Confessions from a Korean Campsite

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In Defense of Silence

It's been a long and winding path to get back in front of this keyboard today. When last I wrote, it was from the white sandy beaches and tropical winds of Koh Samui, Thailand. There, I found myself able to practice Yoga, journaling and general peace-of-mind nearly every hour, let alone every day. Shortly thereafter, I returned to China... or rather, China returned to me.

I knew that Thailand would bring about change. I knew that that phase would bring me a fresh set of eyes on China, for better or for worse. And I also knew that I'd be returning to a completely unrecognizable China experience.

Almost immediately upon my arrival, I was told to not get too comfortable as change was coming. Within weeks, my bags and apartment were packed up and on their way to Shanghai as I'd been transferred. Sure as day, here I sit - writing to you from WuJiaoChang, Shanghai, China. On December 21, 2014, I wrote a lithy, whimsical witticism to my friend Maeghan (who was transferred down to Guangzhou eons ago) about how my journey has brought me so far: to the exact hotel in almost exactly the same room exactly 2 years later. In fact, I blogged on December 21, 2012 about how the world didn't seem to have ended from that exact location.

At any rate, I've been at something of a loss for words about all of this. I should be ecstatic about my pending promotion and this business-initiated transfer to the big leagues... I should be beaming from the amount of praise that I've received from all kinds of well-known names in this company. But in truth, I've just been a bit numb. I'm going through the motions - doing what I know how to do, and trying my damnedest to do so without becoming completely despised by my colleagues... Though, we all know that I do rather enjoy my role as office arse.

Korean Campsites
I settled in rather quickly at work. There was a very obvious space for me at my new center, and people have warmed to me as well as could be expected. I like my schedule and my leadership colleagues, and there's a lot of potential for great things at this place in the near future. On the home front... well...In Shanghai, having an apartment to one's own is a novelty at best. It is do-able... But nothing of the quality and ease of the studio places found in Hangzhou. That being the case, I find myself now living in a 4-bedroom apartment. Sort of.In truth, this place is 2 apartments smashed together. In apartment #1, there is a living room, bathroom and 2 bedrooms. They've opted to put a fridge in apartment #1, so the tenants of that side rarely find themselves on the other side. In apartment #2, there is a dining room, kitchen, 2 massive balconies, massive bathroom and 2 smaller-ish bedrooms. This is my side. My bedroom is the corner unit, so it's actually rather large - albeit not as large as those rooms in apartment #1. Being the corner unit also means no neighbors. My bedroom is squashed between the kitchen, a balcony, the dining room and the bathroom. Thank goodness for this locale.See, all but one of the roommates have left. There's only 2 of us living here now - and it was just the one guy until I came. He's interesting. He's cat people. You know.Aside from his predictable college-dude habits that I could do without, this roommate is actually pretty all right. His friends, on the other hand...



As I was signing the contract, boychild informed me that his girlfriend and some friends of theirs from Korea would be staying here for awhile. Awhile being a week or so until he moves out next month (keep that in mind... he's moving out early next month). I didn't really think much of this. It's a massive apartment with loads of space. Non-issue.That's about when I came home to find a tent pitched in the living room. Beer bottles and take-out food boxes sprawled about the living room around the coffee table which is slowly starting to resemble a fire pit of its own rite. Despite there being 2 perfectly fit empty bedrooms, the Korean Clan decided to camp. In the living room. In a tent. With the cat. Now... truly - I am not one to judge other cultures. And mayhaps this has nothing to do with culture whatsoever. But seriously? Seriously.



I have 2 friends coming to stay at my apartment tomorrow. Perhaps I'll propose a camp-out in the dining room. Seriously. Anyway... it's always an adventure here in China. I'm traveling to Colorado on the 14th, and to Hawaii in February. These may have come at precisely the right moment this year.



With that, Happy New Year, everyone! All the best to you on your journey to 2015!

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