Category Archives: Starting

Su Family Gap Year 3.0

For everything there is a season,
a right time for every intention under heaven —
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to discard,
a time to tear and a time to sew, a time to keep silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
– Ecclesiastes 3

For our family, there is also a season of change.

Continue reading Su Family Gap Year 3.0

Amateur Traveler Podcast Message to the Su Family

To our surprise, when we listened to the June 13, 2015 podcast on Amateur Traveler, near the end of the podcast, the podcaster read the email Jonathan sent him about our one year backpacking trip. It was broadcasted one day after we began our one year trip.

Here was the message that we heard.

爱了、留了,要带走什么呢?

过去几个月就像个灿烂一时的花朵一样,享受了数不胜数的欢笑和乐趣,但同时这段时间也十分短暂。仿佛毕业旅行、学校大甩卖、期末考试、与同学有说有笑的日子、与朋友东吃西游的时间、欢快的毕业典礼和心痛的悲欢离合都在眼前一闪而过。在短暂的几个月里使我加倍的感受到了毕业奋斗的苦、朋友交情的乐和宴席分散后的酸。十四年的昆明让我爱了许多,允许我留下了许多,也最后让我带走了许多教诲和回忆。 Continue reading 爱了、留了,要带走什么呢?

The Trains of Life

“Whoosh!”

“Slap!”

“Neeeerrrrttss!”

“No fair! You toppled the cards and caused me to lose track!” my Mom complained.

“Hey Nathan! Put the cards back where they belong! You think we can’t see you slipping those cards on top of the pile?” shouted Joani with an angry voice.

“Joani, did you cheat this time? This is the second you’ve won,” questioned my Father. Continue reading The Trains of Life