I arrived in BeiJing at 10:45 last night- an hour earlier then it was suppose to take!
I had a minor crisis at DCA when my flight got delayed, then delayed again, then delayed AGAIN, then cancelled. Our plane was broken- something about a monitor. I could just feel the giant headache forming as I tried to scramble to think about how I would now make my connecting flight in Chicago. But luckily- I dashed to the desk, knocked a few people down- and demanded a flight. Actually I politely asked for a flight and our flight had been delayed so many times another flight set to leave for Chicago was sitting at the adjacent gate. To make life even better- they sat me next to NOBODY. So- I got to stretch out. And it was a brand new jet, very fancy schmancy inside.
I made it to Chicago: had a sub-par deep dish pizza, chatted with some newly returned disciples from Jerusalem, cried a little, and jumped on my jet. I watched 75% of Social Network, ate the first meal, and drifted off into dream land. I (incredibly!) slept for somewhere between 8-9 hours. That NEVER happens. I'm usually the person starring jealously at my neighbor as they snooze comfortably, and I try to psychically wake them up so I can go pee. I slept through one my meals even! But...we get three....so it really wasn't that much of a loss.
We arrived an hour early and I made my way through baggage claim and customs. I had anxiously practiced 'wo jia zi suzhojie dieti pong bien' ( live near the suzhojie subway station) over and over again- ready to tell my cabby. Then I got out there and was utterly overwhelmed. This guy was directing people to cabs and he started speaking to me in Chinese. I had some how not anticipated being asked a question- and I didn't understand one word other then the 'ma' at the end which told me it was a question. I got choked up and felt so disheartened. All the frustration of living in a country where you don't speak the language hit me in that moment. I wanted to cry. I wanted to jump back on the plane and fly home. I didn't even notice when he asked me in simple English, 'where you go.' It took me a few moments of just starring at him- before I said my phrase. And it worked. I repeated it to the cabbie and he drove me directly home.
It was a good reunion with Jieeeeeeeeerrrree! We caught up for about 2 hours and then finally we decided we may want to sleep. A little.
Our power went out this morning....because we haven't paid our bills.....so we need to get that fixed. But not before I got to blow dry my hair. Came to work- and sure enough I had a class at 10:30. An AE1 with 4 kids in it. It was fun- and luckily I've been doing RnR so long, I was a bit on autopilot. It's a bit of a blur.
One thing I HATE about jet-lag is that it messes with my short term memory. For example- today I reached in my laptop bag, pulled out my wallet, and then reached in my laptop bag for my wallet. I feel so hazy. I just ate one of my favorite lunches here- but it just didn't feel right. It didn't quench my hunger. It didn't sit right. But- so far so good. As long as I stay mostly occupied- I stay mostly conscious.
But I'm here safe, counting the days till I return to America. Sometimes you don't know how much you have until you move 7,000 miles away and then visit it again.
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