Chopstix: Healing My Heart in the Heart of China is the true story of a modern woman's journey of self- discovery.Divorced after 27 years of marriage, Joan Smith, a typical mom from a small community in Michigan, finds herself at the gates of an unknown university in the heart of mainland China. A Craigslist ad-Teach English in China-leads her to the other side of the world, to a place with no familiar faces and no memories that would remind her of the all-American life she once had and all that she has lost. In China, she hopes to disappear forever among 1.3 billion people. Instead, she discovers the most unusual place for her reconciliation with life: SIAS International University. From the moment she sets foot on land and catches her first glimpse of China and SIAS, Joan senses that she's is in for a most extraordinary experience. A series of unexpected and valuable life lessons unfold as she starts her new life on the campus just outside the rural town of XinZheng, in Henan Province. Tall, slim, and blonde was nothing notable back home, but in XinZheng, Joan stands out as a spectacle among the locals, many who have never seen a Westerner. And she finds a new name: JoAn. Same spelling, different emphasis. And a new start in life. Little does she know that this is the beginning of an incredible journey into the unknown, that she will experience heartache and love, face danger and uncertainty, and she will stretch herself in ways she never thought possible. Joan, the suburban mother becomes JoAn, the teacher-and the unwitting student. As she becomes acquainted with her many students and adapts to the cultural differences that she finds, at times, unbearable, she learns many lessons herself. Still overwhelmed with the wounds of the past, she gradually adapts to China and accepts her new life and the lessons it has to teach. She befriends other members of the foreign faculty: Bruce, the sophisticated but eccentric L.A. movie critic; Jacqueline, the fiery redhead from upstate New York; Lee, the strong-willed Texan. She also meets Robert, a handsome executive from Michigan, now living in Shanghai. And, of course, the two China dolls, Kitty and Allie, who become JoAn's surrogate daughters. The heartache that pushed JoAn over the edge and into a desperate escape to China continues to surface as each day brings her a new healing message and a step closer to reconciliation. On the road to self-discovery, she learns what is most important in life and who she really is. Moment by moment, piece by piece, bit by bit, the struggles and wondrous experience of living one day at a time in an unpredictable world leads to renewed confidence, love, a sense of adventure, and a new appreciation for chopsticks. About the Author:JoAn Smith has a BA in Communications and BA in French from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. She is an avid public speaker, teacher and traveler. She currently resided in Los Gatos, California.
