Things I Miss the Most

It’s been a hard week for ol’ Gypsy Feet. I’ve had a lot of those “2 months down, 8 more to go…” moments. I think part of the reason is because the cold I couldn’t seem to shake became worse and I was stuck in my room having a pitty party for myself and wanting to be home with my mom. I’ve been low on energy and enthusiasm, and that mixed with a classroom full of 50 screaming 6 year olds….you get the picture. But I’m stickin in there and hoping the best is yet to come. One of the times I was moping around I started making a mental list of all the things I miss the most from home. Oddly enough, it actually made me feel more blessed than depressed. Being here and without so many of the little comforts of home has made me appreciate them so much more! Anyways, here’s the list I came up with. I also made a list of things I like about China, because I thought it was a good little reminder for me when I’m feeling down. Oh and I have to mention that these are all the “things” I miss the most, not people. Obviously I miss my family, my boyfriend, and my friends more than anything!

Things I miss the most:
• A dryer
• Mexican food
• My car
• Morning radio shows
• Yoga classes at Lifetime Fitness
• Seeing houses
• Blue skies
• Church
• Real coffee
• A soft bed
• Baked goods
• Good wine
• Public restrooms with TP and soap

Things I like about China
• Public transportation
• Cheap massages
• Food/street snacks
• My work schedule
• Adorable Chinese kids
• Learning Chinese
• Traveling/Planning vacations
• Tea
• Meeting and defeating new challenges
• Market shopping
• Learning something new everyday
• Learning how to teach

As many of you know, this is not my first time living abroad. I was an exchange student in the Philippines my junior year of high school. That experience definitely gave leeway to this one, and helped prepare me for this A LOT. I sort of knew what to expect as far as some of the challenges I’d face when I came here because of that year. However, this experience is different than that one in a lot of ways. For one, I’m quite a bit older, more independent and more confident in myself. When I was in the Philippines, I would try so hard to fit in and be as “Filipino” as I could. And I was constantly disappointing myself because I could never BE Filipino, I’m American. But here, I understand that a lot better. I know that I look different, act different, and speak different than the Chinese do. And as much as I do want to learn their culture and their ways, I know that I am different and I’m not trying as hard to fit in. Another thing that’s different about this experience is that I’m not as engulfed in the culture as I was in the Philippines. In the Philippines I was living with a family, going to school, and surrounded constantly with the culture. Here, I’m a bit sheltered from it. I live and spend most of my time with foreign teachers. We sort of create our own little “home” culture within China. And as natural as this is, I am hoping to find new ways of experiencing Chinese culture and making Chinese friends. But I think the biggest reason that this year is different than my year in the Philippines is that I left my heart back in the U.S. this time. My boyfriend, Zach, is finishing up film school this year and was amazing enough to encourage me to follow my dream and do this. It hasn’t been easy in the least bit being away from him…in fact it’s been harder than I ever expected. I miss like crazy, and its tough having to experience all these new things alone when I want to share them with him so badly. Love is powerful and I think I’m just coming to realize that. But we are making it work and I just feel so blessed to have him...even an ocean away! I also miss my good friends from California terribly! I am lucky enough to have 3 of them working/studying in China this year, and we will all be meeting up in Hong Kong for Christmas. I feel like I’ll never have as close of friends as I did the last 4 years at Biola, and it’s hard to transition from that environment to this one. But again, I’m doing my best to make it work!