I haven’t been home for 10 years now. I’m finally going back after this term. I like to say that I have multiple homes. I have a home in America, where I grew up. I have a home in college, where I’m going to school. I have the most ancient home in China, where decades and decades of family have flourished, lived, and died. I am going back to China.
I haven’t seen family in China for a long time. Last time I was there, I was still a snobby, childish, elementary school kid. So much has changed. I’ve gotten taller, stronger, smarter (hopefully), and busier. But they have not. They still carry the warmest, most welcoming, gentlest hands I have ever felt. I can’t wait for the gathering of relatives around a tiny table full of delicious Chinese food. Soup dumplings, rice cakes, mapo tofu, Chinese broccoli, and the freshest seafood. My hometown is a port city, so I’ll sleep (or not) to the loud blast of the ships and the loud traffic.
I’ll just list some things I’m looking forward to:
-
Jogging along the seashore in the mornings
-
Exploring souvenir shops and small convenience stores
-
Eating childhood treats
-
Eating tons of good food (and getting fat)
-
Writing
Things I’m NOT looking forward to:
-
Jetlag
-
Loud traffic
-
Loud people
-
Too many people
-
Relatives asking if I have a boyfriend yet
-
Cheap things
-
Not having WiFi
-
Figuring out Visa and VPN