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Published: November 20th 2009
I hate to post an update when I cannot think of anything worth mentioning. My goal was to avoid becoming one of those people that post entries about the minute changes in their daily lives. Still, it has been a while since I posted anything and I suppose I can be excused this once. I apologize for writing when I have nothing interesting to say and without any of the witty charm and sarcasm that I can sometime possess (to make what I say sound almost intelligent). After all, today has been sunny. The frigid air is a clear reminder that it is WINTER now but the sun decided to bestow its warm glow on us today. It's still really cold outside but the sun is strong enough to chase away the worst of the chill (even outside). I am more and more aware of that fact that I have not been in a decently (naturally) warm place in a long while. Sure, Chicago had its miserably hot days but it is disqualified due the inconsistency of its weather. Even Colorado the past couple summers only sorta count because being in the mountains made everything colder and we had a lot of icky rainy days. Actually as I say this I realize what I really have been missing is living in a place that has sun rather consistently, even in the winter............why don't I just come out and say that I miss living in Colorado. Good thing it is my last semester at PLU. But since my future is not assured who knows where I will go after this. It is possible that I will end up somewhere more miserable.
We have less than one month before we end our stay here in Chengdu and I admit to being kinda ready to leave. I would not mind staying here longer if it were on my own terms and not through my program (and if we were headed into summer instead of winter). Despite my mind's forward move--far away from when and where I am now--I am aware of some of the things I will miss back in the US.
Food is its own category under the things I will miss. Not only will I miss particular dishes--"mapu tofu", "mala tofu", sour cabbage, the potato noodle/shreds dishes, jiaozi, baozi, and the yogurt---but I will also miss eating with the friends that I eat with and the family style meals that I have had with them. It cannot be helped though. I'll also miss the fruit.....In general, I think the diet here agrees with me.
Other than food I will miss things like having a bike and actually being willing to use it. I will miss hearing other languages ("other" as in "not english"). Shameless as it might sound, I will miss everything being so cheap that it is actually affordable for people like me. I can eat my regular jiaozi dish (20 pieces) for less than a dollar (around 70 cents). I can eat dinner at the muslim noodle place that I frequent (as in 2-3 times a week) for a little over a dollar.
Of course I cannot end this post without reminding myself briefly of the things I will NOT miss:
--Among them is the use of MSG in many dishes served in restaurants. For that matter, I will not missing eating out at a restaurant or shop every night. Sadly going back to PLU won't exactly change things for the better. There I still lack cooking untesils and will resort to eating in at the Cafeteria which is in most ways worse than eating out every night here. At least in China I get to CHOOSE to eat the same thing over and over; in the PLU cafeteria, it is just inevitable...there is no real choice if you want to eat there.
--I will not miss some of the smells (particularly one that smells like a strong weed killer designed to kill...everything).
--The air: I won't miss being able to see it....I'd like the air I breathe to be invisible (aka: colorless) once again. It's not visible every day here of course but some days are REALLY bad to compensate for the other days.
--I look forward to being able to eat cheese again (cheese is sort of a foreign concept to the Han Chinese so what they have is really disgustingly bland)
I know there are more things for both lists but for now, I'll leave it be.
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loeliger
non-member comment
one month and counting
An interesting commentary for someone who has nothing to say. We will be glad to have you back in the US and we will be very glad to also be back a few days after you arrive. We get back on Dec.16 around midnight. Can't wait for the full catch up of the experience. Will you go back to the East again? Will you continue with the language? What is coming next for you? WOW! Interesting times are coming down the pike. Love Ya, Nana