Matt & the Village

Matt has been gone since Monday, and unfortunately, it's not going as well as he'd hoped. It's not bad; it's just a difference in culture. In China, when you host someone, the guest is considered very special. Unfortunately, in the village, this means that most of Matt's time there has been sitting on the couch resting and watching TV, which is special to them. When he tries to help with the water buffalo or cooking, he is told, "No, no... Have a rest." He is, as you can imagine, a bit frustrated, as the original plan was to explore the surrounding villages, as well. It's hard for someone who grew up in a village to understand that just everyday village life is special to us.

It's not been all bad. He's had some great chats and met some great people. But he's ready to move. The purpose of this trip was to meet our friend's family, but also to tour the area looking for possibilities regarding a potential tourism business. So far, he's not seen much useful in the way of tourism.

Tomorrow, they are finally heading out of the village and going to another area. Hopefully, it will be a bit more productive! Keep them in your thoughts as they travel.