Getting back in the swing

We've been back in China for exactly one week now. It was a bit of a bumpy ride, emotionally speaking. Typhoon Rammasu was making landfall in southern China just as we were scheduled to leave Hong Kong for the mainland. We were in the air as news broke on the Malaysian airlines flight incident. And, some overweight baggage issues had us frantically re-arranging all our stuff. (Just for the record, we packed our checked bags perfectly. The airline we flew weighed our carry-on luggage. Who does that?!) We had a few delays here and there, but no canceled flights. We're thankful for a safe trip. The total amount of travel time was about 31 hours, which isn't too bad considering. : )

A typhoon bearing down on China five hours before our flight.

Laura and I have been making the transition into Chinese culture slower than we expected. It's a weird feeling to make such dramatic changes in such a quick amount of time. In a blink of an eye, we found ourselves back in another world. English is no longer the main language, food and transportation are completely different, and most of all, we have five months of separation to make up for with friends here. We tried to emotionally prepare ourselves for the transition back, but you can only do so much. Almost immediately upon touchdown, we found ourselves in a state of mourning - mourning the separation between our American family and friends, American food and comfort, American entertainment and the pace of life. It was so nice to be in a place where we understood everything, where we could connect with most anybody we wanted, where everything was familiar. The truth is, there's no easy way around it. We just have to process these transitions as best we can and draw close to Him.

There are of course good things about returning China too. Though the food isn't quite as amazing as Smitty's BBQ in Texas (see Laura's post below), there are definitely meals we love. One of those are Uyghur lamb kebabs. Though this meal isn't native to our area, the Uyghur people have spread throughout China to sell their delicious food. We also went straight away to ate a soupy dish called 'mixed pot dish' or 杂锅菜. It's a common meal throughout China but every region throws in their own flair. In our city, they season some broth and add potatoes, bean sprouts, mushrooms, fish-smelly-herb (haha, if you look it up, it's called lizard's tail in English), pork, glass noodles, tomato, tofu, tofu skin, and carrot. And to top it off, they provide a delicious dipping mixture of MSG, salt, green onion, cilantro, hot spice, and broth. So good!

Uyghur man serving up some lamb kebabs 

Mixed pot dish

But better than anything else China has to offer, it has been great catching up with friends. Though five months is a long time to be away and we feel like we're way behind on everybody's life still, it's great to be re-united with friends we love.

For all those reading this whom we were able to see us while back in the States, thanks for a great time! We truly loved every second. We felt so cared for and encouraged during our time back. Now it's your turn to visit us!

Bonus picture: a lady on the bus with a bunch of pig fat.

Fooooood

After spending five months back in the States, James and I are on our way back to Asia! We drove the length of the country twice this spring while visiting friends and family. During our travels we got to try some tasty new (to us) restaurants that will be making our mouths water for a long time to come. (We're heading back a few pounds heavier, and I'm not talking about our luggage.) We feel compelled to share our top three most delicious stops:

Third Runner Up: DOCK STREET OYSTER BAR in Wilmington, North Carolina

Though we had lots of amazing seafood while home (I just can't get enough of it), Dock Street was all-around delish and affordable. Their oysters were so good we ordered a second round! The steamed "Sesame Ginger Calamari" was wonderfully perfect too--a real refreshing take on a normally fried appetizer.

Second Runner Up: SMITTY'S MARKET in Lockhart, Texas

James and I had never put much stock in all the talk about barbecue in Texas, but this hole-in-the-wall made believers of us. This is a no-fuss place. Incredibly flavorful pork is taken directly from the smoker, chopped next to a soot-covered register, and is handed to you wrapped in brown butcher paper. No plates, forks, or knives, but you might get a plastic spoon for your sides of beans and slaw if you ask nicely. Our package full of brisket, ribs, and sausage was the most delicious BBQ we've ever tasted.

First Pick: SNAKE BITE in Idaho Falls, Idaho

The atmosphere at this small, unassuming steakhouse was more along the lines of an independent cafe and coffee house. Nevertheless, the food was shockingly delicious. In fact, James loved his meal so much that the "Blue Snake River" burger has now replaced his long-standing favorite from The Duke's in Chiang Mai, Thailand as the best burger in the world.

We recommend everything on the menu, but especially the "Blue Snake River" and "Grand Teton" burgers.

We're now looking forward to a couple bowls of noodles and some hot pot, but we can't say we haven't enjoyed America's foodie culture while being home! Yum.