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Published: February 27th 2012
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Notebook
This is the most comfortable notebook you have ever run into. You will feel like writing with it all the time. I love Chinglish. Dorothy, Hyo, and I traveled to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System. It was quite cold out and we were all exhausted from staying out too late the night before so we were quite unhappy when our bus seats were less than a ninety degree angle not in our favor. However, the trip was really inexpensive and we found plenty of hot milk tea places/spicy noodles/pumpkin bread to keep us warm. The palace temple was beautiful.
The tourist part (the temple plus the irrigation stream) was full of grey and blue hues and punches of bright pinks and reds given to us by flowers and paintings. We braved a swinging bridge which swung violently and I ended up being grabbed by two Chinese ladies and helping them across the river.
I enjoyed exploring with Hyo and Dorothy. They had a very interesting combined mentality. Hyo hunted out many side streets and we walked and lost ourselves through in the back neighborhoods of the town. We stumbled upon a mosque which fascinated me. The mixture of a Chinese style temple and Islamic symbols. We stopped at a foot massaging station and while Hyo and Dorothy had their feet pampered I conking out
on an arm chair which was extremely amusing to the Chinese people (and Dor and Hyo).
Then we took the bus back home and spent the night eating and turning the heat up in my room. Dorothy and I finished the night by watching the last few hours of BBC's Pride and Prejudice. It was a good day.
These last few days I have been feeling very homesick. I would like nothing more than to disapparate over to America for a movie night followed by the traditional wrestling match between siblings (and the occasional addition of my dad), or a walk through the woods followed by hot chocolate with ice cubes. I would like to put away my laundry while chatting with Eliot about school, or curl up reading a book with Meredith. I miss talking about my Aunt Heidi's terrifying cat in comparison to the calmer Scampers. I miss staying up late talking with my parents in the living room when the quiet of night surrounds our house. I miss going out to eat with my dad and gossiping and discussing theology, and laughing with my mom while running errands just to spend more time
Chinglish
How I love thee with her. I miss getting phone calls from Grandma Penny and the snacks (and smell of brewing coffee) she always brings when she visits 😊. And the warm bread from Grandma Jean with clippings from newspapers and an occasional ride to the bus stop from Grandpa Larry.
I miss going to Church of the Servent and sitting in front of the Gritters (and getting mints) and behind the Knols (and their adorable grandchild). I miss Jack's sermons and the smell of the parish dinners at the end of a service and trying to convinse myself that I am part of whatever parish is providing the delicious smelling food so that I can unguiltily partake😊
I miss going to 7's Paint and Wallpaper and helping customers, scanning their paint, carefully matching colors to throw pillows, and pretending to be dizzy from the smell of oil based stain. I really miss joking with my coworkers and putting color chips away and speculating about the speed that time was passing that particular day. Hearing the wisdom of my elders and making small talk about the news. Adding new colors to my apron and joyfully thanking Josh or Dave for saving a
particularly bright color for me (much to the eye-rolling of my manager).
I miss running down my street at home and breathing untainted air. I miss reminiscing about cross country and watching stupid movies. I miss seeing my various hurdle teammates, and my new college friends. I miss discussing ideas with friends in a language I fully grasp and laughing about nothing.
I miss wearing sweatshirts that smell like Nick, and walking places with a hand to hold. I miss an arm around me and the beauty of a hike through Versluis Orchards. I miss being read to out loud, and not paying for my dinner. I miss complaining about Nick's unshaven cheeks and giving him a hard time about whatever comes to mind.
But the thing I miss most of all is food. I will be 100% honest with all of you. I crave western food to a point of insanity induced tears. I want milk, and gallons of it. I want fresh baked cookies. I want raisin bran crunch meijers brand specifically. I want life cereal. I want blueberry muffins and butter. I want pancakes and bacon and dinosaur oatmeal. I want tortilla chips and
salsa. I want chocolate and dark chocolate and milk chocolate and chocolate with nuts and bittersweet chocolate and double stuffed oreos and chocolate chip cookies. I want those delicious double date chips with a caso and meat spread that Josh and Liz made, and my mom's chicken noodle soup. I want sweet corn from the farm and my dad's shish kabobs. I want grilled cheese with tomato soup. I want my grandma's marconi salad and my other grandma's bread rolls. I am a slave to food.
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Jackson
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Great post
Another excellent blog - very well written. About equal in impact as the pictures you took. It's crazy how it's the smallest things we miss when we're home-sick - the little things we take for granted everyday. Once you get back here, I'm sure there will be things you miss about China :P I loved the "Land Before Time" reference by the way - made me laugh - keep it up! These adventures are so incredibly awesome