家 Jiā Home

I spent my weekend in Shanghai and Suzhou, and returned home Sunday evening after hours of traveling.

In that moment I realized that I was calling my apartment in Wuxi my home, and it really feels that way. Miles from my family and from my life-long friends, I'm somewhat alone here, and living in an apartment alone with no roommates for the first time in my life. And it feels so good. Not that I want to be alone forever or live here in China forever - just the realization that I can live anywhere and feel at peace and feel at home is so good to me.

And my students are wonderful. Most of the time :) On Friday, in my very last college class for the week, one of the students came up to me afterwards and said, "I like you so much! I saw you on campus this week and thought that you might be my teacher, and I am so glad you are my teacher! I like you teacher!" AHWW WOW!! Talk about good feels.

Getting here was so challenging, I wondered if I was doing the right thing. And this feeling of home and of love and of the Spirit here in China confirms to me that I'm in a precious place for this time in my life for a reason.