Coming Home: Shortest 14 Hours

Today is the day everyone goes back home. Today is the day all 36 participants, teachers, and supporting faculty go back to the United States. The ride starts off with a light layer of sadness. I know that when I wake up tomorrow I won't see signs in Chinese or the amazing people that I've grown to love. With every second, another drop of sadness falls onto the heart. Within minutes, hearts are heavy; some people begin to cry. I refuse to cry because (just as I said when I left my host family) this is just a transition period. Its hard because we will all miss this unbelievable experience and all the relationships we've made along the way, however, we should accept the experience for what it is: unforgettable.

Jane, Nancy, and Carol :P

This group has laughed together, learned together, discussed conspiracy, religion, and all other questions of the world together;parting ways, we even cried together. The beauty lies in the funny memories that I share with my friends such as when we decide to flaunt our rich and famous ego by wearing our hotel robes (both inside and outside) for everyone to see or when we all had to leave our host families (which was super sad).

I have done things that I never would have dreamed of like jumping in front of the Olympics Birds Nest (or on the Great Wall ) or dancing in a show with my friends. These individuals and I have experienced so much together and that's a bond that will never be broken. 

From an objective view, 45 days is a long time to spend with the same group of people and 14 hours is a long time for a plane ride. In actuality, these past 45 days and 14 hours have been the shortest of my life. I can be happy going home knowing I accomplished everything I set out to accomplish and more. I have improved my Chinese language skills primarily in reading and writing. More importantly, I made so many new friends and shared so many memories with these amazing people. Such an experience is something I'll never forget.

Shanghai Bund

First Time 妈妈Gave Me a Hug

At home, 妈妈 mama walks in on me writing and she asks me if I've finished my homework. I tell her I've finished my homework but I haven't finished decorating the thank you note I wrote for her. She starts laughing and tells me there's no need to thank her. She says when I get older, I'll buy her stuff too so that makes it fair. And I told her that I appreciate everything and  she gave me a hug. She gave me a real hug and it means a lot because Chinese people don't like to hug. The will hug the people closest to them and to everyone else-maybe a handshake. The first time 妈妈 ever gave me a real hug. I'm sooo happy to finally feel like her real 女儿 daughter. I'm just sooo happy :)

Me and 妈妈

Host Family: Day 10

This is my second and last day off to spend time with my family. I start off the day going to help my mama and baba move things from grandmas house. Then baba stops the car in the middle of the road (a regular occurrence in China), and mom and I jump out. My mom heard I wanted to but some stuff to give to my friends and that I wanted to buy a new suitcase so we went to this small hole in the wall store. We walk in and immediately start touching, inspecting, and playing with all the stuff. I tell my mama I want 5 fans, she picks out 6. We look at a crowded space and there are a bunch of different suitcases. In the middle of them, a brand new Perry Ellis suitcase. I really want it, but I think it was to expensive. My mama, on the other hand, thinks it's nothing saying 没问题 no problem. We go through the store and pick out more things like socks and neck pillows. By the time everything is said and done, my mom spends ¥578 on me. That's about $90. I repetitively thank my mom and then we come back home and my baba has bought me an identical new carryon suitcase.

My sister and I secretly eating McDonalds ^_^

My sister takes me shopping and I see sooooo many people. Or as I should say, soooo many people see me and I buy most of the gifts I want to give my friends. We eat McDonald's, sip bubble tea, and get stared at by the locals...you know, your average Sunday. An old lady came with a bowl that had ¥2 inside. I have not seen homeless people as intensely as I do at home,but when I do see homeless people, they are extremely impoverished. I don't have any ¥1 bills so I give her ¥5. She is elated and then gives me her blessing. In this moment,  I'm just thinking about how I can accomplish one of my goals (help people, travel, and eat amazing food). In this moment, I have the opportunity to help someone and I take it. I'm proud of myself and my understanding of compassion. If I were that old woman, I could only hope that others would be willing to help me.

Host Family: Day 6

Hi everyone!!!

Soldier's tag is white. 

I wake up, eat breakfast, and my 妈妈mama tells me to clean my room because the housekeeper is coming. I assume I misunderstood what she said but I clean my room anyway because that's what she instructs me to do. Afterwards, 爸爸Baba drives me to school  and we talk all the way. I say obvious things like 我们在隧道里面 "we're in a tunnel"。He points out a vehicle with a special military licenses plate saying "巨人的车“ solider's car. I ask him what he liked to do when he was little. He says he likes to play baseball. I tell him that I've never played baseball, but that I play volleyball. We start talking about my sisters 姐姐和妹妹。He says that my youngest sister plays sports at school and that my other sister doesn't play sports at all. I asked him why she's always sweating when she comes home and he says its because she exercises with her personal trainer. When I ask him if he exercises, he says of course. At night I drink beers. He does his lifting motion for me and I start laughing. I tell him his muscles must be big. He laughs and before we know it we've reached our destination.

On the drive home conversation is feeling more forced because we're both tired. I ask if he has any Beatles music. He taught me how to "you got all of my love". 你得到我最好的爱。

Pre-dinner dumplings

I walk home to see the housekeeper cleaning my room and my newly cleaned pairs of converse. They have been had washed, dried, and re-stringed with new strings. I am extremely grateful, but my mother doesn't take too many thanks. She just says  不用谢 which literally translates to "I don't use thanks" (aka the Chinese "you're welcome).  妈妈 的朋友 My mother's friend makes spicy food for me because they know I like it.

There's a special kind of enthusiasm is Chinese hospitality that goes above and beyond that of  American (including southern) hospitality. My favorite part of the day was recognizing the irony of my family cleaning the house before the housekeeper cleans the house. It's as if they are trying to lighten her load or impress her with their cleanliness. Its...different; let's just call it a culture shock ^_^

Host Family: Day 5

I ride home from school with my father for the first time. The ride home is long because of the 5 o'clock 车水马龙（Che shui ma long) "heavy traffic". My baba loves the Eagles and the Beatles. He doesn't really speak English, but he can sing all the words to "Witchy Woman". He asks me about the witchy woman. I tell him that 她很淘气 （ta hen tao qi) "she is very mischievous". He agrees.

Host Family: Day 3 ^_^

Hi everyone! 

Today I have no school because the program wants to give us a chance to get to know our families. My host family is great. They let me sleep in (until 7:30 am). When I wake up there is a freshly made 包子 (meat bun) waiting for me and they promptly make me a cup of 奶茶 （milk tea). Today we have been invited by another host family to go out. Fortunately, I'm good friends with the guest of the other host family so I'm excited. We ride out of the city all the way into the country side. We ride until there are no more roads to be driven on-and even then we get out and walk a dirt path through some open farmland. We get to a bunch of large old fashion buildings with pots, pans, fruits, and chairs outside. The irony of this area is that I would assume that these farmers are poor, but it's quite the opposite. They have an old fashioned 3 story Chinese house equipped with all of their necessities. They also have a 2nd house down the road that they're grandparents built and that they have preserved. The house has people coming in and out so I really can't tell who lives there and who doesn't. There are about 5 children 12-20 adults, and 5 teenagers. They have boiled peanuts, watermelon, and fresh tea  waiting for us. We go out to their farmland and pull the fruits and vegetables straight out of the ground. The fruits and vegetables in China are so large and nutrient filled. Their 桃子 (peaches) are both big and tasty. When we walk back to the house with the fruits of our labor, the cooks take them and immediately start cooking. We take family photos and the food is laid out on the table. Everything is extremely fresh-sometimes too fresh - waiting to be eaten. Our host bring out plate after plate to ensure all their guests are well fed. Afterwards, we start playing with the younger kids and start talking with the elders. My friend shows them a picture of me dancing. We all discuss my hair and how it's done. I show them how to braid. They say I braid quickly. We take more pictures. We visit the second house and get a real life history lesson. The house had been built by the ancestors of the other host mother. The inside was well constructed an consisted of a small courtyard, a memorial, a kitchen, and several other rooms. We take one last walk back to the large farm  house before we go home. We take all of our freshly picked vegetables in the kitchen and immediately start chopping. After about an hour of chopping, folding, and taste testing, our merged families are ready to eat. We eat until we are吃饱了 （full) and then we all sit around the house a relax together.


I love that I can wake up on the opposite side of the world, yet feel just as comfortable as I do at home. I think it's because these people, this land, and this culture-this is my home <3