It's both hard and easy to believe that two years have passed. On the one hand, I think, wow, two years already? On the other, I think back to when I arrived and I see how different I was.
Leaving a place is always bittersweet. I'm so excited to see my family and be back in the USA. I haven't loved China as much as I loved the DR. But on the other hand, Guangzhou has really grown on me and I feel like it took me longer to settle in here. So now that I'm settled and have made some good friends, it's time to leave. There's more regret this time.
I remember when I arrived, I was terrified to open my mouth and speak Chinese. Now, I manage the cab drivers with ease, but only as long as we stick to basic commands/conversation. Same with visa applicants. Give me a typical situation - "we're going to see our daughter in school in the US"- and I can adjudicate the heck out of that- fluently and efficiently. But anything unusual, and I'm back to day one...need an interpreter. Lately, applicants have been complimenting me on my Chinese, which is ridiculous, but gratifying- I've mastered the basic interview, and that, at least, feels good.
I'm conflicted about ever returning to China. The air pollution and the distance from home are the biggest factors for me. In addition, I'd have to take another year of Chinese and I would probably be quite behind since I have not done any reading since I got here. But as I leave here, I think that maybe I could have become pretty good at Chinese...and maybe it's not too late. The schools are excellent in China and so are the travel opportunities. We'll see.
I plan to blog about our recent trips, but for now, have to run to the fabric market one last time.
