In precisely eight hours, God willing, I will be back on Yale campus for the first time in eight months. In those eight months, I've sent a sister and a cousin off to college, hit up Hong Kong and Shanghai with my mom, watched my dinner be butchered on the plains of Inner Mongolia, hopped in and out of Seoul before things got crazy, explored more parts of China than I ever dreamed I'd see, and gotten to know the city of Beijing almost as well as I know Kearney. I've met so, so many incredible people, from my best friends and co-conspirators in my two programs to my Chinese friends who helped me understand the confusion that is Chinese culture.
This is supposed to be the reflection post, the post where it all comes together in this great big explosion of clarity and wraps up all my experiences in this tight little ending package. But... can you believe it, there is still so much more I want to say about my experiences that I can't bring myself to stop posting! It may be corny, but I feel like my China experience didn't end when the plane left the Beijing tarmac; it still very much colors my everyday experiences back here in America. To any loyal readers out there, no pressure to keep up, but I will continue to post my reflections on China, its people, its culture, and its events, as my junior year progresses. Who knows? I might be back in China sooner than you think. :)
"I feel like my China experience didn't end when the plane left the Beijing tarmac"
ReplyDeleteI've REALLY enjoyed your blog, Marissa. Well done on so many levels. As for that quote, this is a sure sign that you began to hit that "Home" phase after the Honeymoon, Hostility, and Humor phases. This is not an easy thing to do...but you earned it!
I'd like to echo Kelly's praise for your blog. I really hope you'll continue to write.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that you will soon find yourself looking for a way to return to China. Good luck dealing with the reverse culture shock of returning, and keep posting!