I Will Survive By Nancy Hall
Although I had recently left my job at UNC School of Social Work, I responded to an announcement about a trip to China for faculty. I was accepted to make the trip. Why China? There were several reasons. I had become a consultant for Kolbe Company and wanted to share the information with people in China. The second reason had to do with something that happened when I was about 12 or 13 years old. An Associational missionary had told me she hoped I would be a missionary to China when I grew up. It had haunted me ever since I spoke with her. It was time I tested it out. When my tour group arrived in China, one of the first places we visited was something like an amusement park with a huge lake in the center. We all set out to explore and shop. Before long, it was beginning to get dusk. The tour bus was on the opposite side of the lake. I did not think I could make it before it got dark. How to get back to the hotel?
In all the different voices I found a couple from Canada who got a cab for me. He was able to take me to the hotel where my group was staying. At hotel, they were able to direct me to the restaurant where the group was having dinner. There were no other scary experiences. We did the usual tourist things like walking on the great wall, visiting the temple, and so on. As I reflect on this experience, I wonder why the tour leader did not look for me. Today I might even think of a formal reprimand for the company. I had accomplished my goals. 19
