Blog Post #18: Barf Milk

I might as well just rename my blog "Misadventures in Cantonese"! It's such a fun language and such a fun place, and at least my major goof up wasn't profane this week!

In China people eat many kinds of pickles and drink many kinds of milk. You have to specify what kind of pickles (cabbage, carrot, kimchi, eggs {and you have to specify the animal the eggs came from} etc.), and you have to say goat or cow or buffalo or duck milk. Babies drink just milk, big kids drink cow or goat milk. For some reason Soy Milk doesn't have the word "Milk" in it.

Anyways, the word "cow" is pronounced "ow" with a low-falling tone. The word "to vomit" is pronounced "ow" with a mid-rising tone. Therefore, when instructing people on how to make Horchata (I'll tell you why next week), it is important to tell them to use "cow milk", not "barf milk". We all had a good laugh, and I also found out that cooked rice and raw rice have different words...

Anyways, I'm doing great! I spent a little longer that normal on my emails to family (I love y'all!) today, so I'm gonna wrap this up before too long.

Right now we've got Typhoon Signal One hoisted, which means pretty much nothing. In Cantonese we say "Sap Sap Seui" (sup sup soy) which basically means "No Big Deal". Typhoon Signals one and two are sap sap seui, three is a decent storm, eight is a minor hurricane. We do have wind that's throwing around shopping bags but, once again, sap sap seui.

Even though this language is tough and the weather is funky, I am still SO grateful to be out spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to the AmAzInG people of Hong Kong! So many people here are so ready to receive the Word, and even though I can't articulate the peace this Gospel brings, they can feel it when I teach.

I know that God loves us! We are His children, and He, like any good father, has given us rules to keep us safe, healthy, and happy. Yes, they restrict us from doing some things, but does anyone really want to put their hand on a stove burner? I know I did when I was little, and I got horribly burned by it. Spiritual burns last a lot longer, and hurt a lot more. Even though the Gospel may not seem like fun all the time; it's there for a reason; to keep us safe! Follow the teachings of the Prophets, they are the Lord's words! I love y'all, have a great week!

P.S. No, there is no such thing as duck milk! But we do call butter "cow oil"