[Blogger has officially been blocked in China, so, a good friend of mine is kindly posting these for me. So, these next few weeks may be slower to write than normal.]
I feel like there are so many parts, decisions, endings and beginnings happening simultaneously right now, that the mix of emotions and events seems to blend together to a neutral where you can just enjoy it all.
Endings. Five weeks from tomorrow I will be leaving China. I can’t believe how fast time has gone and how, at the same time, coming to China seems like a distant memory. The time here has truly been a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I have fallen in love with people, both Americans and Chinese, that I didn’t know before, the culture, Shenyang, and the crazy quirks that you only find in China. I know that the true ending will come in five more weeks, and it will be more than hard to say goodbye, but this season has been one that I will cherish for a long time to come.
Events. The to-do list of things to buy, see, and do, before I go seems to be growing everyday. The days lately have been filled with warm weather, celebrating lots of birthdays (the group picture is everyone celebrating Andrew’s 21st birthday), exploring different parts of the city, going on shopping trips for shorts or gifts to send home, and making American dinners to use up the seasoning packets that our parents have sent us. It has been really fun to ‘cross off’ things from the list with other friends. There are still many events to look forward to as well…this weekend we are going to the beach down of Dalian (where there is an amusement park!)! And then in June, we have an intern day trip set aside where we are planning on going rafting down a river and even more, a girls weekend trip to Benxi (said Ben-she) Water Caves and to see a different portion of the Great Wall in Dandong. Even though the time is winding down, there is lots to do and see!
Decisions. With five weeks to go, I am still looking forward to the future. Thanks to my Mom, I have gotten appointments set up to complete the Peace Corps paperwork that is waiting for me as soon as I get back to Portland. I find myself reading articles about Africa, and always just wondering, dreaming, and praying, about what that adventure and season of life will be like.
Beginnings. It seems odd that at the end of a chapter there would be a new beginning, but this wouldn’t be life if things didn’t end and begin at the same time. Since Saturday’s are by far the busiest day at Langston, and all of us interns work and finish around the same time, Josh started a new tradition of going to Daxi (said Da-she) night market to enjoy a warm night, beer and street food together. A pitcher of beer is less than $1, food on a stick is less than 20c, and all of us trying to learn a Chinese dice game is always entertaining. We had a really good time sitting out together for a few hours at the market, and am I sure this is a tradition that all of us will want to keep up until we go home.
The sum of all the parts is simply this; unforgettable and amazing.
