A year. Wow. We finally made it to a year. It has been filled with so many incredible experiences and so many learning opportunities! I don’t think that any of us can escape the fact that this experience has changed us…irrevocably and absolutely, in many ways. How could it not? After all is said and done, I’m grateful and happy to have had this opportunity to see and do so many things that I NEVER, EVER imagined myself being able to do in my lifetime. I feel my soul is blossoming now, after a particularly harsh winter of adjustment. Would I do it all over again? Believe it or not, I still don’t have the answer to that. The harshness of that winter and the price we, as a family, had to pay on so many levels, is also ingrained in my soul. Time might be what we all need for a full recovery from it. Would I recommend this experience to other people? Not sure. I think it takes incredibly strong people to do something like this…in this kind of place. Other expat assignments, across the world, may not be as difficult. I don’t know. But, I now know that we are (BY FAR) not the only expats to have suffered in similar ways. I have first-hand accounts as well as tales of old that would make you cringe. Sad, sad tales. I also think there are many variables to consider when choosing to do something like this, such as, do you have only yourself to consider or an entire family? Do you have pets? What are the ages of your kids? Will you be working or not? One might need to also consider eating habits, hobbies, etc. There are many, many more variables to consider as well…I could never name them all. So, depending on the person and their circumstance…I could…or would not recommend this type of assignment.
Yes…it has taken a strength I didn't know I even possessed to have not only survived, but to come out the other end, somewhat victorious. Our family is intact and even stronger now. I have met and made friends with so many incredible and international women. And we have a whole other year to see what else comes our way. Life is good…
As I have mentioned, I have tried to state the positives about living here in the last several blogs, since February. After so many negative points of view in the first six months, I felt it was important to state the upside to an experience like this one. Below, I’ve highlighted both the pros and cons to consider IF you plan to do something like this, in a place like this one.
Pros:
International schools for your children
Meeting international friends
Learning a new culture and language
Seeing new and wondrous sights
Gaining perspective on so many things
Experiencing cultural diversity for both you and your kids
Trying new foods and flavors
Exploring your own interests
Travel!
Cons:
New levels of stress for the entire family
Cultural differences
Strain on marriage
Potential health risks for family
Potential risk that kids might not adapt as well as you think
Food
More expenses than you imagine
Limited [easy] entertainment, such as TV, movie theater, etc
Traffic situation(s)
Pollution!
Potable water
Just to name a few.
Advice? I guess my advice to anyone considering something like this, would be to keep a WIDE and open mind. Also, if you’re a world traveler or a travelling type of person…this might be a MUCH easier transition for you, initially, than someone who isn’t. And if you’re not, you’ll definitely need that open mind. ;-)
This is my last post. I’m signing off. Considering that one of the objectives of keeping a regular blog this first year was to potentially help those considering a similar transition in their own lives, I sincerely hope that I was able to shed a little light for you. I also hope my friends and family have enjoyed the regular updates as well. I know keeping a blog helped me tremendously, in maintaining some form of sanity at certain points in this adventure of ours. It was nice to think that someone, somewhere, might be “listening.” Even if it was only empty cyber space. So, I want to say a BIG thank you to those who followed up with one or more of my posts this past year…your “presence” meant a lot to me.
For this next year, I’ve decided to maintain a completely different blog page…since there will be different challenges we will be facing. If you’re interested in reading my new blog, please make a “comment” or email me.
Enjoy!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
We had a great, fun filled Father's Day! Allen got to pick the activities of the day. Needless to say, we took a break from doing errands and spent the day with the family at Kailua Beach. It was raining, but that is ok here in Hawaii. It never means the fun has to end. ;-)
Auntie and the kids kept themselves busy playing in the sand. Granny fluctuated between playing in the water and watching the kids play on shore. Allen and I spent most of our time in serene happiness in the crystal blue waters, bobbing up and down in the waves. Ahhhh...
We went home to wash up, refresh and relax for a couple of hours. Then, we headed to one of our favorite...and greatly missed...restaurants, P.F. Changs. I swear...that is how chinese food SHOULD taste. Yum! ;-P
We had a great day, spending time with Daddy.
Auntie and the kids kept themselves busy playing in the sand. Granny fluctuated between playing in the water and watching the kids play on shore. Allen and I spent most of our time in serene happiness in the crystal blue waters, bobbing up and down in the waves. Ahhhh...
We went home to wash up, refresh and relax for a couple of hours. Then, we headed to one of our favorite...and greatly missed...restaurants, P.F. Changs. I swear...that is how chinese food SHOULD taste. Yum! ;-P
We had a great day, spending time with Daddy.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Home Sweet Home!
We have finally made it to Hawaii...ahhhhhhh! It feels so wonderful to be here. I was very surprised to learn that going back to the United States for the second time in five months felt just as incredible as the first time. Since I feel so much more "settled" about living in Shanghai...it took me by complete surprise to experience such relief about actually arriving on US soil again. It really proves (to myself) just how much stress I continue to experience in China.
I'm not the only one, apparently. The kids have been excited to go see Granny and other relatives in Hawaii for a long time now. However, when we arrived and walked to the Customs area of the airport, Brandon saw an American flag and shouted, "Yah, we're in America!" No joke. Everyone turned their heads and laughed. The customs agent standing nearby laughingly said, "Welcome home, Son." We all had a good laugh and I'm not sure if it was because we felt what Brandon said was actually funny...or that we were ALL relieved to be home, and everything suddenly felt very, very good. Brandon just openly announced what we were all feeling.
And every day here feels sooooo wonderful...even with a bad case of jet lag. The air is so incredibly clean, the water is super fresh and clean and I don't have to worry about eating a whole bunch of veggies and fruits. Also, I have organic options here and so many wonderful things are once again at my fingertips.
I'm looking forward to picnicking with the boys at a botanical park with views that would stun you. I look forward to playing in the sand with the boys at every beach the island has to offer. I look forward to taking the boys to the Sea Life Park. I look forward to camping on the beach with the boys and roasting marshmallows. I look forward to playing in the crystal blue waters. I look forward to going and seeing a movie! I look forward to so many things that the boys and I have the option to do this summer. So many wonderful options...and such a wonderful place to spend the summer. :-)
I'm not the only one, apparently. The kids have been excited to go see Granny and other relatives in Hawaii for a long time now. However, when we arrived and walked to the Customs area of the airport, Brandon saw an American flag and shouted, "Yah, we're in America!" No joke. Everyone turned their heads and laughed. The customs agent standing nearby laughingly said, "Welcome home, Son." We all had a good laugh and I'm not sure if it was because we felt what Brandon said was actually funny...or that we were ALL relieved to be home, and everything suddenly felt very, very good. Brandon just openly announced what we were all feeling.
And every day here feels sooooo wonderful...even with a bad case of jet lag. The air is so incredibly clean, the water is super fresh and clean and I don't have to worry about eating a whole bunch of veggies and fruits. Also, I have organic options here and so many wonderful things are once again at my fingertips.
I'm looking forward to picnicking with the boys at a botanical park with views that would stun you. I look forward to playing in the sand with the boys at every beach the island has to offer. I look forward to taking the boys to the Sea Life Park. I look forward to camping on the beach with the boys and roasting marshmallows. I look forward to playing in the crystal blue waters. I look forward to going and seeing a movie! I look forward to so many things that the boys and I have the option to do this summer. So many wonderful options...and such a wonderful place to spend the summer. :-)
Ryan's 3rd Birthday!
Wow! We had a fantastic birthday party for Ryan…and some older siblings. *ahem* I’m most proud that I kept it [relatively] simple, thus not having to put forth a ton of effort…just before we leave for Hawaii. We looked into renting a bounce house since we have a backyard (which is rare for many expats who mostly live in apartment buildings). I found one place who rented an inflatable water slide for the same price as the bounce houses. Bingo! Seeing as its summer…we thought that it would be perfect. We also bought a small inflatable pool and filled it with sand with we found very cheaply at the Home Depot equivalent here in Shanghai…and then threw in some sand toys we already had. We took out our soccer and baseball toys as well as some balls to throw around in the little pool that comes with the slide. It was a SUMMER FUN theme…and the kids had a blast!
The day was perfect…hot, but without the glaring sun. We, of course, had a TON of the boys’ toys as well, in case any of the kids wanted to come inside to play. I chose a mid afternoon time (1-4 pm) and the kids had a few big bowls of packaged snacks to choose from as well as the finale of choosing between three different cakes to eat! Yum yum!
The entire party was so much fun and it was lots of fun to watch the kiddos enjoy the slide and sand. Almost felt like home. I had been hesitating to host many parties this year…but now that I know where to go to get food items and both we and our kids have many friends…it’s FUN!!! I hope to have a few more this next year.
So, Ryan has turned three in the eyes of his friends…and we had a very good time doing it!
The day was perfect…hot, but without the glaring sun. We, of course, had a TON of the boys’ toys as well, in case any of the kids wanted to come inside to play. I chose a mid afternoon time (1-4 pm) and the kids had a few big bowls of packaged snacks to choose from as well as the finale of choosing between three different cakes to eat! Yum yum!
The entire party was so much fun and it was lots of fun to watch the kiddos enjoy the slide and sand. Almost felt like home. I had been hesitating to host many parties this year…but now that I know where to go to get food items and both we and our kids have many friends…it’s FUN!!! I hope to have a few more this next year.
So, Ryan has turned three in the eyes of his friends…and we had a very good time doing it!
E-Day Town
What a fantastic day I just had with Brandon on a field trip (his last one)! We went to a place called E-Day Town. Funny name…but this is another one of those “best kept secrets” around Shanghai…like the Flowerport. We just happened to fall across this through the school. According to my sources, this venue just opened very recently. It was open for a little while to schools/organizations only. Then, they opened it to the public.
This entire place is set up to teach kids how to make and spend money. There is an entrance fee for kids and a smaller one for adults. Once inside, you are transported to a village-like setting with almost every occupation imaginable. The kids can learn to be pilots on an airliner, a fireman, work for the electric company, be an archaeologist, policeman, security guard, shop worker, hotel staff, chef, race car driver, actor/actress, interior designer, TV anchor person, music instrument maker, optomologist, doctor, babysitter…the list goes on and on! At each shop or venue inside this place, the kids take about 30 minutes learning the “trade” of that particular occupation. They are given brief instructions for their “task”, they get to dress up like the real thing, go in “real” trucks/vans and then get “paid” for the work they did. How cool is that!??
Brandon was a fireman and got dress up like one. He and his “crew” hopped into their fire truck to get to the fire. They arrived at a corner building with a simulated fire behind the glass panes of the windows. Each of the kids got behind a hose and sprayed water at the building to put the fire out! When the fire “went out”, they were done. They all hopped back into the fire truck and went back to the station. As they left, they got paid for the job they did.
Another example would be…
Brandon got to be a security guard. He dressed in the bullet proof gear, and helmet. He learned a few kicking and punching tricks into a soft mat that the employee held. They all grabbed the “gear” and hopped into their security van and then delivered the case of money to the bank safely!
So on and so on, we went from one occupation to another, earning money. The money is the equivalent to Chinese “Disney dollars”. It’s fake, but with realistic numbers and coloring. It was so much fun! Brandon learned a lot about many different kinds of jobs! E-Day Town also has occupations that kids are naturally drawn to, such as, race car driver, cake maker, ice cream maker and others. For these particular occupations, you had to pay a “training fee” to learn the trade (since they are a lot more fun). At the end of their “training”, they get to eat the goodies they made (cake, chocolate, ice cream, etc) and actually drive a smaller version of a F-1 race car around the track a couple of times. It was fantastic!! The really cool thing was that they still learned how to make the food they ate or drive the car. So, the entire experience is set up for the kids to learn at every turn. The employees even encourage the kids to count out the money to them for the training fees. Isn’t that great?? Once Brandon ran out of money, he learned that he had to earn more, by doing another job (or two).
Brandon really liked being a fireman and putting out the fire. He LOVED spending his money on cake making and ice cream. He also enjoyed driving the car. As an archeologist, he found some “ancient” artifacts in the sand…and seemed quite proud of himself. ;-) Mommy’s favorite part was when he learned the trade of babysitting…he actually had to diaper and feed a baby. It was sooooooo precious! He was incredibly gentle with the baby as he held it and walked around the room with it. Ahhhhh…mommy’s heart swelled at the sight. He’s going to be such a good daddy some day. He is already a fantastic big brother!
So, all in all, it was a FANTASTIC day and experience! What a great idea! We’ll definitely be going back!
This entire place is set up to teach kids how to make and spend money. There is an entrance fee for kids and a smaller one for adults. Once inside, you are transported to a village-like setting with almost every occupation imaginable. The kids can learn to be pilots on an airliner, a fireman, work for the electric company, be an archaeologist, policeman, security guard, shop worker, hotel staff, chef, race car driver, actor/actress, interior designer, TV anchor person, music instrument maker, optomologist, doctor, babysitter…the list goes on and on! At each shop or venue inside this place, the kids take about 30 minutes learning the “trade” of that particular occupation. They are given brief instructions for their “task”, they get to dress up like the real thing, go in “real” trucks/vans and then get “paid” for the work they did. How cool is that!??
Brandon was a fireman and got dress up like one. He and his “crew” hopped into their fire truck to get to the fire. They arrived at a corner building with a simulated fire behind the glass panes of the windows. Each of the kids got behind a hose and sprayed water at the building to put the fire out! When the fire “went out”, they were done. They all hopped back into the fire truck and went back to the station. As they left, they got paid for the job they did.
Another example would be…
Brandon got to be a security guard. He dressed in the bullet proof gear, and helmet. He learned a few kicking and punching tricks into a soft mat that the employee held. They all grabbed the “gear” and hopped into their security van and then delivered the case of money to the bank safely!
So on and so on, we went from one occupation to another, earning money. The money is the equivalent to Chinese “Disney dollars”. It’s fake, but with realistic numbers and coloring. It was so much fun! Brandon learned a lot about many different kinds of jobs! E-Day Town also has occupations that kids are naturally drawn to, such as, race car driver, cake maker, ice cream maker and others. For these particular occupations, you had to pay a “training fee” to learn the trade (since they are a lot more fun). At the end of their “training”, they get to eat the goodies they made (cake, chocolate, ice cream, etc) and actually drive a smaller version of a F-1 race car around the track a couple of times. It was fantastic!! The really cool thing was that they still learned how to make the food they ate or drive the car. So, the entire experience is set up for the kids to learn at every turn. The employees even encourage the kids to count out the money to them for the training fees. Isn’t that great?? Once Brandon ran out of money, he learned that he had to earn more, by doing another job (or two).
Brandon really liked being a fireman and putting out the fire. He LOVED spending his money on cake making and ice cream. He also enjoyed driving the car. As an archeologist, he found some “ancient” artifacts in the sand…and seemed quite proud of himself. ;-) Mommy’s favorite part was when he learned the trade of babysitting…he actually had to diaper and feed a baby. It was sooooooo precious! He was incredibly gentle with the baby as he held it and walked around the room with it. Ahhhhh…mommy’s heart swelled at the sight. He’s going to be such a good daddy some day. He is already a fantastic big brother!
So, all in all, it was a FANTASTIC day and experience! What a great idea! We’ll definitely be going back!
Blogger Blocked!!
For those of you who don’t know, the Chinese government had decided to block all blogging websites, much to the frustration of many bloggers here in China. I finally found out that it had something to do with an Anniversary of the Tiananmen uprising several years ago. About this time each year, they try to prevent or deter any emotional outbursts, I guess.
There has been a lot of activity over here. We had a visitor, a close family friend, who came to stay a week in Shanghai. It was WONDERFUL to see a familiar face! She got to divide her time between us and some of her other friends, so I think she had a good visit. During her visit with us, we spent the day together, buying some fake bags and other merchandise, going out for Japanese curry and ending our day at the Shanghai Acrobatic Show. That was fun! The boys couldn’t take their eyes off the show, the entire time! It was good fun for everyone. I got to spend some more time with her, shopping the pearl market, the day before she left. We had lots of fun and it was sure good to see her.
Well, it finally happened. We ran head on into a bus. As crazy as the traffic is here, both Allen and I are surprised it doesn’t happen more often. It turns out the bus had just hit a car in front of it and was rolling down an overpass hill, backwards, from the recoil. Our driver had just changed lanes and it wasn’t until we were just about on the bus, when he realized it was rolling backwards. SLAM! Luckily, I had braced myself for the impact and THANK GOODNESS the kids were in the back, strapped securely into their seats!! Many…and I’m talking, MANY expats, get over here and get very relaxed about putting their kids in their car seats. There are no car seat laws over here and the traffic moves relatively slowly because of the immense traffic. So, expats get lazy and either let their children move around the car or they hold them on their laps. But, let me tell you, even though we were only going between 20-30 mph…if the kids had been unrestrained…they would have flown through the car on impact due to them being so lightweight. When we actually hit, the force surprised even me. Don’t worry, we are all ok, including the driver. The sad thing is…when I told a very good friend of mine (expat) over here what had happened and stressed to her that my kids being secured in their car seats is what truly saved them from serious bodily harm…she completely ignored the warning and continues to let her kids wander about her car while travelling. Sad…
Brandon finished his T-ball season. Both boys are eager to start again in the fall. Brandon will be able to choose his sport and Ryan will be able to play soccer! Fun! Both boys are also eager to see their family in Hawaii this summer. I’m planning Ryan’s 3rd birthday with his friends over here…he has quite a few of them. We will be renting a water slide for the backyard and having some fun in the sun. Ryan likes to call his big brother “Ben 10” instead of Brandon because it’s easier…it’s totally cute. He’s turning three and growing so fast. His speech and overall mannerisms are that of a little boy now, instead of a toddler.
Allen is still working hard. He, as well as many other expats we know, continue to realize just how difficult this assignment has turned out to be for them. Allen and his expat colleagues continue to battle the everyday challenges of both work and home life over here. If it’s not one, it’s the other. So, I can say without a doubt, how much Allen is looking forward to a little R & R in Hawaii.
I’m continuing to explore my newly discovered creative talents. However, with the warmer weather and us getting incrementally busier, I have been drained of energy as of late. My “projects” have not been getting the attention they deserve. However, it’s still something I find I love to do…so I have no doubt that I will continue them as soon as I’m able.
Recently, I have found a few people on FB from my past. It has been good to reconnect with them and catch up on all they have been doing since I last saw them. I’m looking forward to being in a better time zone in Hawaii this summer, so that I can make more effort to reconnect with my CA, UT and AZ friends as well. A close friend of mine will be visiting us in Hawaii in July. I’m very excited about it! It will be good to see her and her girls. Brandon and her oldest daughter used to be very close once upon a time in Tucson…so I hope the kids will be able to reconnect this time as well. It will be good that we will ALL have a playmate in Hawaii for a short time. ;-) My kids and hers are exactly the same ages. We may also get one more visitor in Hawaii…but as of now, she’s still “undecided.”
There has been a lot of activity over here. We had a visitor, a close family friend, who came to stay a week in Shanghai. It was WONDERFUL to see a familiar face! She got to divide her time between us and some of her other friends, so I think she had a good visit. During her visit with us, we spent the day together, buying some fake bags and other merchandise, going out for Japanese curry and ending our day at the Shanghai Acrobatic Show. That was fun! The boys couldn’t take their eyes off the show, the entire time! It was good fun for everyone. I got to spend some more time with her, shopping the pearl market, the day before she left. We had lots of fun and it was sure good to see her.
Well, it finally happened. We ran head on into a bus. As crazy as the traffic is here, both Allen and I are surprised it doesn’t happen more often. It turns out the bus had just hit a car in front of it and was rolling down an overpass hill, backwards, from the recoil. Our driver had just changed lanes and it wasn’t until we were just about on the bus, when he realized it was rolling backwards. SLAM! Luckily, I had braced myself for the impact and THANK GOODNESS the kids were in the back, strapped securely into their seats!! Many…and I’m talking, MANY expats, get over here and get very relaxed about putting their kids in their car seats. There are no car seat laws over here and the traffic moves relatively slowly because of the immense traffic. So, expats get lazy and either let their children move around the car or they hold them on their laps. But, let me tell you, even though we were only going between 20-30 mph…if the kids had been unrestrained…they would have flown through the car on impact due to them being so lightweight. When we actually hit, the force surprised even me. Don’t worry, we are all ok, including the driver. The sad thing is…when I told a very good friend of mine (expat) over here what had happened and stressed to her that my kids being secured in their car seats is what truly saved them from serious bodily harm…she completely ignored the warning and continues to let her kids wander about her car while travelling. Sad…
Brandon finished his T-ball season. Both boys are eager to start again in the fall. Brandon will be able to choose his sport and Ryan will be able to play soccer! Fun! Both boys are also eager to see their family in Hawaii this summer. I’m planning Ryan’s 3rd birthday with his friends over here…he has quite a few of them. We will be renting a water slide for the backyard and having some fun in the sun. Ryan likes to call his big brother “Ben 10” instead of Brandon because it’s easier…it’s totally cute. He’s turning three and growing so fast. His speech and overall mannerisms are that of a little boy now, instead of a toddler.
Allen is still working hard. He, as well as many other expats we know, continue to realize just how difficult this assignment has turned out to be for them. Allen and his expat colleagues continue to battle the everyday challenges of both work and home life over here. If it’s not one, it’s the other. So, I can say without a doubt, how much Allen is looking forward to a little R & R in Hawaii.
I’m continuing to explore my newly discovered creative talents. However, with the warmer weather and us getting incrementally busier, I have been drained of energy as of late. My “projects” have not been getting the attention they deserve. However, it’s still something I find I love to do…so I have no doubt that I will continue them as soon as I’m able.
Recently, I have found a few people on FB from my past. It has been good to reconnect with them and catch up on all they have been doing since I last saw them. I’m looking forward to being in a better time zone in Hawaii this summer, so that I can make more effort to reconnect with my CA, UT and AZ friends as well. A close friend of mine will be visiting us in Hawaii in July. I’m very excited about it! It will be good to see her and her girls. Brandon and her oldest daughter used to be very close once upon a time in Tucson…so I hope the kids will be able to reconnect this time as well. It will be good that we will ALL have a playmate in Hawaii for a short time. ;-) My kids and hers are exactly the same ages. We may also get one more visitor in Hawaii…but as of now, she’s still “undecided.”
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Outlook
I recently had a discussion with my sister about us eventually having to leave Shanghai. She once mentioned to me, several months before, that by the time we leave, there will be many things I might miss about living here. And several months ago, I had told her she was right...I would miss Coffee Bean (since they STILL don't have one back in our home town). She had wisely let the subject drop at the time. Obviously, I had been in a bitter head space at the time and the ONLY thing I could see me missing was a Coffee Bean...which I still admit that I will miss - greatly.
However, IN ADDITION to Coffee Bean, I am now able to recognize SEVERAL things I will miss when we leave. Having turned a new leaf at our six month mark, I have been actively trying to state the positive things about living here, in my blogs. And interestingly enough, since doing so, I have lost some readers. Human nature, I guess...go figure!
So, having had this recent discussion again with my sister, I can guarantee you that YES, the benefits of moving here have finally exceeded the negatives. While those "negatives" still exist and never completely go away, being able to recognize the positives is half the battle to benefiting from them. And, let me tell you, we all have to ACTIVELY participate in recognizing and acknowledging those positives, all the time. It's not a natural and often times...EASY thing to do while living here.
If I had to leave tomorrow, I would walk away happy that we did something like this. I couldn't have said that a few months ago. Life is going well right now. I'm looking forward to this next year in Shanghai, for many different reasons. ONE, the excitement of 'going home' or at least making the decision to, gets closer and closer. TWO, I have much more ability to sit back, relax, look around, and have some fun. THREE, I'm looking forward to meeting and developing new and different friendships as well as developing the ones I already have. FOUR, being more relaxed, opens up SO many more doors and I'm interested to see which ones I walk through. And that is just to name a few...
SINCE being here, I have already developed parts of me I never knew existed. I'm nurturing some new found talents and I'm excited to see where they lead me. I'm growing leaps and bounds as a person and gaining insight and depth to SO much more than I ever imagined possible. I've said this before, but I absolutely LOVE meeting and talking with so many international women, and especially moms. I've learned some Chinese...not a lot...but some, and THAT is pretty incredible - for me. And that is just to name a few...
This year, I hope to shop a little and pick up some fabulous items found here in China, some that are unique to China and others, not so much. I'm looking forward to stocking up on some luxurious Chinese silk, pearls, scarves and other "girly" stuff. These are the kinds of things I'm sure I'll miss when I go back. I love that all this kind of stuff is available here - and cheap. When I return home, I'll miss the 'availability' to this type of product. We might look around for a couple of interesting pieces of furniture...or not. They have very interesting stuff here, but a little pricey. So, who knows!
The point is that, this year, I will be living here with eyes wide open, with the ability to see so much more than before. I like that feeling...
However, IN ADDITION to Coffee Bean, I am now able to recognize SEVERAL things I will miss when we leave. Having turned a new leaf at our six month mark, I have been actively trying to state the positive things about living here, in my blogs. And interestingly enough, since doing so, I have lost some readers. Human nature, I guess...go figure!
So, having had this recent discussion again with my sister, I can guarantee you that YES, the benefits of moving here have finally exceeded the negatives. While those "negatives" still exist and never completely go away, being able to recognize the positives is half the battle to benefiting from them. And, let me tell you, we all have to ACTIVELY participate in recognizing and acknowledging those positives, all the time. It's not a natural and often times...EASY thing to do while living here.
If I had to leave tomorrow, I would walk away happy that we did something like this. I couldn't have said that a few months ago. Life is going well right now. I'm looking forward to this next year in Shanghai, for many different reasons. ONE, the excitement of 'going home' or at least making the decision to, gets closer and closer. TWO, I have much more ability to sit back, relax, look around, and have some fun. THREE, I'm looking forward to meeting and developing new and different friendships as well as developing the ones I already have. FOUR, being more relaxed, opens up SO many more doors and I'm interested to see which ones I walk through. And that is just to name a few...
SINCE being here, I have already developed parts of me I never knew existed. I'm nurturing some new found talents and I'm excited to see where they lead me. I'm growing leaps and bounds as a person and gaining insight and depth to SO much more than I ever imagined possible. I've said this before, but I absolutely LOVE meeting and talking with so many international women, and especially moms. I've learned some Chinese...not a lot...but some, and THAT is pretty incredible - for me. And that is just to name a few...
This year, I hope to shop a little and pick up some fabulous items found here in China, some that are unique to China and others, not so much. I'm looking forward to stocking up on some luxurious Chinese silk, pearls, scarves and other "girly" stuff. These are the kinds of things I'm sure I'll miss when I go back. I love that all this kind of stuff is available here - and cheap. When I return home, I'll miss the 'availability' to this type of product. We might look around for a couple of interesting pieces of furniture...or not. They have very interesting stuff here, but a little pricey. So, who knows!
The point is that, this year, I will be living here with eyes wide open, with the ability to see so much more than before. I like that feeling...
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