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In case you only read this and do not get my emails, I have arrived safely home.

I’ve been busy. Busy avoiding something, busy with other things. Figured it was high time to write.

My trip back was relatively uneventful. Stayed in a nice hotel in Beijing, did some shopping. Had to check out around 5:30 AM, then proceeded to fly for the remainder of the day and the day following. The flights weren’t as crowded as they are in the summer, which is obvious. I hear that Northwest’s trans-Atlantic and domestic flights are terrible, but their Pacific flights are not bad.

In Seattle, I thought I lost one of my bags, which would be the first time ever, bu t it turns out someone took it, found out, and checked it into lost and found. So I made a B-line there, figuring I’d find my dad later (he’s a big person and all that). Well he anticipated my movements and met me at baggage. With my mom.

A pleasant surprise.

So we then met with my brother for breakfast, then hung out in the Alaska board room. My parents had graciously arranged to fly home with me—9 hours after arrival. It was good.

So now I’ve been getting settled. I’m glad I first came here. 98% of all my friends are in Washington, which means things are really quiet here. It gives me about a month to readjust, which is definitely taking time. This town is too small, I’ll tell you what. Yesterday I had three appointments. I had to go to the health clinic to get my TB test read, which was negative; then, the dentist, who told me my tooth is really just an irritated gum, but I should get my teeth cleaned (pending an opening in their schedule); finally, the chiropractor who told me one leg is longer than the other and my back is a bit weird—but whose isn’t.

Today, I have a meeting with the newspaper, tomorrow another chiropractor appointment.

Want to know why this town is too small? I know the dentist’s oldest son, I graduated with the daughter and son of the two ladies who work in the dentist’s office. My chiropractor is the father of three boys, the oldest graduated with my brother, the youngest with my sister, and I hung out with the two younger boys. Then I happen to go to the post office where I ran into two people I know.

So anyway, that’s life for now. I’ll probably start laying insulation underneath our house soon. Then my feet won’t be so cold when I go downstairs. My room is in the attic. Although it is zoned for heating, the temperature up here tended to be opposite of downstairs. So if I was freezing, they’d be warm. If I’d be dying of heatstroke, they’d be freezing—and turn up the heat. So years ago I shut off the heat and got a space heater… and life has been bliss.

Mixed Feelings

So I haven't written in a while. I've had dozens of potential things to write about. I'm sure they'd be interesting. I could've written about the beggar I saw with a live monkey that starred at me. I could've written about our small (5) Chinese 2 class having dinner over at our teacher's house, then taking her out the night after and the great times we had. I could've written about some friends from church taking me to an island here for the day. I could've written about my last Sunday and church and how sad I am to leave. I could've written about my Chinese 2 exam…

But each time, I just didn't want to organize my thoughts. Perhaps I'm in denial.

I'm sad to go. It hit me on Sunday when I was chilling out front on a beautiful Xiamen day talking with some friends at church. I looked around and realized I was leaving. I wouldn't be here anymore.

And I was sad.

It seems our group as loosened up in these last days. We seem more carefree, more energetic from a very exhausting semester. We've had some good times, and I'll be honestly sad to see some of them go. I'm going to miss some of the profs I've had, the friends I've made.

The experiences I've had.

I'll have plenty of time for introspection as I travel for two days or so to get home. But this is it for me. These last five months have been the first taste of my dreams, my goals: China. I've been here, I've seen it, tasted it, smelled it, heard it, LEARNED it. This is the beginning…

And I don't want it to end.

Sure I want to go home and see my family. I am so excited to see my dad in SeaTac and spend my layover with him. I'm stoked to see my mom in Ketchikan. My sister wouldn't even make a bet with me whether or not my mom would cry! She just said she would. I'm excited for these things, to see friends, family, and the like.

But I feel alive here. Like I'm doing something, like I'm living life. Life is a constant adventure, an adventure that I am interested and eager to get on. Now, I understand that my time, for now, is over. I understand that I will return someday. But understanding and feeling are often different.

So as I finish packing, as I attend my 5,654th banquet in China, my last one, I leave with mixed feelings. I am excited to return home, to relax, to see those I miss. But I'm sad to leave, leave the adventure, and leave those that I will miss. I've made friends, people I would love to spend more time with. People who make me laugh. People who I've learned from.

I could write a book on what I've learned, and not just about China, but about myself.

I know I've changed, but I don't know how. A quote in a book we had to read said that, "Living overseas spoils you for regular life."

And I know it has.