Macau and a Surprise at Home!

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Near the end of June I found myself humming and hawing over what to do when my Chinese visa ended early this fall. I threw around a few options: I could continue teaching English (hopefully at a University this time), become a student (studying Chinese), or travel somewhere else in southern asia (a return to India being my first choice). I went back and forth and forth and back, a bit unenthusiastic about all of my potential paths, and during all this pondering, it never occurred to me that coming home was also an option. When this thought finally entered my swirling pros and cons lists, a weight was lifted, and I realized that my mind, my heart, and my gut had already decided on the next step - home.

A plane ticket was booked and our summer travels began. During these travels, which led us from the mountainous southern province of Yunnan, up to the Gobi desert in Xinjiang, and over to the Olympic Spectacular in Beijing, a new China opened before my eyes. Previous to booking my flight home, I saw the impending summer as a time of great travel and great stress as I prepared to head to India (the choice I arrived at before deciding to come home). After my flight to the states was booked it made it easier to just focus on China and focus on how the past year there had affected and shaped me.

One more key element to this homecoming was the fact that I didn't tell anybody! I did this for a couple of reasons:
1.) I felt that once the announcement was made, I and others would have the tendency to only talk/think about me coming home, when I still had a good three months of experiences left in China before I boarded the plane
2.) How often do you get the opportunity to come home unannounced from across the world?! Surprises are fun.

So I now write this from home, where some things aren't quite as good as I thought they'd be and some things are better. It's good to be back!

After our summer travels, Cody and I spent about a month in Chengdu living with his roommates for the next semester (who are awesome!). Cody will be studying Chinese for another semester in Chengdu. We then headed south to Macau which we have both wanted to see since arriving in China, and where we put in some serious beach and slots time. We parted ways in Macau from which Cody rode the rails back to Chengdu and I negotiated a Ferry ride to Hong Kong (where my flight was to depart) in an effort to beat the impending typhoon! All's well that ends well and we are both safe and sound, starting the next leg of this crazy little jouney called life.

Thanks so much for reading, and for all the comments over this past year. This blog has been a great way to reflect on our experiences, and a great way to keep in touch with you all. This is farewell for me, but stay tuned for a language post and maybe others from Cody as he continues to navigate the streets, people, language, and culture of China.

And hey, !VOTE!

love,
Stephanie

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Photos

Dinner Time!
Cody and new roommates about to sit down to a delicious home-cooked meal. The salad isn't a regular, it was me and Cody's "exotic food" contribution that day.

Where We Dine
With necessary white board for language exchange purposes.

We're Gambling!
This was the night we got rejected because of the fancy casino dress code. No worries, we went back and lost all our money the next night in much finer attire.

Posh Street, Coloane Island
At the end of this street was a beautiful but rather gruelling oceanside walk which led us into the heart of a swanky residential area. This gated community boasted an ocean view, and a very nice, unattended private pool complete with waterslides ... key word here is unattended.

Cody
During our ocean walk

Macau
A stop for light fanning amidst the ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral. The mix of Portuguese and Chinese architecture was beautiful and fascinating.

Side Street
With assorted shops

A Biking Lesson
Cody and I noticed these two friends teetering on their rented bicycles trying to learn how to ride, so I offered to lend a hand. There were a few fruitful coasts and some encouraging pedaling, though my limited Chinese was even harder to understand through my heaving breaths from the physical activity in the unrelenting Macau heat!

Typhoon!
My view of the typhoon from HK airport. Here I spent the night crossing my fingers and hoping my morning flight wouldn't be delayed, and that my new wind-up-cartoon-kitty-with-no-ears alarm clock (tougher to find a travel alarm than you'd think sometimes ...) wouldn't fail me.

Comments

[mom/janet]

Welcome Home, Stephanie!!
Stephanie-your homecoming was a wonderful-amazing-unbelievable-huge surprise beyond words—there's no topping it!!!! So great to have you home!! Cody, it's great that you have such wonderful roommates. Love you both, Mom/Janet

[George]

Awesome
Way to video tape it, and way to take advantage of that once in a lifetime opportunity...now that you have done it, when else can you totally surprise your family in such an amazing way. Hope you settle well into these here States, or that one up there, Wisco. Peace and Love to you sister

[Maxine]

HOME
Welcome home to the USA, Stephanie. It was wonderful living through your experiences this past, almost year. Yes, it is always good to touch home base. Cody, what is your goal/time for acquiring more Chinese language? You both have lived through a lot - new culture, new language, historic snow storm, HUGH earthquake, and a lot of fun and new people crossing your paths. What a life!

[christine ann donahoe II]

Serendipitous Senators.
Well, it's nice for me to know know Herb Kohl can pop in at any moment to check on you... well, when he's not busy with the Bucks. I MISS you.

[kevin]

what a coincidence!
There's a kitty with no ears that lives on our street!

[Welcome to China again!]

Welcome to China again in the future!