All is safe in Malaysia right now. The events in Indonesia are news to me. How is everything in the States? Tranquil as usual? :-)
I have to tell you about the fireworks! Last week I wrote about how it was Chinese New Years Eve and that the fireworks would soon be going off right? did they ever. It is said that the Chinese invented fireworks, fact or not, they made it plain and clear that night. The works started at 11:50pm that night and went non-stop for a hour and a half. Almost every single chinese house had a show like the ones you see at the public park on July 4. It was insane. We opened up our window to watch it all thinking it would be just one show off in the distance. No no. There were 10 shows going on at the same time in my feild of vision. I didn't know which way to look. And when one stopped another began. Our neighbors two doors down had their own show. These fireworks were huge, like the big ones! Right over our heads, I thought it was going to burn Miri. It was awesome. The interesting thing is everyone says they are illegal here. Sure didn't look like it. I'm told they buy them from people straight from China, black market or something. Who knows. Sister Wong started filming but ran out of memory because, like I said, AN HOUR AND A HALF PEOPLE. That night was definitely the biggest, but then the following nights after were about the same. Where are they getting all these fireworks?
Chinese New Year lasts 15 days and it is a holiday of Open Houses. We were invited to a few and they were interesting. Nothing like any Open House I have been to. When you walk in, the host welcomes you and then leads you to some remote couch, table or corner of the house and leaves you there all alone. (Chinese houses are like normal houses, not wooden huts) Then they come back every once in a while to bring you food, or drink, and to talk a bit, and then they are off again. No mingling at all. At first I thought, they know who we are, missionaries, and they don't want us talking to their friends. But it was explained to me later that the host doesn't want anyone to feel uncomfortable; so they keep groups all by themselves thus saving them the awful experience of getting to know someone and trying to make conversation with someone you don't already know. So interesting. I was excited to talk and meet these people but they put me at a gazebo way in the back of their yard in the corner. As the host led us there we past various parties at different hide-outs, if you will, of the house. So wierd. That's the way they do though...
Want to hear the latest on the funny names? For the longest time I thought this kid's name was Maxwell. That's what it sounded like to me whenever he said his name, or someone else said his name. Not so. The other day we were decorating balloons for someone's birthday (sister wong received the balloons in a package) and the so-called Maxwell wrote his name on the balloon. His name is Niksuil, like Nik-soo-il. What the heck.....? Stick with Maxwell buddy. I had a good laugh when I saw the spelling, no way would I have ever got that name just by listening to is spoken.
Want to hear the biggest news of the week???? I mean BIG.
I'm gonna be a MOMMY....again. Can you believe it. What are they thinking making me a mom again in my old age. My condition is terminal, I'm dying! But here I am, getting another child. She arrives from the US today actually. Sister Wong and I are flying to Singapore this afternoon at 4 to get her. We will have a bit of training and such with President while we are there, a welcome dinner and then we will bring her home on Friday. I didn't think I would be going to Singapore again for another 3 weeks. What a pleasant surprise. We are told she is Mong but born in America, she's from California.
Sister Wong is freaking out. She realizes that once we finally get Newbie here in Miri I wll only have 2 more weeks. Which means she takes on responsiblity of training and senior companion. She is fully capable, but she doesn't think so. Reminds me of someone back in the day.... me. I keep telling her there is a special spirit of help that comes to you when you take on what you're not ready for. She keeps telling me it hasn't come yet... This poor Newbie, her mom is going to die when she's only two weeks old, leaving her older sister to raise her. They'll be fine. I'm sad though, I'll feel like I'll be missing out. It's fun to hear newbies struggle with the language and members laugh at them and ask, "sister what did she just say? I can't understand her..." Is that evil of me to say? We all go through it...
Hope the newbie is cool. She better be, or else she's no daughter of mine! Just kidding. It's so weird to think she is just barely starting, man that seems like SOOOOOO long ago for me. Come full circle now. I'm sure for you all it has just flown, and it some parts it has flown here too i guess. I'm just pumped I get to go to Singapore again, I love that place, despite how ugly I feel there.
The harrassing has begun. The Elders wont leave me alone about going home. If I am getting homesick it is completely their fault! Ex: "sister, in a few weeks you could be on a date!" "Sister, not too much longer you can watch such and such movie" "Sister, are you going home tomorrow? No? oh I thought it was tomorrow" "sister you are terminal" "sister, you're a dead girl walkin.." "you trunky yet?" "sister are you trunky?" "are you trunky now sister?" "how about now?" and on and on and on..... You try hearing that everyday and not letting it affect your work! it's no easy task. I just answer them with, "Elder, you want a knuckle sandwhich?" I swear they are all more excited for me to go home than I am.
Don't worry though, we still work hard.
Loves yous alls
Sister viehweg
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