In addition to the more obvious things I will miss such as friends and students, I have written a short list of daily life happenings that I will dearly miss...
1. Rou bao, dan bing, hong shao rou...and many other Chinese foods
2. My bike, Hong Long (Red Dragon), and riding it everywhere at all times of day
3. Speaking Chinese everyday
4. Sharing food--most Chinese meals consist of several dishes, which everyone eats
5. Random job opportunities, i.e. voice recordings, modeling, acting gigs that just pop-up
6. Constantly meeting new people from all over the world
7. My schedule!
8. $1 DVDs
9. Walking into a store like Gucci in my running gear and not being snubbed
10. How easy it is to keep a healthy lifestyle, i.e. biking, running twice a weak, eating well, cheap preventative health care like acupuncture and cupping
11. $2.50 for a hair wash, head massage, and straightening my hair
12. Chinese English names, i.e. Stone, Grubby, Gandalf, Alert, Hajji, Clitty (really did have a student named this!)
13. Daily witnessing history---in the buildings, lake, and legends
14. Always learning and trying something new
15. Public transportation, although not always the best, is readily available and cheap
16. Teaching and the hilarious and amazing things that happen in the classroom
TO BE CONTINUED...
Living in China was a writer's paradise. I daily encountered people, places, and objects that I would have been hard-pressed to imagine on my own. After living there for almost 3 years, I can honestly say that I loved it there. Chinese people, culture, and language are incredibly fascinating, and the more I learned, the more I understood a sixth of the world's perspective. I recently returned to the States to rediscover my home country and to be a bridge between east and west.
