After nearly 4 years living in China, Dave began working on China within a few weeks of his new job with the State Department. Since last May, he has been working in the Democracy, Human Rights and Labor section with a focus on China. He's enjoying the chance to focus on China more academically and politically, and certainly to think about their human rights issues. He's becoming an Old China Hand.
He finishes the job in less than a month - which may disqualify him from eligibility as an Old China Hand; I assume Old is more than 5 years. Anyway, he finishes this job in a few weeks, and will happily finish his work on a trip to China. Dave leave this Sunday for 2 weeks in the middle kingdom. He's busy preparing for the trip, and looking forward to his time there. He'll catch up with his coworkers, and have a very different work day than he did while we lived there.
I'll admit that I'm a little jealous. The girls are, too. We're not really wishing we could relive so many Chinese experiences - I remember well the bad customer service, crazy driving, and people spitting on the sidewalks. But we're all a bit reminiscent of our old lives. Going back to China feels like going home. I think that's why we're jealous.
Although, there are certainly things that I miss.
I miss the food. Chinese food is fabulous. The stuff they sell on the streets is cheap, flavorful, and often healthy. The stuff Wendy made was always amazing, so much healthier than what I cook, and so cheap - plus, I got to eat it with Wendy every day. The restaurants were yummy - both the local Chinese places, and the world-class Western places. The produce was big and fresh and cheap. Grocery delivery was free.
I miss the lifestyle. We lived in an urban city, and we really lived in the heart of it. We walked whenever we could, and we metro-ed the rest of the time. We did occasionally have a driver, but used him primarily for the school commute. We walked to the grocery store and the markets, to the park with the carnival rides on weekends, and to the many restaurants in our neighborhood.
I miss the housekeeping. Although I don't miss the cockroaches or the rats, the peeling paint or the dysfunctional heaters, the bad landlords and the squirrely agents, I do miss having a housekeeper. Never washing my own dishes or folding my own laundry bought me so much time. Someone wiping up daily meant that my bathroom mirror never got spitty and the floor never grew hair.
I miss the community. I belonged to an amazing group of women who met weekly for Bible study. Lilly went to an amazing preschool, with a small and lovely community surrounding it. Lilly and Sophia attended a fabulous elementary school, with warm teachers and involved parents. Wendy kept me company in our home every day, and we ate lunch together regularly.
I could go on, but I won't. We have lived in this house for a few weeks shy of one year. Its been a simple move and northern Virginia is lovely. How funny that now that I've settled in America, I feel homesick for China.
Once Dave's trip is over, he has a few days off and then he goes back to school. His schedule will change, and his hours should improve dramatically. We're looking forward to a summer of Daddy home for dinner every night and evenings walks before bedtime. And of leaving China behind for now, to draw our focus more keenly onto Venezuela.
He finishes the job in less than a month - which may disqualify him from eligibility as an Old China Hand; I assume Old is more than 5 years. Anyway, he finishes this job in a few weeks, and will happily finish his work on a trip to China. Dave leave this Sunday for 2 weeks in the middle kingdom. He's busy preparing for the trip, and looking forward to his time there. He'll catch up with his coworkers, and have a very different work day than he did while we lived there.
I'll admit that I'm a little jealous. The girls are, too. We're not really wishing we could relive so many Chinese experiences - I remember well the bad customer service, crazy driving, and people spitting on the sidewalks. But we're all a bit reminiscent of our old lives. Going back to China feels like going home. I think that's why we're jealous.
Although, there are certainly things that I miss.
I miss the food. Chinese food is fabulous. The stuff they sell on the streets is cheap, flavorful, and often healthy. The stuff Wendy made was always amazing, so much healthier than what I cook, and so cheap - plus, I got to eat it with Wendy every day. The restaurants were yummy - both the local Chinese places, and the world-class Western places. The produce was big and fresh and cheap. Grocery delivery was free.
I miss the lifestyle. We lived in an urban city, and we really lived in the heart of it. We walked whenever we could, and we metro-ed the rest of the time. We did occasionally have a driver, but used him primarily for the school commute. We walked to the grocery store and the markets, to the park with the carnival rides on weekends, and to the many restaurants in our neighborhood.
I miss the housekeeping. Although I don't miss the cockroaches or the rats, the peeling paint or the dysfunctional heaters, the bad landlords and the squirrely agents, I do miss having a housekeeper. Never washing my own dishes or folding my own laundry bought me so much time. Someone wiping up daily meant that my bathroom mirror never got spitty and the floor never grew hair.
I miss the community. I belonged to an amazing group of women who met weekly for Bible study. Lilly went to an amazing preschool, with a small and lovely community surrounding it. Lilly and Sophia attended a fabulous elementary school, with warm teachers and involved parents. Wendy kept me company in our home every day, and we ate lunch together regularly.
I could go on, but I won't. We have lived in this house for a few weeks shy of one year. Its been a simple move and northern Virginia is lovely. How funny that now that I've settled in America, I feel homesick for China.
Once Dave's trip is over, he has a few days off and then he goes back to school. His schedule will change, and his hours should improve dramatically. We're looking forward to a summer of Daddy home for dinner every night and evenings walks before bedtime. And of leaving China behind for now, to draw our focus more keenly onto Venezuela.
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