Life on Life

Nowhere in the world can you go to a market, a super Walmart or Wegmans and pick up a "bottle of joy." It simply can't be done. Joy comes from experiences, from living life.

The other night our team had an opportunity to experience the real china. "Well wait, Kayla, you've been there for three weeks already." The other night our team had the opportunity to experience life on life. Thus far we've been going places, eating things, and brushing past the millions and millions of faces. Everyone heading to a destination, everyone in transit. We were venturing out of our three-block-radius, to a real China town {except that in Beijing, every side street is a 'real China town'}. We ventured not to the street vendor at their job, not to the bus stop where people are bustling, and not to the tourist destination where people are taking pictures. We ventured to the near by park where people were simply living life.

The place was scurrying with life, children, puppies, old men, mothers, grandparents. There was a playground and exercise equipment for the general public, boys playing hackiesak and girls chasing each other on scooters. We came upon lines and lines of dozens of Chinese women, young and old, living life together in the park. Dancing. As if there was some invisible magnetic force, the women from Team Harbin created a 'new back row'. We were pulled into the mystique and splendor, carefully watching those in front of us, mimicking their every move. “Graceful” would not describe us for the first few minutes, but we soon got the hang of what was going on. We quickly learned that these dances were similar to American line dances, meaning that while we thought we were safe in the back, we soon became the front line, clueless, and leading the way, and drawing quite the crowd. [You quickly adjust to people pointing at you, staring at you, and talking loudly about you in a language you don't understand.]

The puppies, the children, all flitting between our lines, some on scooters, some playing tag, as we laughed, twirled, and step-ball-changed our way in the park. We were soon joined by the men from our team as well. Yes, video footage was taken, I'm sure you'll be seeing it at some point in the future. The leader of the dance approached us afterward, asking us to come back {heck yes, we will!}. Our team was quick to agree that finding a local park in Harbin is top on the priority list so that we may partake in Chinese life, experience the dance, and share {and also receive} pure joy. One thing is for sure: after our experience in the park, we are no longer excited to be in China, we are ever more excited to live in China. 

Team Harbin & the children who were so excited to practice their English.