Epilogue

I've officially been home from China for as long as I was there-- WOW!! That is truly hard to believe!!

I have a many thoughts on the subject.

Like how expensive everything is at home. I have bought one pair of shoes since I've been home. They cost $7. I bought a skirt. It was $5. That's basically the extent of my shopping.

I have cravings for Chinese food that just cannot be satisfied with American-Chinese food.

I freak out whenever I see anyone Asian-looking, and I fairly regularly meet people from awesome places like Mongolia, Tibet, Korea, and of course China as a result of not being able to contain my excitement at seeing them.

I will take dry air over humidity any darn day!! My hair is so obedient in Utah, it's almost silly looking back at my humid Zhongshan hair.

There is usually something Chinese about my outfits.

There are too many obese people in this country, I'm pretty sure. Sorry if it sounds shallow and rude but if you had spent 4 months in a country full of size -2's, where the only extra weight men carried was a modest beer-belly, you'd feel the same! But it's not really Americans' fault, it's just our culture!! In fact I completely blame it on our lifestyle. Not that China is perfect, it is just WAY weird to have seen the stark contrast.

All of my Spanish has been replaced by Chinese. There are Mexicans that work in the kitchen at Zupas and I nearly said 'thank you' in Chinese to one of them once, but managed to catch myself before, and having to think for a solid minute how to say the phrase in Spanish. Gracias. Xie xie has just been engrained into my brain!

This country smells amazing!

(Blogger autosaves???? Uh, since when??? That would have been SO nice in China!! Maybe it's not a feature of Blogger via Vtunnel.)

I really despise the question, "How was China??" when I see people randomly and probably have less than a minute to talk. Uh. Are you sure you would like to drink from that fire hose?? Cuz that's what it sounds like! I can't sum up 4 amazing months in a foreign country full of teaching, travel, growth, fun, trials, and crazy adventure in one or 2 sentences...why do you insist on asking me to do it?? (I'm totally guilty of doing this to people, too, and now I know to be more in depth than, "How was your mission?" because I know how it feels to be expected to answer that!) It really took me awhile to formulate a response, which usually included several of these details: great, awesome, so good, amazing, I loved it, it was smelly, the people are crazy, and (the further I get away from it, the more this one is true) I miss it.

I love my family more than I ever have in my life. If you want to gain a better appreciation for your parents and siblings, travel to the other side of the world and miss them from China and back and that should do it!! I love my family, and I love them all together, in all its crowded chaos!! I didn't know much I could appreciate them until after I went away, like, REALLY away! It does weird things to you when you know that you can't just hop on a plane and head home any time soon.

I eat pretty much anything. And honestly enjoy most of it very much!! I still don't choose tomatoes and onions, though, for crunch and taste reasons. But if I needed to I would!

I keep trying to remember what I did to celebrate Easter, and eventually remember I was playing on the beach in China...it feels like it never happened!

The US postal service is the greatest thing on the planet! I curse it sometimes but I promise I love it. I can get a hand-written letter from Justin in as little as 4 DAYS!! THAT is a miracle! Especially compared to waiting a whole month while I was in China.

I was not the same person walking onto BYU campus at the beginning of this semester as I was when I left last Fall. I could feel that going to my first class, having all of these awesome experiences stored in my head that had meant so much to me, it was so weird! I felt unique and a little displaced. Now I feel normal ;)

We have so much open space.

I hope I never lose this appreciation for three full hours of church and the strength that comes with worshipping with a full congregation of saints.

Sometimes normalness wears on me. On dumb days I get anxious and consider calling up ILP, telling them I'll head teach and be off to China next semester. I don't do it, but just knowing I could gives me a certain pleasure.

In China I realized I have an awful short term memory. This self-realization has been really liberating in real life, especially as a student and working at a restaurant where we are required to have the whole menu practically memorized!!

But being home is awesome :) I'm happy in this season of life, just like I was in the China one. I love home :)

Here's a recap of what it's been like!

Less than a week after I got home was INDEPENDENCE DAY! I've never felt more patriotic or grateful for this country!! And we celebrated the best way I know how...

With a demolition derby :)

America is so great!

Had my eyes dilated for the first time. And didn't care for it.

Started throwing up one night, went to the ER, got poked to start an IV which resulted in a nasty bruise I had for weeks. No I am not a druggie...

Left my teens forever! Quite stubbornly, actually. The blow was softened by beautiful flowers from Elder Graf. That boy is the best!!!

...and at midnight of my birthday I joyously celebrated Justin's one year mark!! One to go!!

Went to Lagoon for the first time in years

Road-tripped out to Oklahoma in August to visit these cute kids!

It was especially good to see this big kid!! We hadn't seen Talmage since New Years, he's 9 months old in this picture! They grow so fast, I couldn't believe the change!

We did various Oklahoman things--played at a splash pad, caught lightning bugs, ate too much of the best ice cream I've EVER had, celebrated Laura's birthday, had dance parties, played Ticket to Ride and just enjoyed eachother's company! So good to call this cute little house home for a week...

I love the Roberts!!!

And I was just coming down off my travel-to-awesome-new-places high so the whole trip was fun for that reason as well. It at least made the driving more bearable ;)

On a fun afternoon adventure touring around Tulsa. That's Ben's school behind me!

We went to watch a hot air balloon and Isaac and I were getting pretty bored of sitting in crummy traffic. I love Isaac's logic of "we're going to Lagoon..." Um...no... sorry bud! He was obviously a little confused.

I visited three new states this trip!!

Oklahoma, of course

Texas--only the skinny part while we were passing through but I don't care, I'm counting it!

and New Mexico! (I only took a picture on my camera with Consuelo in it...don't judge ;) Just be jealous, this little guy is a world traveller!)

And felt like Mater, getting our kicks on Route 66! Okay I'm such a sucker for stuff like this!

Then school started in September and put a big damper on things. Haha okay that's not even true, I have actually loved this semester. My planner is my best friend and I like it that way!

It has been wonderful to be busy busy busy,

living here...

driving this...

and working here...

and trying to make it all fit! I've been pretty successful so far balancing my time and everything. It's nice :) Generally uneventful, but that's life I guess.

But we've already had a China reunion! That's how long it's been!

Chinese food and ice cream times, just like the good ol' days! Love these girls :)

So many amazing memories, and when we all get together it feels like we never left!

(Except we have better clothes, cell phones, cooperative hair, and everyone around us can understand our conversations. Those are the only differences.)

Besides the regular hum-drum of school, I have really loved what October brought: fall leaves, cooler temps and Halloween!!!

I celebrated the latter in the best way I know how-- running and costumes!

(Shh..yes I took this from the official race photographer's website...they did a great job, right?)

I started training in for the Halloween Half in August as a means of not dying of boredom and also because I set a goal a while ago to do one before Justin came home and it was awesome, it all paid off last Saturday!! Thanks to Jenny for keeping me motivated before and during the race-- I finished in 1:57:41 because I stayed with her!!

Here's to much more running in the future :)

Right at the finish--China peace signs :D What a great feeling!

And of course, dressing up with Amanda!

At Amanda's murder mystery party. Twenties themed, we were sure scandalous beauties ;)

And Zombie Barbies on Halloween Eve. Too much fun!!

And that brings us today! Almost exactly the amount of time that I was in China.

Can you believe it??

I can't! These 4 months compared to China are about as different as it can get!! I have plans to go back someday (hopefully sooner than later!) and I love love LOVE what I learned there, the experiences I had and the memories that already feel like dreams. Life is great in whatever season, wherever you are, so I'm just going to keep living it up!

(And in case you missed this video when I was coming home, here it is again. I think it's really fantastic, but I made it so you can make your own judgments ;) It was fun to make as we were leaving and it's a great tribute now, I cry a little when I watch it! Oh Neil Diamond. Enjoy!!)

Here's to an amazing season of life!!!

我爱中国!

And I always will!

The end.