My One-Year Anniversary.

I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary with China. We had a really special day together in honor of my year survival. I must say this has been the most abusive and yet rewarding relationship I’ve been in. I recently wrote to my mom about a regret of mine due to my impulsive decisions, also questioning when I will learn to stop making such impuslsive decisions. If any of you have any advice, I’m all ears. She hit me with a really sweet retort “’just when you’ve got life figured out, you die.’ This is how we learn… realizing a mistake, understanding a weakness. Growth comes from making these changes. Some degree of ‘jumping in’ is a good thing. Many would have talked themselves out of moving to a place like China for a year but you took a risk and it was a good thing.”

My roommate left this on my bed once.
Pretty much sums up a typical day in China.

It’s true, I totally “jumped in” in regards to moving to China. It was something I had thought about and imagined doing, but when the time came I jumped in without looking. Honestly, I didn’t even know what the weather was like here. Nope, didn’t occur to me to look up the yearly averages when packing. This may not change for me, and I’m pretty Ok with that. And if I do start making rational and well thought out decisions I will die shortly after.

I use the word “survive” when talking about my time here and that may seem dramatic, but I think it’s pretty accurate. Along with not packing weather appropriate clothing, I didn’t learn the language. That would be the only “regret” I have about my experience here. Not that day-to-day life is impossible, but I know many experiences would have been much different. Mostly my massages. And my relationship with the owner of the fruit shop that I visit almost daily. And the interaction with the guard at my apartment complex (though I still got a hug out of one of them once). My roommate and I were actually getting massages yesterday and “Boss” yelled at me in a very fatherly way that I need to learn Chinese. I love him so much. It would have been nice to be able to connect/communicate with some of the people that I regularly interact with. Though I’m sure I’m still their favorite even though we can’t really talk much.

They are funny. They are also Fairies sometimes.

The Chinese are funny. I’ve been observing them closely for the last year, and they really are a strange bunch. This morning I was runnin in the hills near my house, I saw a man doing Tai Chi in what looked like boxer briefs. As I was coming down the hill he was finishing his routine and putting his pants back on. And people stare at me like I’ve got seven head when this guy is exercising in his underwear?

Speaking of staring, I was just having a discussion with a student about politeness. She was telling me that the Japanese are much more p

What are you lookin at kid?

olite than Chinese people. I was probing without showing any opinion on the matter. But couldn’t help to show my agreeance on the lack of smiling here. When you make eye contact with someone, even a stranger on the street, you show some form of acknowledgment. That doesn't happen here. You are just stared at shamelessly.

These people really are shameless. They have no problem with the following actions: picking their nose in public. Pulling the car over to pee in the bushes. NON-STOP selfies. Inappropriate interrogating personal questions. Pushing you out of line. The list goes on….

Get in there sister.

It's been a great year. I wouldn't change anything I went through or where I am now. The biggest thing I've gained here is confidence, which is pretty great.