I've been given the task of facing my fears, of grabbing the bull by the horns and hanging on for the ride. Well, maybe that's a little bit of a over dramatization, but I have been asked to comment on something I've avoided or hesitated doing, here in China. The first thing that came to mind was Fuxin itself. I have to some extent avoided straying from the beaten track. I walk to work, walk back, walk to the local store, walk back, never really stepping beyond. So this week I decided to figure out how to walk to downtown Fuxin. The benefits of this foot driven adventure were clear to see. I found several indoor markets, my first Chinese video game store, a mobile phone market (iphune and Samsang seemed very popular), and figured out we live pretty close to downtown Fuxin. Here are some pictures of my travels:
Apparently giant mutant frogs are a popular food item in Fuxin:
One of the indoor markets I found. The word big doesn't do it justice:
I also found a very cute dog who reminded my of my two pugs:
Here are some gentleman I ran into whilst walking through a park. They played this song for me as I watched:
Another thing I have tried to do more of, is hang out with my students. I think at first I was worried about the teacher/student relationship. The legal concerns that are a big deal in America held me back the first few weeks, but the realization that this really isn't an issue in China, and the fact I get to spend more time with them, eventually made it a no brainer.
Playing some pool with some of my students:
And having lunch with more of my students:
"Confronting my fears" has without a doubt left me a better person. I have experienced more, made new friends, and become a better person for it.
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