Saturday, April 24, 2010

I'd forgotten

4 months and 3 days ago, I came home from an adventure of a lifetime....living in CHINA for 4 months. As I started to get ready to move back into an apartment, I bought a big picture frame and decided to collage some of my favorite pictures from the trip. However, life of course happened and I got busy and procrastinated it away. Being home today I decided that it was finally time to finish up this project. I was NOT planning on the flood of memories that came along with it.....

I'd forgotten how excited I was to get my acceptance and city assignment letter. I'd forgotten how for 4 months before I left it didn't even phase me that I was really going. I'd forgotten how my stomach DROPPPED coming off the freeway and seeing the planes taking off and suddenly thinking "What the hell am I doing?!". I'd forgotten how I almost cried saying bye to my family, but proud of myself that I didn't. I'd forgotten how scared we all were driving through a town with more poverty on one corner than we'd seen in all our lives. I'd forgotten what it was like to close my door that first night and feel more alone than I ever had before.

I'd forgotten what it was like when we got 30 minutes of internet access and how hard it was to get off. I'd forgotten how I teared up the first time we met Bobby because of how much he reminded me of my own little brother and how far away he was. I'd forgotten what it was like to climb over 400 stairs, 4 times a day on a daily basis. I'd forgotten what it was like to eat food that you saw ALIVE only minutes ago. I'd forgotten how I cried to hear my friends voice over skype for the first time in 3 months.
I'd forgotten how it felt to walk into a room and suddenly feel like a celebrity. I'd forgotten how taxi's hated us sometimes and refused to pick us up. I'd forgotten about the shoppe that saled the best creme puffs you'll ever have. I'd forgotten what it was like to get to be in charge of a whole group of kids and get to pick out their names. I'd forgotten what it was like to have certain shower times if you wanted to get hot water.
I'd forgotten how Pandas mom always motioned how skinny I was and gave me 3 cakes instead of 1. I'd forgotten our all night movie marathons. I'd forgotten our obsession with Grey's Anatomy and One Tree Hill. I'd forgotten how giddy I was to be walking through the streets of China and singing Mulan songs. I'd forgotten how much I loved being called "Teacha". I'd forgotten the villages we saw while scootering in Yanghuo and how humble and blessed I suddenly felt.
I'd forgotten how it felt to pack a whole weekend worth of things on your back while hiking up a mountain with over 7,000 steps. I'd forgotten how trusting I was to put total faith in complete strangers and never knowing what they were saying. I'd forgotten doing the Hannah Montana hoe-down in the subway, at olympic sites, on the bus, in the careteria and pretty much anywhere else we went.
I'd forgotten how we could do anything we wanted without any liability forms and loving how lax the Chinese are. I'd forgotten how a word wasn't a word without -er added onto the end of it. I'd forgotten laughing so hard I thought I'd pee my pants when Jack showed up after 2 am for 3 nights in a row. I'd forgotten how well they all held their alcohal. I'd forgotten about "the misunderstanding." I'd forgotten how the school was going to build a wall to divide up the 5th floor hallway.
I'd forgotten how it felt to ride on a train for 48 hours straight. I'd forgotten how proud of myself I was for learning to pee, standing up, on a train that sometimes felt out of control. I'd forgotten how people would just gawk and observe us no matter where we went. I'd forgotten that sometimes people would get brave and come up and try to practice their english with us. I'd forgotten after our Thanksgiving dinner being soooo overwhelmed with everything I was blessed with in my life.
I'd forgotten how the kids were always sweaty and smelled like pee. I'd also forgotten how hugs and kisses from these smelly little creatures could fix anything and make my whole day!
I'd forgotten how excited we got for "CHICKEN DAY." I'd forgotten how Kellie learned about hickies and thought all American girls were trashy. I'd forgotten about OB 1 and OB 2 and all that that implies. I'd forgotten about days where we'd hop on random buses and see where we ended up. I'd forgotten about how only 4 of us would watch "Taken" while still in a foreign country. I'd forgotten how I wanted to slit my wrists after singing Hokey Pokey for the 3 millionth time. I'd forgotten how I have never seen it rain so hard in my life!
I'd forgotten how nervous I was to have my birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving over there. I'd forgotten how every one of those was the best Halloween, birthday and Thanksgiving that I'd ever had! I'd forgotten how close I felt to everybody as we sang "since You've Been Gone" at the top of our lungs at the Halloween dance.
I'd forgotten how the whole time we were on the wall I couldn't stop smiling and just kept saying "We're on the GREAT WALL OF CHINA!" I'd forgotten being strapped to Rachel and zip-lining OFF the wall, over a river and feeling totally carefree. I'd forgotten how excited we got to find a McDonalds. I'd forgotten how life back in America was always refered to as real life. I'd forgotten running down the hall and talking late at night. I'd forgotten dance parties on the roof.
I'd forgotten how the kids had NOTHING and how grateful they were for anything that we gave them. I'd forgotten doing morning excercises and how 30 kids would chase you across the field before the Chinese teachers came out swinging at them. I'd forgotten how Sam felt that he needed to be 100% naked to give Ruth the most personal hug she's ever gotten. I'd forgotten how we used "crazy" and "slutty" to distinguish between the 2 Emma's.
I'd forgotten our countless trips up to the roof to talk while we watched the most amazing sunsets. I'd forgotten how Allie and I would dance around our room, BELTING out "It's America" and "Only in America" and having a whole new understanding of them. I'd forgotten how much fun it was to go and tuck them in at night. I'd forgotten how we thought the Korean boys were hot. I'd forgotten the floaty drinks and how we could chug them in minutes. I'd forgotten how tokens would pop up everywhere. I'd forgotten how getting packages was better than Christmas day. I'd forgotten how much I learned about myself. I'd forgotten how I figured out my priorities in life. I'd forgotten how I met the greatest people and had SOOOO much fun with them! I'd forgotten how I felt the spirit the strongest I've ever felt in my life while listening to Elder Oaks speak in Beijing. I'd forgotten how quickly I started crying when we gathered and sang "God Be With You Til We Meet Again" before we loaded up the buses and headed for America. I'd forgotten how hard it was to say goodbye. I'd forgotten the awful feeling of knowing that I would NEVER see these people again.



Yeah you could say today is one of those days where I really just miss it. Greatest time of my life

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