Alone.

I got back to Qingdao yesterday afternoon and ran around the train station for about 45 minutes trying to find my bus after which it took me about one and a half hours to get back to good ol' Qingdao Hotel Management College.  This was only to come back to a frigid apartment because the heat has been turned off on campus because school is out.  So I've basically holed myself up in my bedroom with the door closed, AC/heater and little space heater blasting.

About 31 hours left of this...

It's weird being back here thinking that there is no one on campus besides myself and a few security guards.  All my students are back at their respective homes, enjoying yummy food, hanging out with their friends, and sleeping in their own beds.  Do you remember the first break after coming to college?  It was such a blast meeting up with everyone from high school and comparing notes about our new lives.  It's also strange thinking that Jenna doesn't live upstairs anymore and that I don't know who I'm going to go eat dinner with every night across the street.  I'll just have to see what the new semester brings me, student and coworker-wise.  


Getting my fill of China

I'm probably going to miss being here during the month I will be in America and Ireland.  No, I definitely am going to miss being here.  Yesterday I pretty much set my bags down and immediately went to the grocery store to get food (post-vacation empty fridge, we've all been there) and walked around the aisles thinking about all the snacks and foods that I'd miss and want to share with others when I was back in the States.

Today I ran more errands, including picking up my new qipao (!!), and was wondering about the whole readjustment thing because I am so accustomed to life here right now.  I'm used to getting shoved in and out of buses and being in a constant crowd of people.  America is going to be a weird place to go back to.

And here is the list that will change and grow throughout the next few days and weeks...


Things I will miss:
- street food

- mantou and rice

 

- random music playing on the street corners

- being able to ignore absolutely everything 

- talking about people and them not being able to understand you 

- rice snacks, milk candy, alpenliebe chocolates, hi-chew candies

- everything being so cheap 

- hot soy milk 

Things I am excited for:

- family and boyfriend! 

- Facebook 

- cheese and a real milkshake

- my full wardrobe

- TV

- real sized dogs

- a haircut 

- uncensored internet

It's weird packing right now and trying to figure out what to bring back/ wear in America and what to leave here.  Needless to say, I haven't packed much yet.  I have a growing pile of stuff on the floor and some of my clothes are drying in the next room.  

Oh, and I think Flickr is blocked again in China but I will upload photos from my January Adventure when I get to the US!

 

My new qipao that I will wear to Matt's 100th night banquet at West Point!