What the Hell! How can it be that I am having one of the best summers of my life. I mean when it rains it pours as they say! I have had to condense my summer in a month's time rather than a normal three month summer. I have been having one great time after another in my small city. I am meeting so many new people and enjoying all of the summer festivals and festivities that come this way. Time is moving so quckly that I am sad to see that my good times in this town are coming to an abrupt halt. Having to say good-bye to family and friends is always tough. My niece told me she would cry again when I leave. She said, why can't you get a job around here?" Aww, it really breaks my heart. I guess I do have to live my life though. Luckily she is getting older and I'm hoping it is a bit easier on her this time around.
On another note, I have heard that my visa papers from China have been sent to my agent and should be arriving in the next few days. I had to send all of my papers to the school board including my passport, original medical, two forms, and two passport photos. Once they send it to the company that deals with the embassy, I should be getting it back in the mail in a little over a week hopefully. All of this visa stuff is coming down to the last minute and I am getting a little anxious. I still haven't gotten my e-ticket to fly yet, but that should be coming in a week as well. It'd be nice to know exactly what day I'm leaving, but it should be soon.
I left my part-time job this past week, and although I'll miss some of the people, I won't really miss the monotonous work. I really miss teaching. I really miss travelling and seeing new things every day. My stomach seems to be in knots lately. I haven't been sleeping the greatest and only falling asleep around 5am. I believe I just have so much on my mind. These next few weeks will be the busiest yet. I still have to get my health insurance and exchange my currency to RMB. I also have to install a VPN, so I can get on facebook and google. I have at least one suitcase pretty much packed and the other one is half packed.
This past week I brought stuff to both of my parents place. It felt like deja vu because I have done this once before. I lived in my hometown for two years a few years ago and then left again. This time around its been for one year, but I still have accumulated enough stuff. I really don't want to be doing this whole routine again of coming back and then leaving. If I'm going to stay abroad more than a year, then I should do it that way. It is very difficult to come back and leave again, yet on the other hand, it is like I am living two lives - an Asian life and a Western life. Craziness I tell ya! Welcome to my world where the action never stops.
My father today as I'm putting boxes in my basement makes the comment that I can put the stuff in the empty spots where my boxes were last time.. haha! I may be getting too old for this, but you only live once. Thankfully, I've never had any serious assets I had to worry about. That is why I never bought anything new, because there was always a chance I'd go abroad again. The money I make, I usually spend it on travelling and not on new expensive material possessions or on my kids like other people.
I have to do an online course for the IB curriculum that I will be teaching starting next week. The course is paid for by the school and it will be for a month, but I will only be doing the course for about a week before I have to leave. I already told the director I'd have to finish it in China somehow. Not too much I can do about it. I'll have to really get my brain back into the work/teaching mode which I've been out of for a year. I know it'll be a very tough month settling into the routine in Beijing. That's what being adaptable and flexible is about.
I need to think and stay positive. When there is a will there is a way. Life is short so make it count is what I once said in another post. :)
I'll go back to my deep thoughts that I used to post on some of my other threads.
Deep Thought of the day: Is it really better to burn out then to fade away? I've been listening to a lot of Neil Young lately. 'Hey' Hey,' My My' (Into the Black). Great song by the way!
