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Katie's China adventure

Last day

Friday, August 14, 2009

Not enough. This trip was not long enough to let me cope with the fact that I'm leaving these people I now consider my family behind, or the fact that I'm not going to be seeing everyone in school when it feels like they've been childhood friends all my life. Its not fair!!! I don't want to leave!!! I love this country soooooo much, its already ingrained into my skin, and I swear I'm leaving my heart in China. It feels like we've literally been here for months, like we belong here now, our disfunctional family has made its mark here permanently, and I don't want to leave any of it behind. But what I most love about this experience is the fact that China was the first country I visited outside the US. -and I wouldn't have had it any other way, I would never change that, and I can assure you I'm coming back to this mesmorizing, astounding, breath-taking, surreal yet familiar beauty of a land. Who could want more? Two weeks here was more like two months, days went by like weeks, and it says something when nobody can remeber what day it was. - like me who guessed that it was thrusday when it was actually sunday. -yea wayyyy off. Haha but that's what I absolutely love and adore about this place, time moved slowly. It had to, there is no other way around it when a country is so full of culture and diversity that it practically hangs in the air and sinks into your pours the very first day you arrive. I want to marry this country :) it would make it easier for me to cope leaving it. Leaving a new family, new life long friends who know all the inside jokes on Riley, Shuan, Smiley, Johnny-Baby, and on and on. It scary how close we got to all of them, our guides, the staff-Jimbo, Cory, Steph- and how extremely and unbreakably close us students became with each other. There will be tears in the morning, we all can tell. The duck dinner is easily by far one of the best meals I have ever had. Not just because th duck was amazing, the scorpion nice and crispe, but because the company was some of the best anyone could get. I love these guys and will never let this trip go. Reuion BABY!!

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2 comments:

RJ Stangherlin said...

Your honesty and emotions touch me. "Not enough...leaving my family...in my skin...leaving my heart in China." Eloquent and says it all, doesn't it. Future travel is so hard when your first foray is so uncountably fantastic. I'm betting on your staying in touch with all your friends, and it would be a sucker bet not to think you will return to China. Remember your memories, hold on to this trip, and do have a reunion--and that would be where...

Hard for me to leave your posts; feel I have come to know you just a bit and will miss the conversations.

RJ Stangherlin
PA DEN LC Blog Coordinator

Karen Wells said...

How poignant your first two words were. It's how I still feel about Souh Africa. I will warn you (although I already expect you know) that it will be difficult for others back home to truly grasp what a life-changing experience you have had. You were a part of something much bigger than yourself, yet you were such an integral part of it. I think this is perhaps your most eloquent post. I love your description, "a country so full of culture and diversity that it practically hangs in the air and sinks into your pours the very first day you arrive." Sounds like the perfect description of your trip. Thanks for sharing. Karen Wells DSA South Africa

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Essential Programs Details

Duration 15 days
When August 4th - 18th, 2009
Focus History/Culture
Martial Arts
Modern/Ancient Architecture