Endings and Beginnings

I have officially been home a month now. My whole time in China, I wondered what it would be like when I returned. Would it take me a while to readjust? Would things have changed much while I was gone? I have to say, in some ways it feels like I wasn't gone at all. I could get in my car and drive without having to think about it (more than necessary, I mean) even though I've not driven in nearly a year.

Everytime I washed dishes, did laundry, cleaned my floors, or any other number of household chores in China, I would remember the modern conveniences back home that made such jobs a lot easier so I've tried to keep that feeling in mind as I go about my business now. But, it is almost as if I have to consciously think about it, which does surprise me a bit. Its not that I am taking hot water, shower stalls, and brooms that don't require me to bend in half for granted, but it is more like it is the way things SHOULD be. I guess I never got over being a spoiled American.

I've been eating whatever I please for the past month and have put on about five pounds to show for it. Well, I'll have to slow that down now and keep it under control! I am really enjoying cooking though, and I have been making all my favorite dishes. I am also enjoying being around my family, particularly my nephews and niece.

The toughest part about returning has been finding a new job. I'm not returning at the most opportune time, with the economy in a downward spiral. I've actually been looking for jobs outside of the realm of teaching but have not had much response from the dozens of applications I've sent out.

I do think about my students in China and the people I worked with. A couple of people have emailed me, which is nice. I told my friend and co-worker, Eric, I would make videos here in America to send to him since somethings were so hard to explain! The student who took my rabbit, Tuza, said she gave it to her grandmother who lives out in the villages so Tuza would have more room. She said my rabbit seemed to be happy there.

Anyway, this will be my last post. Thank you for taking this journey with me. The support of my friends and family really helped me though the tough times in the past year. I was glad to share my experiences with you! Keep in mind, when one stage in life ends, another begins, so: on to the next adventure!

Forbidden City 2

Forbidden City 1

Beijing

Trevor and I had made plans to take the bus to Beijing and spend three days touring, then I would take a plane home and he would take the bus back to Taian. Unfortunately, two days before we were supposed to go, the school "made a decision" and it included having Trevor work that week. So, I had to completely change my plans.

At 3:30 am Thursday morning, I caught a train out of Taian. What I wasn't told until a few hours before leaving) is that there wouldn't be any seats on this train. That was the understatement of the year. There was barely any room to stand! So for six hours, I stood on the train to Beijing, rather than getting any sleep. I arrived in Beijing at 9:30 am and had an hour to get to my hotel to meet the friend of a friend who was going to take me to the Great Wall. I made it with ten minutes to spare after getting gouged by a taxi driver taking advantage of a foreigner.

Getting to the Great Wall was an adventure in itself. My guide asked me how I wanted to get there: taxi, train, or bus. A taxi would cost a lot of money and I just got off a train so I thought we should try the bus. We got to the bus station but my guide was having a hard time finding which bus we should get on. I was very grateful to have her because if it was difficult for someone who spoke Chinese, it would have been impossible for me! While we were searching, we ran into a couple from the south of China who were also looking for the bus. When we finally found the right place, a man was there who told us there would be no busses because it was off tourist season. He, however, was a taxi driver and he would take us out to the Wall for an enormous sum. We started negotiating with him and while we were doing so, a giant of a man from Germany and his small Chinese companion came by, also looking for a way to the Great Wall. Finally the six of us managed to negotiate a price that was still high but acceptable with the driver and we all piled into his car like a bunch of clowns in the circus.

It took us about an hour to get to the Wall. I was dozing on the way but couldn't really sleep in the cramped conditions. The Wall, which has the highway running though it, was an awesome thing to see. Granted, it was winter so everything was a dull color and it was cold and windy. The climb was challenging though I think it was easier than my experience at Qian Shan. I got a kick out of the German guy who was drinking a beer as he climbed. I was very grateful to get back to the hotel that afternoon though I still didn't sleep well that night since the bed was typical for a Chinese bed: just slightly softer than granite.

The next day, I walked to the Forbidden City. The history and art found here is just incredible! It is a maze of courtyards, gates, halls, thrones, stairs, bridges, and gardens. The detail that went into it is astounding from the vibrant-colored, intricate paintings to the carvings on the stairs and even the door hinges! I walked around for about four hours and still didn't see it all!

I'll let the videos do the rest of the talking.