. What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome in the last year?

Probably getting my knee replaced, but I think Dustin's reassignment to my area was almost as challenging as my surgery was.

3. Where is "home" to you?

One of the things I say frequently is "New England sets my soul on fire." My heart will always belong there. It's home.

4. Do you have a favorite meal?

Well, anything American would be my favorite right now, I'm so tired of rice! But I love my mom's twice baked potatoes, sautéed asparagus and Caribbean marinaded steak tips. 

5. Where is your favorite place to run away to?

Jackson Hole, WY. I end up there frequently when I'm at school. It is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.

6. What is something you feel like you are taking for granted?

My sight.

7. What is one of your earliest memories?

Sleeping over at my grandparents house.

8. Are you right or left handed?

Right

9. Do you sleep with socks on?

never. I hate socks.

10. What is your favorite weather to wake up to?

A cool autumn morning, with the sun streaming through my window. 

11. What is the first word you think of that starts with the letter Q?

Quail?

I TAG YOU!

-Princess Paige-

-Tara-

-Jillise Marie-

Anyone else who wants to participate, I suppose.

11 questions for you!

1. What's one place you want to visit before you die?

2. If you could learn any new language, what would it be?

3. What's the weirdest thing you have eaten?

4. What's your guilty pleasure song/music artist?

5. What is one thing you can't live without?

6. What's a goal you have this year?

7. Do you dream in color or black and white?

8. What's something that motivates you?

9. What's your favorite mode of transportation?

10. What's your favorite word in the English Language?

11. What song has been stuck in your head today?

It's been a while.

Oh dear me. Hi. As many of you know, I've been blogging over at my China blog for the last couple of months. But, that blog is specifically for China and Into the Wild is my personal refuge and I have missed writing here. I finally got to use a friend's proxy to set up my email blogging thing, so now I can write here every once in a while, when I have something to say that doesn't have to do with my life in China.

It's good to be back. I've missed writing. 

Well friends,

This is it for the time being. Tomorrow I am off to China and I'll be blogging over here while I'm on my Asian adventure! If you want to get ahold of me while I'm over there, you can email me at chelsieinchina@yahoo.com. I hope you come along with me on my adventure, and I'm so grateful for every single one of yours support!

PEACE, LOVE AND CHINA!

Days in Utah

The past week has been so much fun and I seriously have been living the dream while visiting my friends here in Utah. In the last seven days I have:

1. Gone to classes at BYU with Juli

2. Gotten a new Macbook Pro after mine bit the bucket.

3. Gotten 2 letters from my Missionary and got to write back to him!

4. Eaten at all my favorite restaurants: Denny's, Cafe Rio, Jimmy Johns, Wendy's, In-N-Out, Pizza Pie Cafe

5. Went to my first Collegiate sporting event: BYU Basketball! And we won!

6. I watched Reel Steel with Symone and Ryan. Also, I met Ryan. That was cool.

7. I got my hair cut and had pot roast with Shannon and Jared.

8. I went to the movies with McKell

9. I watched the Superbowl with Brett, Ian and McKell, and although my boys lost, it was still fun to spend time with them.

10. I slept in. A lot. And it's been great.

Basically, my last week in the states has been fantastic and I have loved every moment of it. I'm still in shock that I am leaving for China in two days. I can't believe it's finally here! WOOHOO!

wait what?

I'm leaving the country in four days?
holy Santa Claus crap.

Thrones of Cair Paravel

Sleep will not evade me tonight, for the numbers on my illuminated screen confirm that my words have reached your ears. I have touched you once again, and I can almost feel you, through every single one of the 2500 miles that separate my body from yours. And as I close my eyes tonight, I know I'll find myself wandering through the furs and pines, laden with heavy snow, following the footprints of a Lion who knows my name and my face and my heart. He will lead me where he knows I need to be; and I know that my place is right next to you.