Last Days

You never stop having new experiences in China, even up to the last days. For example, yesterday morning the English department had a breakfast banquet for us. I had never been to a breakfast banquet before. It contained all the normal formalities – numerous toasts, ridiculous amounts of food – but there were some differences. The food was different obviously – different kinds of baozi (steamed bread filled with meat or vegetables), various types of doufu, some vegetables, some shrimp, green tea. Mostly it wasn’t too bad (I stayed away from the shrimp. I can’t handle seafood in the morning.), but it was definitely a full meal.

Today, I rode a double-decker bus for the first time. I had always wanted to do that, but there is only one double-decker in town and it doesn’t go where I normally need to. It was interesting, riding through town today and really realizing I would be leaving. So many things have become normal life that it gets hard to see them anymore. I started to get that sentimental “everything-is-great-because-I-am-leaving” feeling. I appreciated the way the taxi driver expertly swerved in and out of traffic, narrowly missing bicyclists and pedestrians meandering across the road. I smiled at the three rows of cars on a two lane road. I noticed the number of pedicab drivers, calf muscles straining as they pedaled through the heat. There are so many trees in Yangzhou and so many friendly looking people. I laughingly carried on bits and pieces of conversations with store owners who didn’t seemed too bothered by my inability to understand them. Perhaps that was because I was buying up half the items in their store to bring back as gifts. And you know, after days of storm and rain, the sun is even shining. I almost thought that the sky was blue, but I think that is more accurately called gray. Anyway, the sky is a brighter shade of gray than normal. The air was still unbearably thick by late afternoon, reminding me of India. I’ve never been to India, but that is what I imagine it to be like, except that in my mind the smell of spices replaces the heavy odors of sewage.

I weighed my last bag and it is 3kg under the limit, which is good, since that was before I bought up half of the store. My apartment is nearly empty. All that’s left is to finish cleaning. I leave tomorrow morning at 5am and will arrive in Chicago just before midnight on the same day, around 30 hours later with about 30 hours to recover from jet lag before starting classes. Hmm, it seems that I should end with some profound observation. Some words of wisdom or advice or insight. But…I’m leaving in 6 hours and that just isn’t top on the priority list. So in the words of Logan, “Tortilla!!!” That just about says it all.