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To our favorite furry friend, to the wonderful people we’ve met here, to our brilliant students. Goodbyes are never easy. I suppose if they were, we’d all miss out on the connections that bring us close together and ultimately make saying goodbye so hard.
Like most, when 2017 arrived, I found myself reflecting on the past year and wondering what the new year would bring. I've never been one to set New Year's resolutions (after all, aren't most of them broken by February anyways?), but I still use the time for myself— to think about where I am and where I want to be. As the clock struck midnight in China, 13 hours ahead of most of my friends and family, I couldn't help but think back to everything that led up to that countdown.
It’s hard to believe I’ve been teaching in China for nearly four months. By now, I’ve gotten into the groove of lesson planning and seeing 2,000 students every week... Okay, maybe the latter isn’t completely true. Either way, I’ve noticed so many fascinating differences between classes here and classes back home in the States. Here are some of my thoughts:
A couple weekends ago, Justin and I hosted a good ‘ol American Thanksgiving. Our fellow teachers made the trek to Xi’an on planes, trains, and busses— some came from the Southwestern Guizhou province, while others made the journey from cities near Xi’an. In total, we had 12 other teachers join us for the festivities. And celebrate, we did.
On the bus in China, you get to know people on a chemical level. The sweat is pervasive and the odd mixture of cologne (and lack of) makes for a veritable pheromone stew. You can sense who brushes their teeth, who had onions and chili for dinner, who drank too much baijo the night before.
You know that warm feeling you get when you feel whole, when you feel like you’re exactly where you should be? That’s how I feel here, and I know it’s because of the people. When I think about the Chinese people I’ve met, generosity is the first trait that comes to mind.