35 days. For 35 days we bashed our way through SE Asia. I still can't believe it.
The End of our Tale:
After leaving "Paradise Island," Jen and I headed back to Bangkok to meet up with Justin and Rachel--and I was able to spend one last day with Jeremy in the hospital before our flight. He was discharged and is actually now back in Wuhan, where he's packing up and getting ready for a long voyage of flights to get him back to America.
Our flight from Bangkok to China was short and sweet--we flew into Shenzhen because it was the cheapest option, and then arranged train tickets from there. Jen needed to get back to Wuhan to start teaching, so she hopped on a flight from Shenzhen to Wuhan--while Justin and Rachel and I had tickets arranged for a few days later.
As soon as we arrived back in China, the culture shock began to hit me hard. Everything in China is just....different. Dirtier. More chaotic. Uglier. It's only while in the grips of Culture Shock that I ever feel this way, and it only hits me occasionally...but it was STRONG while we were in Shenzhen.
Sooo......we left!
From Shenzhen it takes about an hour or two to get into Hong Kong...so we left and spent our 3 nights there while we were waiting for our train to Wuhan. And IT WAS HEAVEN!!!!
Hong Kong now rivals New York City for my affection. Indeed, it's the only major metropolis that I've ever been to that compares to NYC. Ahhh....I can't even describe it! The streets are clean (though after dark, I suspect it's alot like NYC before Guiliani took over and cleaned it up--we saw the drug dealers guarding their territory and the prostitutes working on the alleyways...but during the day this is all hidden). The people all speak English...and when they're not, they're speaking Cantonese--so we can avoid the Mandarin for a bit longer. Plus, I suspect that Hong Kong is as much Chinese as Puerto Rico is American--the politics are all that ties the city to the great One Nation. The streets are VIBRANT and bustling and alive and it's a city filled with its own personality and pulse and radiance---I just love it.
While there, I:
- ate a steak dinner at TGI Fridays!!!
- Caught a magnifiscent performance at the Cultural Center of the Stuggart Ballet (from Germany) performing Swan Lake!!!!
- Spent a few hours at a BOOKSTORE--a REGULAR one, like Barnes and Noble or whatever--bought copies of Time, Newsweek, the Economist, and The New Yorker!!! (I've developed a voracious appetite for US Media since I've been away--speaking of: How about the Primaries being MORE EXCITING than reruns of West Wing! You guys keep up the political drama over there--I'm hooked!)
- Joined the Phillipino Catholics for Mass at a downtown cathedral--held a beautiful Phillipino baby through half of the mass. (seriously...I DID NOT baby-snatch!!! The mom just smiled and handed me the baby! What do you do in a situation like that--I LOVED IT)
- WATCHED A MOVIE IN A MOVIE THEATER!!!! (PS--I love You with Hillary Swank--quite the tearjerker)
- Took the Tram to Victoria Peak and gazed down at the bay and the city
- Watched DAVID LETTERMAN on the US channel!!!!
- Got teary-eyed from incense coils in the famous Man Mo Temple
- Ate a RUEBEN SANDWICH and german potato salad from a delicatessen!!!
I think Hong Kong may have been just the right way to end the trip--and to keep me from being TOO homesick for the US. In an upcoming blog, I'll try to share all the things that I miss most about home--and all the things that I love most about being here...but I'll go ahead and tell ya that MOST of what I get homesick about is listed in the above bullets--movie theaters, late night TV, cultural opportunities etc.... If I could have seen a pro football or baseball game and eaten at Chic-Fil-A--that would have covered it all! Unfortunately--Hong Kong did up our expenses for the trip...so I'm gonna be eating alot of fried rice during the next month! Haha.
And Back Again
So now I'm back in my apartment and trying to get cozy--which might happen once they come and repair our water pipes, which busted while we were away. I have a small stream of icy cold water that comes out of the spiggot--but definately no hot water. We think that the repair men will be here this week--if it gets too long then we might go to the campus hotel for showers!
I'm beginning to feel rested again though and ready for the new semester. I have a renewed sense of purpose and really want to be able to put into practice some of the things I learned last semester. I have lived in China for 6 months now and I've learned so much. This semester, I hope to start taking Mandarin lessons and writing more about life here--possibly creating some articles for freelance work--and mostly really devoting myself to the Family work and to my students. I have some relationships that I think have a lot of room for Father to move in--and I'm Hoping that I can really give everything this semester to my Dad to use and shape for His Honor. I'll be sure to keep you all updated as we go! Love to you all!
No comments:
Post a Comment