Author Archives: connieinasia

It seems appropriate, as Easter is upon us, that I add this entry from my grandfather’s WW 2 diaries, written in the jungles of New Guinea during the height of the war. The date was April 9, 1944. There were … Continue reading →

Luzhou Vocational and Technical College Begins a New Semester The semester has begun in China without me.   The new president of the English Association (our campus-wide English Club) has been in contact with me already about most recent club … Continue reading →

Every time the phone rings on my mom’s landline, my eyes have been immediately searching out the digital read-out of the caller: First United Methodist (church secretary wanting to relay something), BSW Law (my brother’s law practice, probably brother Paul … Continue reading →

The Lantern Festival is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. Usually falling in February or early March on the Gregorian calendar, it marks the final day of the traditional … Continue reading →

The Year of the Rat is almost at an end. February 11, Thursday at midnight, the mousies are out; the oxen are in. Yes, it’s the start of Spring Festival, what we westerners refer to as Chinese New Year. February … Continue reading →

The first Sunday of every month puts me and my mom in worship as the special music. For awhile, in-person services were put on hold so we’ve been showing up for our live taping session (December and January) with only … Continue reading →

When I first went to China in 1991, computers were just starting to make their way into the hands of common folk. Cell phones and smart phones were non-existent. Telephones were only for the very wealthy, with most villages, towns … Continue reading →

“Ping, Ping, Ping!” It’s Saturday morning and my WeChat messages from the choir’s soprano group are becoming unusually active. Luzhou is 14 hours ahead of Illinois, meaning messages were coming in for China’s Saturday evening. That is a strange time … Continue reading →

I celebrated my 56th birthday on Tuesday, January 12.  Here were my day’s events Birthday Greetings from China I awoke to find over 30 birthday text messages of good wishes, all from China:  my students, my colleagues, my church choir … Continue reading →

I was up at 7 a.m. last Sunday morning. Usually, I’m tucked away in bed, in my PJs, since my hometown church went to virtual worship services. My mom and I can easily sip coffee on the bed while watching … Continue reading →