Change of Plans

This weekend is a weekend that the people of Taiwan have been looking forward to. It’s Dragon Boat Festival. And it is a “four-day weekend” including Sunday. Many plan to see their relatives; many plan to rest; but everyone plans to have dzong-ze. It consists of rice with mushrooms, peanuts and meat etc in the middle, wrapped and steamed in a bamboo leaf. There’s a good picture here.

The time off is what people look forward to most (even despite the fact that they will have to work next Saturday as a make-up day) and my plan was to join other Nan Jung teachers, hiking beautiful Bei Da Wu Mountain. Due to an accident however, and rain predicted in the weather, it didn’t work out. Instead we went to see the dragon boat races in Kaoshiung with a teacher who lives there. In my opinion it was even more enjoyable than the races we saw last year in Taipei. It wasn’t crowded and because of the holiday parking was free! Watching the races really served as an object lesson on teamwork.

Early on in the trip this year, it became apparent that flexibility was one thing that would be needed most. Looking back now we see how much it has helped throughout the past months (interviews, cultural differences, communication, weather changes, school schedules, internet availability, lesson-planning …) and I am very grateful that God has given us the grace, not simply to go with a flow, but to reprioritize, reorganize and give each thing our best effort before Him. It’s been a great year. Given the results of our very-interesting personality test, quickly-changing circumstances should have been something hard for us to handle. I must give the glory to God when I say that we have been able to remain joyful and diligent as a team throughout the year.

2 Comments

  1. Robert June 3, 2009 at 7:32 pm #

    Hey Donald! I really enjoyed the personality test! I came out with an ESFP personality. The bright side of this outcome is that I have the same personality as Ronald Reagan! Hooray! Hold the applause, please. 🙂

    Did anyone else take the personality test?

  2. Dad & Mom June 10, 2009 at 5:39 pm #

    Your story of flexibility reminds me of how the palm tree can withstand such hurricane forces because of the way it bends with the wind. It is amazing to see that quality working out so well with these teachers.

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