Random musings from a jet lagged brain
I’m back in China.
It’s 3:30 in the afternoon. My body thinks it’s 3:30 in the morning. I’m at a coffee shop getting a much needed dose of caffeine in hopes of sticking by my No Napping During Jet Lag Rule. If this rule is followed, a much faster adjustment period is guaranteed.
My bags coming to China weighed 48.5 and 49.5 pounds. If there’s one thing 5 years in Asia has taught me, it’s how to pack a suitcase. Although that extra two pounds could have meant another can or two of parmesan cheese.
Traveling for 30 hours does weird things to your brain. Two times after arriving yesterday, my teammate Kami and I got off on the wrong floor from the elevator. Both times it took us a substantial amount of time to realize our mistake. And then another time we ended up on the first floor because we forgot to press the button for our own floor. Warning: do not operate heavy machinery while under the influence of jet lag.
This now begins year six in China. Year six. That’s just downright strange and surreal. And a bit hard to believe.
I’m stuck in Beijing for meetings until tomorrow night. Then I get to go home. I’m very ready to be home. We roll into town on the train at about 5 AM. Then I get to set up my whole house again–all of my belongings are packed away in my office during the summer so the school can rent out the apartments.
It’s weird to be in Beijing without some of the team. The Wus and Sonny are in the States for the first semester. The Wu family will be expanded by one by the time they get back. In addition, the Clements are currently in Guangzhou, where they met their daughter for the first time a few days ago. They’ll be back up with us in a couple weeks. Our rather large team feels rather small right now.
My last day in the states, my mom and I headed out on one of her friend’s boats. Jesse, the new dog in the family, went with us. We weren’t sure how he’d react to his first trip on the water. Something tells me he liked it.
Off to work on a few syllabi while caffeine courses through my veins.
Question for you once your jet lagged brain disappears: How did you come by this job and how much Chinese did you have to know? This is VERY interesting to me. Thanks!