So there I was, in a Chinese fire station, being greeted by the twenty young firemen. Through our company’s Volunteer Association, I had gotten to know a widower who worked in the factory and spend time with her children. Her oldest son, who is soon to be in 10th grade had been invited by the fire station to make a visit and they had extended the welcome to me. I felt strangely out of place with Communist pledges and codes on the walls around me, but was warmly welcomed by the bright young men who made lunch for us, showed us the fire trucks and even breakdanced for us!

Had you told me that I would be in that fire station, with that group of Chinese people, I would have thought you were crazy. Sometimes during the trip, I thought even I was crazy for choosing to put myself so far out of my comfort zone, in such a new culture and type of work. But it wasn’t the work, or the culture that gave me the most memories. It was the people.

Even now as I reflect on the dozens of incredible adventures during my internship in that shoe factory, I just smile thinking about the endless recollections from my short time as an intern…

• How kind Joyce, Miley, Candy and Bella were to welcome me into life in the factory, from the first day to the last afternoon in the CR office.
• How patient my instructors were to calmly repeat directions and not scold me while I stubbornly learned how to use a sewing machine. 
• How thoughtful the Chinese families I met were to always extend a hot cup of tea or delicious meal with me, going out of their way to serve me as their guest. 
• How funny Xiao Yong, Justin and James were as we ate Kentucky Fried Chicken for the first time in Qing Yuan, cheerfully proposing toasts with our Pepsis and asking me why a strange old man was the face of KFC. 
• How fun it was to spend sweaty Sunday afternoon’s with the three kids, running around the basketball court and back alleys of their broken neighborhood. 
• How I almost cried in laughter seeing my coworkers try and dance to OK Go’s “A Million Ways to Be Cruel” song. 
• How much I would sweat after playing basketball with friends in the factory for a few solid hours in the blistering heat and humidity. 
• How diligent my workmates were to teach me Chinese when I didn’t want to learn it, and try to speak English when I longed to hear it. 
• How dear my factory friends were to say hello to me when walking through their areas.

But more than fun experiences with nice people in the factory, these friends taught me so much about life’s journey. They taught me to always cherish the countless blessings I’ve been given in this life. They reminded me that I could never complain about my education, my work or other things about my life. And above all, they showed me by example how to welcome, serve and love a stranger as if I were one of their very own.

I am eternally grateful for my time with the CR department, the members of the factory and everyone in Qing Yuan, China for guiding me and teaching me on my journey. Even though I didn’t get any wages for my time in the factory this summer, I received a complimentary pair of shoes to wear home. With the signatures of friends from the factory in the inside tag, I carry these adventures within me and on my feet wherever I go.