Well, here it is: East Asia trip report, Day 1.
Where should I start? Perhaps with the observation by now, that I've got a genuine interest in the world that's still growing. Indeed, I think my biggest academic regret at Stanford is that I didn't minor or even double major in International Relations, and/or go on a overseas program, and I've come to realize that one of my interests and indeed, hobbies, is independent travelling. Indeed, if money and the need to work were no constraint, I'd actually like to take a year and do the round-the-world travel thing, sort of like what Joann Lee did -- stopping in as many countries as possible, sort of to just "get the feel" for each place and their cultures, and perhaps just "pray" for each country -- wow, I sound like a super holy guy with that last statement, huh? Rest assured I'm not. =)
I really had no specific goal in mind for this trip -- it was in many ways, a leap of faith and expectations to see how God would work in me. But I did have some general objectives: As many of you know, I've got a strong desire to eventually go back to Asia, working as a tentmaker, and so I wanted to get a first hand look at life overseas, both in terms of getting a "feel" for the cities/countries themselves, and also talk face to face with people in my shoes, that of Christian Asian-American professionals, who've "heeded the call" and are actually living the life right now. To that end, I had some specific people I wanted to meet up with, and thankfully, I did meet everyone I pretty much wanted and then some, and of course, got to relax and "see the world", and add two new country stamps to my passport (Mongolia and South Korea). Yes, Simon is pretty much right: missions is often pretty much sight-seeing with "a few holy activities thrown in." But the two, I've come to realize, are not necessarily orthogonal to each other...
So anyhow, I'm a big believer and advocate of the tentmaking model for global missions. Basically, as a tentmaker, you're doing a real job, for a real organization or company, with a consequent real motivation to do your best. Through your work and day to day life, the friendships and relationships come naturally, and afterwards, chances to share one's faith. The key is that you're not working for any missions organization per se under any false or hidden pretenses, a practice that I generally dislike.
Let me elaborate further -- I have nothing against using work or education to gain access to "closed" countries to share the Good News. Unfortunately, too many people (and even some missions organizations as a whole) sometimes have the belief that their work is just a "cover" to get into a place and as a result, delibrately blow it off. As a personal example, this was blatantly apparent when I was on a short-term missions trip in 1999, where we were language students at a university. Such an attitude is poor witness and stewardship at the very least, and ultimately, works against whatever ministry one hopes to accomplish amongst the target people. That's what I'm against -- doing a half-assed job and justifying that with the excuse that "missions" is what we're really there for, not teaching/learning/community development/whatever, and which is why I think tentmaking is a more sound way to reach otherwise unreachable groups.
So, on to the trip...
I decide to take off on September 11th, never one to be scared about any superstitions of terrorism or whatnot. As one might expect, fares were low and travel was light on that date. I won't bore you with the details of the flight itself; you can read my post on Flyertalk if you're interested in the play by play of my transpacific journey.
I arrive without a problem in Shanghai, my first stop, and there the fun -- if you can call it that -- starts. Shanghai, as seems to be the trend amongst major Asian cities lately, has built a new airport, which knocks your socks off. Too bad it's so darn empty, at least when I flew in. But it's definitely a gorgeous piece of work, and I spent some time exploring it. I also wanted to find a SIM card for my nifty world GSM phone I had brought along with me. It was more than just a convenience -- in any major Asian city, a cell phone is a virtual necessity, as Dave astutely observed in his thoughts. In China, the major prepaid SIM card is called "Shenzhouka" -- literally translated "God State Card". Interesting. Anyhow, apparently, they sold recharge cards at the airport, but no actual SIM card. What the? Apparently, they never thought of the possibility that a foreign traveller who just got off the plane may wish to purchase a SIM card at the airport, so he or she can have instant cell phone service?!? But then again, this is China, and logic is not often present here. To make a long story short, my mad goose chase for a SIM card cost me an hour and a half.
I soon remembered that my trip was to visit China, not Pudong Airport, so the problem of getting to my final destination reared its head. One of Shanghai's more recent claims to fame is that it boasts the world's first commercial maglev train... it's supposed to whisk you from airport to city center in about 15 minutes at approximately 250 mph. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite complete when I was there -- so I sought out to find the proper bus line that my first contact recommended to me. Being the cheapskate that I am, I didn't want to get a taxi, which would have cost me an extra 60 or so RMB... $7 US or so. Bad mistake.
Busses leave only every half hour, at least in the evening, so I had to wait around for one, after finding the right stand. And I've got about 80 pounds of luggage in three large bags in tow. After a long sweaty bus ride, I'm dropped off in a deserted area in Pudong, the new area of Shanghai that's being built out by chip foundries and the like. Great -- now I need to find a taxi, to get to my apartment where my first contact was. I soon flag one down, and tell him where I want to go. Unfortunately, I got the name of the street wrong, and we spent some time trying to figure out the correct one. Finally, we pull up into the right complex, and now came the challenge of finding the right apartment in a maze of nearly identical buildings. After scrambling to get my laptop and find the email message with the address (I had even forgot to print it out... =P ), the driver makes a phone call, and we finally get things straight.
In the meantime, the people I was staying with are freaking out -- one person in the household had tracked my flight, and knew therefore I arrived early, so she was presumably wondering just where the heck I was by now. And to make matters worse, after arriving at their place, luggage and everything in tow, I was ready to retire for the night, when my contact asked me -- when did you say you were going to stay here? I can't remember. At first, I thought there was some misunderstanding, because I remember specifically emailing them and telling them I was coming. Yes, said my contact, but you never said anything about actually staying Doh! A sinking feeling of self-directed disgust and despair came upon me as I realized my omission in communication, and there and then, I just wanted to leave, go back to the airport, crash there, and take the first flight back to the states tomorrow. Apparently, I had assumed that they knew I was going to stay, but I never made it explicitly clear. A lesson learned in grace, that's for sure.
Anyhow, I profusely apologized, and told them that I'd do anything to make up for it, and for apparently imposing myself like this unexpectedly... but my contact brushed it off, and we spend the next hour or so just catching up, talking about things both old and new, before he realized that I was about to conk out and very rightfully suggested that I should go to bed.
So, the very first lesson God taught me on this trip -- communication isn't one of my strong points, and it's something I need to work on. Of course, I've always known this, but sometimes you just need a kick-in-the-pants remember of it, and boy, I got it.
And that was the end of day 1.