Friday, June 17th? Is that the right date?

I am quite unsure what the actual date is, but I am 90% sure that it is Friday evening/night here. I am so appreciative of all the prayers of those of you who prayed for me on this journey! I needed them, especially today. To be very honest, my personal irritations wanted to overtake me all day today: call it fatigue, call it stress, call it travel "fun", but all I know is I do not look back at my attitude with much happiness. I need to ask for forgiveness for it.

My trip from Vancouver to Shanghai actually went very smoothly. The plane boarded and took off on time, but I wound up sitting next to a little Asian lady who seems to think that she payed for half of my seat as well as her own. First, she had a plastic black top hat that she placed on the arm rest between us. It was positioned so that the brim of the hat stuck straight into my rib cage. When it would slip, I would get a sharp jab. I did get ornery a few times and I just locked my arm in place so that she couldn't push the hat into my side.

When, she wasn't using the hat, she got out her extra large purse bag thing and placed that on the arm rest to sleep on. Again that pushed into my seat. I guess every time I started to nod off, I got a sharp jab. One time I actually jumped and made noise. It didn't work. She continued. Then, if it wasn't her "stuff" on me it was literally HER. I was more than happy when that flight ended. I did get a few hours of sleep, but they were spread out over the 12 hour flight.

My hotel transfer went smoothly as did getting through customs and security. I had forgotten how pushy and aggressive the crowds at the airport in Shanghai were. I was very glad that I had written communication from my hotel because everyone who wanted to "help" me gave me a different story about what I needed to do, or how I couldn't get a transfer to that hotel. I continued, very bluntly I am sorry to say, to respond that I did NOT need their help and that I could take care of it. Glad I did. My transfer arrived early and I made it safely to my hotel.

This morning, I was able to go for a short walk around the neighborhood, looking for a huge park I had walked through last time I stayed there. Unfortunately, believe it or not, I was not given accurate directions from the hotel staff and I gave up my search after a while. I had one little rickshaw driver who kept smiling at me and following me around, however, to his credit at least he smiled at me. Everyone else just stared at me; I guess I kind of stood out as a foreigner though.

The hotel had suggested that I get to the airport 3 hours before my flight. I reluctantly did so, not looking forward to the wait at the airport again, but I'm glad I did. I spent every single moment of those 3 hours in a some line of some sort. It was actually quite frustrating and my patience was tested beyond measure. First, I was dropped off at the wrong end of the building and all of the entrance doors were locked shut. I had to drag my luggage all the way to the other end of the airport to get in. (And this after attempting to convince the hotel staff that I really did need to go to terminal 1. They believed me eventually and I'm glad they did!)

Once getting through the doors, I followed signs for the "China Eastern Airlines" international counters. I found one and stood in line for 35 minutes. I got up to the front to find a tiny little sign that said if I was flying to Japan I needed to stand in a different line. I switched lines, only my new line stretched through two different sections of the airport and was twice as long as what I had already waited through!

Finally, I got up to the counter, checked in via computer and then waited in line for another huge chunk of time just to drop off my luggage.

That line was followed by the line to go through customs, then security. I think that wraps up the lines.

Then, I finally got to my gate just about the time we were to begin boarding only to learn that there was some sort of air traffic control issue. Flights were delayed indefinitely. I had no way to connect to my ride in Okinawa to tell them. I had no chair to sit on - as they over-pack their airports in Shanghai apparently. I sat on the floor after a while and didn't care at all if it was culturally inappropriate or not. I still can't honestly say I am sorry for that.

When we were finally given the go-ahead to board the plane it was an all out pushing/shoving match just to get there. They have to shuttle us out to the planes via buses. (Oh, the day before we were unloaded in the craziest/wettest/tropical rain downpour I have ever encountered off an airplane.) I finally got to the plane to see that I had a window seat with two Chinese young men already in the other two seats. Of course instead of getting up to let me get in, they just expected me to climb over/around them. About then was when my facial expressions were probably less than ideal. My struggle to be a light for Jesus was a losing battle at that moment.

When I finally got to OCSI (at 6 PM) I was greeted by a nice note tucked under a plant on my front steps. Linda Griffith was inviting me to supper. I realized that I had no money and no food, but I should probably go anyway. I had my first bowl of Okinawa soba and opted to just come home and unpack for the rest of my night.

Now fed with real food for the first time since Winnipeg, I am feeling better and more able to face the days ahead. A little more sleep will help too. :)

The only updates that I have for school are as follows:

1. Praise - I know how I can print items for summer school on Monday
2. Praise - I have a friend who has a master key and can let me in to do the work!
3. Request - I learned I have a very challenging young man who will be my student in 4th grade. I will call him Bradly (obviously not his real name). Bradly, from all I am hearing, has some pretty severe autistic tendencies and behavior issues are abundant with him. Please pray that we can transition smoothly and have as few episodes as possible in class.