Author Archives: connieinasia

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About connieinasia

I have been in the Asia region for 27 years as an English language teacher. A majority of those have been in China with the Amity Foundation , a Chinese NGO that works in all areas of development for the Chinese people. Covid stranded me in America for over 3 years, with China closing its boarders to returning teachers. In 2023, I was accepted into a new teaching role not in China but in Laos. Join me in experiencing this incredible journey into a different culture, a different language, and a different life.

September updates from me!

Posted on September 22, 2020 by connieinasia

  I promised in the last post for more recent updates from my end.  Here is the latest about what’s happening in my extended stay in America. There have been so many ups and downs:  moments of excitement, sadness, determination, … Continue reading →

Posted in A Visit Home to America, coronavirus, coronavirus situation in China, Illinois, Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, Return to China, Smalltown American Life | 1 Comment

My Grandfather and Mr. Brooks: Did they cross paths?

Posted on September 10, 2020 by connieinasia

Note:  For those following me as an Amity Foundation teacher in China, I will update about my return-to-China news and current status of that in another entry.  For now, this posting seemed timely and appropriate so I include it here. … Continue reading →

Posted in A WW 2 chaplain's encounters with discrimination, World War 2 Letters, WW 2 Letters: My grandmother writes | 1 Comment

A 51-year-old church newsletter rings true today

Posted on August 18, 2020 by connieinasia

The yellow-tinted, aged paper caught my eye, seeming to call out for a reader. In preparation for her upcoming house move, my mom had been going through cabinets.  She’d been pulling out dusty folders from hidden drawers and came across … Continue reading →

Posted in A Small-town American Church: 51 years ago, Illinois: United Church of Christ in 1969 | Leave a comment

75 years later, Atomic bomb reflections re-surface

Posted on August 8, 2020 by connieinasia

Previously, I mentioned I’d been going through the World War II correspondence between my grandmother, Connie Maris in Holland, Michigan, and her husband, Chaplain (Captain) Marvin E. Maris, serving overseas’ in New Guinea and the Philippines from 1944 – 1945 … Continue reading →

Posted in 75th anniversary of dropping the Atomic bomb, A Visit Home to America, Michigan in 1945, Michigan's Lake Louise: A look back in time, Travel, World War 2 Letters, WW 2 Letters: My grandmother writes, WW 2: VJ Day | Leave a comment

My battle with the Virus

Posted on August 6, 2020 by connieinasia

Like so many others, my battle with the virus has left me exhausted, mentally drained, frustrated and wondering, “When will this ever end?!” But unlike so many others, my Covid-19 struggle is not one of health but of bookings. Although … Continue reading →

Posted in Battling the Virus, The Airline Ticket Wars during Coronavirus | 2 Comments

Views from Around the World: Window-swap.com

Posted on August 3, 2020 by connieinasia

“Open a window somewhere in the world” This is the beginning of a world journey to be taken by any one of us through window-swap.com. My mom read about this unique, quirky website in one of her magazines.  A pair … Continue reading →

Posted in A Visit Home to America, A Visit Home to Marshall, coronavirus, Illinois, Smalltown American Life, Travel | Leave a comment

Back to Worship: My Hometown Church and My Chinese Church Open for Worship

Posted on July 20, 2020 by connieinasia

 Welcome Back!! July 5th had our Marshall First UMC open to worship in the sanctuary.  The preparation for this was quite stringent and lasted several weeks.  I listened in on  the discussions via Zoom, which my mom participated in as … Continue reading →

Posted in A Message of Faith, A Visit Home to America, A Visit Home to Marshall, coronavirus, Coronovirus Situation, Illinois, Luzhou, Luzhou Protestant Church in China, Return to China, Smalltown American Life, The Chinese Church, Travel, Visit To The States, Wuhan coronavirus | Leave a comment

News of rescue kitty 平平 (Ping-Ping): A match made in heaven

Posted on July 10, 2020 by connieinasia

The Recap from previous post Last October, an abandoned newborn kitten was handed to me by a colleague who found her on our campus. Near death and in dire straights, she blossomed with a good dose of antibiotics and round-the-clock … Continue reading →

Posted in A Visit Home to America, China, Chinese Christians reach out, coronavirus, coronavirus, Luzhou Vocational and Technical College, My Rescue Animals in China, Tales from The Yangtze River, Tales of China, Travel | 1 Comment

My mom’s last newspaper column for the summer

Posted on July 1, 2020 by connieinasia

Walk with Me by Priscilla Wieck Summer is my usual time to take a break so this is my last column until September. Hopefully in July, I will be moving to 710 Mulberry Street, just a few blocks from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois, Travel, Visit To The States, Walk with Me: My mom's newspaper column | 1 Comment

“John Dana, Where are you?”: One mystery somewhat resolved

Posted on June 25, 2020 by connieinasia

Recap from June 14th Post, “Dear Chaplain,” If you haven’t kept up on my entries, I came across hundreds of war letters sent back and forth from my grandmother, Connie Maris, and her husband, Army Chaplain, Captain Marvin Maris, who … Continue reading →

Posted in a Veteran, A Visit Home to Marshall, A WW 2 Chaplain's Duties, Travel, Visit To The States, World War 2 Letters | Leave a comment