Day 51 - Gratitude for all the peeps here in China and Tibet

Sometimes I get so caught up in the minutiae of daily challenges, or all the minutiae of daily challenges accrete to the point of becoming a giant wave about to engulf me, that I forget to be grateful to the people that help me wade through the small pre-tsunami ripples and pull me out and above the tsunami of negative thoughts and worries.   
I am grateful for the new friends  I have here in Chengdu, Yushu, QongCheng (sp?), Xinan,  Ganzi, Kangding, Lhagong... OMG do I have that many friends in 5 months!??? Wow! How! Wow!  Yay!
I am grateful for all the people that have helped me through the struggles of maneuvering through a country in which I have yet to learn a significant amount of language and culture! Even when I have an impatience tantrum, or a miscommunication tantrum--in the end, I receive the help I need.  To clarify, I only have tantrums in the company of my friends--to vent the pressure build up!  And my private explosions are good lessons to work on patience, presence, and understanding.  Most of all, I need to remember presence, compassion for self and others, and patience!  "We are all doing the best we can!"

Thank you to my Asst. Principal who works tirelessly for me and and the other Overseas Teachers.  She has been doing the job of three people for months now.  When another would have just blown off my hopes for a new apartment, she kept at it and secured the home I wanted instead of telling me to settle for less!  Thank you!

More, but I gotta work now... and do my best to remember gratitude!  I am blessed and lucky!