Arriving in China to a snow-filled greeting. It is lucky, they say. The streets of Dalian alive with excitement. The university still quiet, awaiting the pending rush that Monday morning will bring. This is my home now.
Crazy Taxis, Crowded Buses, Getting Lost.
Pork Dumplings, Chocolate Filled Crackers, Pineapple on a Stick.
Eating Squid, Jelly Fish, And What is That???
Smiling Faces, Giggly Girls, New Friends.
Pi Jiu (Beer), Pu Tao Jiu (Wine), Bai Jiu (Don’t Even Ask)
Yoga, Tai Qi, and Kung Fu!!!
Fun, Excitement…Adventure.
Caught up in the excitement of living in a new, big city. Purpose has fled. Reality ungraspable. But life does not wait. Classes begin tomorrow.
Back to the world of academia. Back to the life of text books, laptops, and coffee. Lectures, pop quizzes, and study guides. There’s something refreshing about being in the business of knowledge--something comforting about this fortress of theories and ideas. Its Safe. Pure. The university, though surrounded, still maintains a blessed disconnect from the real world, fighting off the impending evils of practicality and production.
Met my students today. Learning will ensue. For me. For them.
Cultural and language barriers loom ahead of me. Thought I might feel like a foreigner searching for a home. But I feel like I belong. People accept me. Not as one of them, but as one that belongs here. Smiles everywhere.
I miss my family. My friends. My baby’s sweet kiss. Glad I’m here. Just want to share the experience with those I love. Explore together. Learn together. Laugh together.
Visited an orphanage. Lost my heart. The kids stole it. They can have it. Ge Ge, they call me: big brother. See my babies again soon!
Its lucky, they say.
Must be true. Blessed Snow!
(2009)
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