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Monday, September 26, 2011

Thankful

I continue to travel in China, currently in Shenzhen.  I’m familiar with this area, such bustling busy streets.  At night people are outside in droves.  Families with their one child, friends gathered at a TV on the street corner watching a show, friends playing pool at outdoor pool tables, a group of tables sitting along a street corner without a restaurant in sight, people eating together.  Life is very social here.
As a westerner I long for the comforts of home, more options then KFC and Pizza Hut.  We have Japanese for dinner the first night and Thai the second night, my travel companions knowing I’m not a fan of local cuisine, trying to accommodate a tricky pregnant women in her first trimester.  They feed me Soy Joy bars for snack and offer an assortment of breads, cookies and crackers throughout the day.  They tell me to not drink cold fruit juices and to avoid mango and pineapple.  Sometimes it’s just the sweet effort people go through to make you comfortable that makes one want to come back.  They know this trip has been uncomfortable for me but they try so hard to make me happy.  I don’t want to forget this when I return to the states to a job where I direct their daily efforts in toy development.
Today I’m thankful for the following:
  • 169 – Kind co-workers who put forth so much effort to make my life comfortable.
  • 170 – That America does not restrict families to a one child policy.  Freedom to have as many babies as I want.
  • 171 – Safety and health on my travels.
  • 172 – Cars with seat belts!  The taxi’s in this area are notorious for not having seat belts.  They have these metal grates behind the drivers window and sometimes shards of metal are peeling back, just waiting to impale an unlucky face.  Fortunately we’ve used the factory car which has seat belts (the prior knowledge is from prior trips).
  • 173 – Social media that has helped me stay in touch with family and friends.  I’ve spent hours chatting on Facebook with dear ones.  I don’t do this at home!  Never have the time!
  • 174 – Blessed sweet time, to reflect on my life and areas I want to improve upon.  This trip has given me so much time to read new blogs and enjoy people in a way that I just don’t seem to find time for at home.
  • 175 – Husband, who was willing to watch the kids with no help for 10 days straight while I did this trip.  I can’t wait to come home!

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