(yawn)
Yeah. I’m lazy.
I’ll own it.
Things have been good.
The best times are still when I think, I’m living in China, cool. The best part is I have these moments with nearly the same frequency that I did a year ago. Yeah, a year ago. I left California last year on the 28th of September and whatever expectations I had have been far exceeded. So much so that for those of you that don’t already know, (I have been so lazy I’ll be surprised if there are readers that aren’t amongst my closest of friends. If you aren’t consider yourself one.), I have decided to stay another year. Another year in China, another year in Santai. I weighed the pro’s/con’s and the options and decided that life is good. To quote The Hues Corporation, Don’t rock the boat, don’t rock the boat, baby.
I haven’t mentioned Emily here. I often refer to her as my xiao nu peng you, or little girlfriend. Emily is a precocious five year-old that lives near to my home. I visit her two or three times a week to play and teach her English. She is very clever and a delight to spend time with. I find that I most often catch myself laughing out loud when I am with her. She can now rapidly count past twenty and she knows more than eight colors including purple. Yeah, I’m proud of her. No doub’t, you’ll hear more about her.
October 12th, 2005 at 11:20 pm
Hi Jon,
My daughter Maggie sent me your site address. She’s 28 and spent 2000-2002 in Sichuan province in the Peace Corps. She taught English at a normal school in Yangshuan — now called Western Chongqing University. She spendt 6 months in Beijing at the Peking University Center for Women’s Law Services and Legal Aid. as an intern from 9/04-3/05 as an intern, part of her thesis project fro her M.A. from Bradeis University. Last February from 2/4-2/20, during Spring Festival when her office was closed, she and I toured China — my first trip there, and I hope not my last. I’m 70, a retired geology professor, and in good physical shape — that was really put to the test during our travels. We flew from Beijing to Guilin, spent one night there, took a boat down the Li River to Yangshuo, stayed there two nights, then flew from Guilin to Chengdu and stayed three nights with friends of Maggie’s in Leshan. We visited the Great Buddha and Mt. Emei — great time! We then traveled to Chengdu and spent two nights with the parents of Maggie’s Beijing roommate — went to a giant panda preserve, a wonderful museum, and had a great time visiting — Maggie is fluent in conversational Mandarin and so we were really able to communicate. Then we flew to Xi’an which we loved — stayed three nights and did so many things (Terra Cotta Soldiers, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Gret Mosque, etc.) that we stayed longer than planned. Then back to Beijing and the hutongs, the Great Wall, Forbidden City & Tienamen, etc. It was a mind-boggling trip — I fell in love with China!! I’m enjoying your blogs and look forward to reading more of them!!
Bob Cassie
October 14th, 2005 at 2:44 pm
“Hi Jon…”
It needs to be said that this is not Jon’s blog.
October 14th, 2005 at 3:54 pm
Hey Bob, thanks for your comments, and it sounds like you’ve seen more of the major sites in China than I have…
Me, Olen, Evan and Woody are all part of Olen’s ‘Drunkenass Network’, and put different spins on this sprawling, near incomprehensible place, often regarding the exact same event. The first 3 of us have all worked / are currently working in Sichuan, whereas Woody is doing the rainforest-destroying thing down in Hong Kong.
I’m currently in Xin Jiang province, and would thoroughly recommend you journey here, great scenery, value and an intriguing central asian culture dressed up in Chinese characters. I also hope Hong Kong will be a fascinating counterpoint, as I go in 2 days.
I’ve taken the ‘lazy blogger’ mantle from Olen now, as I havent posted for some time, travelling too rapidly to be bothered, but making notes and hope to write things up from the relative tranquility of the UK in a month or so’s time. But no doubt I’ll have the same itchy feet about coming back to China that you have….