Roundabout

The Roundabout website is now up and running. Click here to learn all about the place I'm working. I can't tell you how much I enjoy working at Roundabout. Everyday is a new experience and everyday I meet new incredible people. This world is full of people in need and it is also full of people who want to help. Most of the people at Roundabout are volunteers who come in a few times a week or more to help out. Some people are "expert pricers" so they come in and price all the items that go out in the store. Others work on displays in the store. People come to share their talents and their time. 100% of the money made in the store is given to those in need. That is absolutely a problem because it makes it so much easier for me to spend money there knowing that the money will be passed on to people who really need the help. Working here has given me an idea. I'd love to start another store similar to Roundabout somewhere else in China. Shanghai or Nanjing to be exact, a place where it would help make a difference in another beautiful part of China. China changes my life every time I come here. It's just so magical!

On good days, we sort things outside in the sun!

Kendra and I work from 9:30 to 5:30 or so every day. Roundabout is literally less than 5 minutes walk from where we live so it's easy to come and go. There are both Chinese and Foreign people who work there. I've started to get used to the many accents and since China used UK English before US English, I have to use strange words to describe things so people know what I'm talking about. Rubbish instead of garbage, trolley instead of grocery cart, crisps instead of chips, fringe instead of bangs, etc.

Kendra and I went to the Forbidden City a couple weekends ago. We usually seem to pick the greatest time to go out because the sky was so beautifully blue and it wasn't super cold either. Even though I've been there before, it was a blast! We wandered in some areas I didn't see last time.

I also got the illegal picture. When Sadie came to Beijing in 2009, she took a picture in front of one of the gold and red doors in the Forbidden City. When I went last year, I thought it would be cool to get the same one, but when I found the door, they had put up a new fence so no one could get to the door anymore. I was all disappointed because I couldn't get the picture. When I came home we talked about getting the "illegal picture" the next time I went, even if it meant climbing over a fence. On our way out of the Forbidden City, there weren't many people around because it was closing. After about five minutes of freaking out, I hopped the fence, Kendra got two pictures of me at the door, and then I hopped back over the fence. What a rush! Then not two minute later, we saw some guys somewhere else doing the same thing at another place. I felt much better. I'm not good at hopping fences I guess.

2013                                  2009

This past weekend, we stayed with our friend Joanne and together, with some other foreigners, we went to Cats 44, an authentic cat cafe. First, let's get this straight: I'm not a cat person. Second, it was smelly. Third, they serve drinks and desserts while you sit in fur covered seats while inhaling the scent of cat. If you love cats, this would definitely be cat heaven like it was for Kendra. She loved every second. Shunta fell asleep with a cat on one of the couches, and Joanne took about 8 million pictures of the cats. The environment was really relaxing even though it was smelly. We sat out in the garden with some good ventilation which made it much better It was such a strange combination, but I liked the strangeness of it. All the people enjoying themselves in the cafe obviously love cats. Everyone was trying to pet the cats and you could tell they were so sick of people bugging them every second. I can't tell you how many cats they had in there because every few minutes I'd see a new one I hadn't seen earlier. At least 10 different cats and there were probably more.

Cat cake and cheesecake complete with a cat napkin.

Kendra in cat heaven, and me. ;)

We also got a mani-pedi which was a lot of fun. I've never had a pedicure and it was pretty weird to have someone touching my feet. He was a perfectionist too so my feet were pretty much free of any imperfections by the time he was done with them. Also, my toes were beautiful. However, there are no pictures because that'd be weird.

Easter Sunday didn't really feel much like Easter at all. Sacrament was great because they did a choir program. We went to one of the branch members homes for dinner with all the YSAs and that was really nice. Since China doesn't celebrate Easter, there weren't any chocolate bunnies or Easter eggs around. It's actually really good to go with out those things. It makes it much easier for me to focus on the real reason we celebrate Easter and I think it was really beneficial to my testimony.

China is truly wonderful everyday. We work with such amazing people, we get to explore Beijing (we are going to the Great Wall this weekend!), and I get to practice my Chinese on a daily basis! I really miss the kids at the orphanage, but my mom and I agree that it was easier to leave after a month than it would be to leave after 3. Blessing in disguise? Probably.

I hope you are enjoying life. Stay safe, stay healthy, and know that I love you!

P.S. Cat Cafe and Roundabout pictures taken by Kendra. I stole them from her Facebook. :) Thanks, K-dawg.