Back Again!

It's been pretty much forever since I've posted anything. I want to blame it on the fact that China blocks certain websites. That would be a decent excuse except that I was in America for about 7 weeks this summer.... So I'll be honest and let you know that it's mostly due to my own laziness. And I'll do my best to summarize what's happened since March.

This summer was a whirlwind. I knew that it would be and that knowledge did help a bit. After the school year wrapped up, some friends and I headed to Laos and Thailand for a little vacation and adventure. We spent about 3 days in Laos, slept in a treehouse, zip-lined through the jungle, hiked up (and down) a mountain, got bitten by every kind of rainforest insect, and basically had an amazing time. In Thailand, we visited a friend of my friend Sarah, who works at an orphanage there. We also spent some time in Bangkok and at a beautiful, sunny, tourist-free beach. Ahhh... We rode elephants, ate amazing Italian food (I know - but I'd been in China for a year!), did a little shopping, and drank Thai iced tea (delicious... but you know how everyone says you shouldn't get things with ice in foreign countries? You really shouldn't.)

I spent about 7 weeks in America and tried to see everyone that I missed over the past year, but sadly, I know I didn't get to see everyone that I hoped to see. (I'll get you next summer, I promise!) I slept in 13 different beds and put 100's of miles on the car (sorry Mom and Dad). It was completely worth it to spend time with so many people that I love and miss when I'm so far away. I also spent some time enjoying Starbucks and hamburgers and pizza and Target :)

Coming back to China has been much harder than I thought it would be. (For several reasons...) It's been two weeks, and it's getting easier - sort of. It's always hard to leave the familiar and to say goodbye to friends and family, but this time around I didn't have the added excitement of a new place to look forward to. Many of my close friends from last year have left this city, so I anticipated loneliness as well. It hasn't been the same, and I miss the people who have left. But I'm learning to enjoy new friendships and am thankful for the unexpected comfort of familiarity in China. It's been nice to find that things aren't as hard as I remembered, and it's been relaxing to sleep in the same place every night. It's not exactly home. But it's not exactly NOT home. I'm loving riding my bike (it's been so sunny lately!), eating arquai, hugging my students from last year (I'm so glad to have students that aren't too cool to hug me still!), and feeling like I can make it - even without knowing all the words.

Even though I'm (unfortunately) so unappreciative most of the time, I truly am grateful for the privilege of having two places in the world which are almost home. I'm grateful to have two continents of friends, adventures, and foods that make a place feel like home. And I'm unbelievably thankful for planes, phones, email, facebook, and all those things that keep me not so far from all the people that I love.