Well we have about 3.5 weeks until we leave for China. After our last meeting, it finally seems real.... we are actually going to China!!!! When looking at the question of values, I am not quite sure if China shares in the same values that we here at PLU do. I am sure without a doubt that China has values that they hold new and dear to their hearts, but whether or not they match up with ours is something that we are undoubtly going to get a first hand look at here in a few weeks. I definitely think they have a strong committment for educating justice, health, sustainability, and peace, but what I am not sure of is whether or not they are along the same lines as ours. After all, they are a whole different country, with a different way of life, and different lifestyles. I am so anxious to see what these values are the the people of China hold and how they compare to ours and specifically mine. I don't think there is a better way to learn about another country's values, than to be totally immeresed in theirs. I can't wait to learn all there is while in China.

Because we have not yet left, it's hard to know whether the people of China share PLU's commitment to justice, health, sustainability, and peace. I hope that my experiences and conversations during the trip will help me to learn more about these values, and the ways in which China is viewing and addressing them.

The question asked of the J-term trip to China is, "Do people in your host culture share PLU's stated commitment to educating for justice, health, sustainability, and peace?" Having not exactly been their yet, I know no exact details. Many could say through biased mouthes that any country opposed to another countries supposed set of definitions for those afore mentioned factors of education that the country does not share those commitments. But I expect to find at the base of things that they do hold such goals as important.

Goals such as justice, health, sustainability, and peace are rather general pillars of order for any society and I believe are the goals that every individual entity (be it a nation or single human being) strives for, often indirectly. I expect that such concepts in China are addressed differently than here in the States, and that no matter the differences we will have things to learn from one another. Its not to say that various aspects of the realities of either nation's existence aren't ugly, sad, or horrifying as much are the realities of the people that comprise them. It is only through finding these things and dwelling upon them that we can find the ideas of Justice, Health, Sustainability, and Peace within us and communicate our conceptions of them to others. I hope to find some semblance of these ideas within the various aspects of Chinese culture in my short weeks there, discover how they can help others, and discover how hey can help me with my own search for Justice, Health, Sustainability, and Peace, these most broad of concepts, in my own life.

We have not left for China yet, so I am also wondering if they share PLU's values. I will, however, look into it as I experience the Chinese culture.