China is like Summer Camp!

Walking around outside between noon and 2 everyday reminds me of WaMaVa (the summer Church camp I grew up attending located in Linden, VA). The quiet stillness of China during their “naptime”. Part of Chinese culture is to take almost a 3 hour lunch/rest time. It generally starts with lunch at 11:30, follows with time “to take a rest”, and ends about 2:30 with people returning to work and school. This has come to be my favorite time of day to go to town or be outside on campus walking around. It tends to be a very peaceful, relaxing time.

The reason WaMaVa comes to mind is after lunch all campers retreat to their cabins for rest period. During this time I always liked sitting on the front porch of the mess hall or the front hill overlooking the lake. It was a great time to reflect and be one with our Creator, admiring the world He created. No crazy campers swarming you or things to be done, just “me” time. The heat also reminds me of WaMaVa, though I do think China has WaMaVa beat. Majority of the days here are hotter and have a higher humidity making it worse and similar to those few days of immense heat we had one my last years working at WaMaVa.

In China I have come to appreciate this time for the simple fact that I can walk around outside and not be stared at. I will not forget these lunch breaks and my many trips into town during this downtime. Now when I go back to WaMaVa (hopefully to teach next summer) maybe it will remind me of China!!