War against mosquitos

The first day of May is Labor Day in China. I get the whole week off from school and work. However I paid little attention to any parades or events that may have occurred. I was able to get some errands done this week.

I bought an anti-mosquito device to put in the room and a mosquito net for above the bed. My roomate thinks that is overkill, but he may not after he gets bit in the night. Cleaned the room, swept the floor, put the winter clothes away and broke out the summer clothes. I sent off my application to the Education Offices of the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. I have some hope they will take care of it properly.

I also went to a store for foreign students that I really like and browsed to my heart’s content. I bought a book on Chinese idioms. I really like Chinese idioms. Most are only just four characters long and deceptively simple. However Chinese idioms are packed with meaning, history, culture, and philosophy. One might even say to really know Chinese idioms is to know China. Such as in "Yin-Shui-Si-Yuan", each sound is a word, drink-water-think-source. It literally means when you drink water think of the source. But it dates back to the Liang Dynasty, over 1500 years ago. An educated man named Xu Yin, after being promoted to an official, wrote a poem in appreciation of his homeland. "When you eat the fruit think of the tree that bore it, when you drink water think of its source." The idiom is often used to remind one how the past has contributed to the present situation.

Chinese idioms are as abundant as the flowers in these pictures. Actually, these pictures were taken today at the foot of Fragrant Mountain in the northwest corner of Beijing. Spring has finally taken a foothold and the flowers are in bloom. I love it.

I received some feedback on my last journal entry. First, its really amazingly great to know people care, are reading and thinking over what I wrote, and send me feedback. How could I not feel great that even though I am on the other side of the world, my friends and family love, care for, and encourage me. With that in mind, I got a surge of energy and new vigor to take on my current challenges. I just have to quote a few of these…

Karen wrote, “I just want to say that I have NO DOUBT that you will come up with the perfect thing to do next.”

My friend Jason wrote, “keep searching and you can write to me whenever you want”

Dad wrote, “Sounds like you are preparing for a new chapter in your life. We can't wait to read it.”

Mom wrote, “MARCUS COME BACK AND FINISH YOUR CHINESE DEGREE.”

Gosh, I love my friends and family so much.

I made a tiny little breakthrough the other day. I walked outside without any direction or destination, just enjoying the cool breeze and sunshine and made my way to a little park. I sat down and starting thinking, but not in a tense, depressed way, but in a relaxed, cheerful way. I decided to do what I want to do and enjoy it. My first mission is to give myself a purpose. I want this to be fun. Creating a mission like the new movie "Mission Impossible III". Make it exciting interesting, and fun. I am not afraid to work, but lets start working smarter and not harder. Moreover, with a some kind of meaningful outcome in mind!