nài xīn
[a lesson in patience]

Almost two years ago when I was in Beijing, my roommate helped me wash some of my clothes. He washed a pair of shorts, this tanktop and accidentally some frayed rag that wasn’t supposed to be washed. After the wash was finished, my tanktop was covered in lint. If it was from tissue paper the lint would come off easy, but no it was from a rag and sticks like a champ. I’ve kept the shirt for two years because it wasn’t cheap, it’s made for travel, lightweight and dries fast. I couldn’t throw it away.

Yesterday, I finally started the task of removing the lint by cutting each little piece. This is a lesson in patience. I hope to finish it.

I went to bed an hour and a half ago. I couldn’t sleep though. Not sure if it was the two cups of green tea I had, my noisy neighbors (they love to get together and have girl talk. i can’t blame them, they are in college and i hung out with my friends late at night with my friends when i was there too but my wall between them is made up plywood and the tv their watching is right on the otherside of that plywood.) or maybe because I couldn’t stop thinking about stuff. I think it was a combination of the things, but definitely the tea had something to do with this. I went to the bathroom three times. One day, you’ll see getting in and out of my bed is not so convenient (a bunk bed with the ladder taken away so i have to climb up it like a tree). Hahah…maybe I can sleep now.

Wearing Hokie spirit today after I wake up from my SLEEP!

..and breed some happiness. Here’s a photo from last Saturday of two teachers leading some youngsters down some steep stairs. That’s Darren and me. Darren is one of the preschool teachers. The preschoolers gave a performance during the Tianmu Water Festival (天母水道祭). Those kids are so cute. The youngest one in the school, Hina, is four three years old. (She just turned three. I found that out today [4/23] when I visited the school. That makes it funnier that…) I was giving her a hard time and making her spell words as she tried to pass her way through our Candy Land type game. We can’t make it too easy for them.

My good friend and old college roommate sent me this letter about his thoughts on the tragedy that happened at Virginia Tech. I felt what he had to say and think it would be good for other people to hear.

I don’t usually do stuff like this, but I felt compelled to write this email. I want to preface this email by saying that I am usually pretty anti MTV, and am not a fan of their programming.

With that being said I watched a special that they had about the tragedy and I have to say it was an excellent barometer of what is going on and the feelings that students have about the incident, and it really got me thinking. First off instead of playing the blame game and pointing fingers the correspondents did nothing but show support for the student body and the university. The news correspondents Sway and John Norris where both supporting the community by wearing Virginia Tech sweatshirts; they were the only journalists that I saw doing this. They did not ask leading questions, and actually appeared to be concerned for the student body, unlike any other news network. Sway was even dishing out hugs. They pointed out on numorous occasions that Virginia Tech was a beautiful and special place, and made a big deal out of the feeling of community and unity exemplified by the students and staff. They also made a point to call out some other networks for seemingly seeking out angry students in order to create sound bytes for their network. They managed to do what the media should have had the obligation to do in the first place in respecting and mourning the loss while also attempting to provide support for the community.

I have also been extremely impressed by the Tech students who to me have come across as a great deal more intelligent than the reporters interviewing them. There seems to be a great deal of pride in the students and that is very impressive. The main point of the MTV broadcast is something that I couldn’t agree with more. It was that there is a lot more to the Virginia Tech community than yesterday’s tragedy, and the actions of one deranged individual will not destroy that. I was very impressed with this broadcast, and I felt the need to pass it on to some of my closest friends/classmates.. All day all I could think about was that I wished I was there attending the services and vigils, and I think that a lot of other alum felt the same way. In the end our school will be remembered not just for this incident, but for the way that the school and the community bounce back stronger than ever. While I will continue to pray and think about the victims and their families, I am still and always will be proud to be a Hokie.

CJW