Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Ninhoa friends and family!
WELCOME to my blog for my upcoming magical journey and adventure to China! Unfortunately, the recent earthquake killing thousands, injuring thousands, making millions homeless and fearful has caused our itinerary to be changed to bypass the Sichuan province and Chengdu which was so very hard hit and is mostly impassable. We will be missing many exciting stops but we all are heavy-hearted for the Chinese families who have lost lives, homes, and all belongings. Our BCAP Program director and participants have been busily collecting money and having our students create cards and bookmarks for our Chinese partner schools, to be mailed within the week. We all hope our contributions, although small, may be a spirit-lifter for these distant friends.
Over the next month I will be posting our travels, memorable experiences, photos, and perspectives to give y'all a vicarious slant on my journey. This will indeed promise to become a life-altering adventure.
So, buckle-up, strap-in and fly along with me to a world of differences. Join me as I explore, investigate, and marvel in an ancient world with the modern mixed in for flavor and celebration. Help me taste the delectable (at times, bizarre) tidbits of Chinese cuisine, sip (gulp) the mind-altering liquids, plod up, down, and around the myriad of sights, breathe in the thrilling (and not so) smells, peak your ears and imagine the sounds of China like listening to nothing but Chinese (which I don't understand) for 3 weeks, let me describe the feel and texture of China's earth, rock, flora, fabric, etc., and let my eyes translate what is before me and behind and how I feel and think as I approach it, walk around and in it, and as I leave it.
My senses will be bombarded and may I say I have perhaps never needed such a glorious distraction and reason to engage in a self-full journey more in my life, as now. I am aglow, aflow, and off I go...ho ho! With love and peace, Liz