Another 40 degree Thursday

It is 38 days 6 hours and 2 minutes until I will be landing in Toronto. When people ask me how long until I’m home and I answer them like this they say oh? So the countdown has started. I think the countdown started somewhere around Christmas to be honest haha! I have only a few more weeks of teaching left and then I just need to mark final projects and exams! I also still get to go to Beijing here in a couple of weeks!

THINGS I’M GOING TO MISS ABOUT CHINA

• ·        Friends that I made here
• ·        STREET FOOD! (sorry Kaitlynn)
• ·        Having such a laid back school environment
• ·        How cheap things are (mainly food and taxis)

THINGS I WILL NOT MISS ABOUT CHINA

• ·        The spitting
• ·        The toilets
• ·        The lack of cleaning products (this is the main problem with the toilets)
• ·        Having no idea what’s going on around me (however not speaking very much of the language around you is also kind of nice sometimes...then you can tune people out)
• ·        Having people stare at you and scream HELLO HELLO all the time because you are white (I will also however miss how people treat me like I’m famous sometimes)
• ·        Having to work really hard to get very minor things accomplished (like mailing letters, or getting to a friend’s place)
• ·        Having students who can speak another language than me...for obvious reasons
• ·        The heat! The cold! The lack of air conditioning and heating!
• ·        Having to always drink bottle/boiled water
• ·        Having warm beverages served to you all the time...they are not refreshing (although they are more refreshing than when I first arrived...)

THINGS I AM MOST EXCITED FOR WHEN I COME HOME

• ·        Seeing my family and friends
• ·        TIM HORTONS (cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with plain cream cheese, half coffee/ half hot chocolate and a honey dip donut)
• ·        All of the other food that I have not been able to get here
• ·        Going to the grocery store, or anywhere for that matter and even if you don’t know what something is, being able to read the package or ask a person working there!
• ·        Beds that are not as hard as concrete
• ·        Schools with functioning photocopiers, paper, markers, scissors, etc
• ·        Did I mention seeing my friends and family?
• ·        Shopping!!! Being able to get clothes meant for tall people and maybe shoes.... but those are still a problem at home sometimes.

HABITS THAT I AM WORRIED I HAVE PICKED UP AND PEOPLE MUST POINT OUT TO ME

• ·        You do not tip in China, when you do, you get yelled at... please don’t let me forget to tip when I come home
• ·        Calling Kleenex/toilet paper tissues and constantly taking it into washrooms with me
• ·        Bumping into people constantly/ following really closely behind them on the sidewalk
• ·        Not saying sorry when I bump into people (here no one understands)
• ·        Ignoring people who are talking to me (I have developed an amazing skill to tune out what is going on around me. Since I do not understand Chinese I assume no one is speaking to me...even when they are.
• ·         Yelling waitress at restaurants. Here the servers do not just come over to you until you yell the word for server at them.... it took a long time to get used to this...hopefully it does not take long to stop doing it
• ·        Poor English. I think my English has gotten worse here. I hesitate more when I talk and often can’t think of words I need. I think it’s because I have gotten so used to simplifying everything I say...now it’s permanent
• ·        Not wearing a seatbelt. The cabs here have covers in them so that usually you cannot wear a seatbelt.... please make me where one at home
• ·        Talking about people in front of them. When I ask a Chinese person a question and they do not acknowledge I have talked...at home if someone did this I would be annoyed, maybe roll my eyes and walk away. Here I am able to fully be like..hmm...or not, thanks for answering and they still have no idea what I’ve said. At home...people will know if I am talking about them. Another time this happens is when the staring happens.... I fully mock the situation. “Hello...please...take a picture...oh yes, still staring” And if they were able to understand, I’m sure they would stop.... at home I need to not be this rude lol.

These are not complete lists... I’m sure I’ll think of more things to add as the time to come home nears! But this will give people an idea of what to be ready for when I return home (now people are probably thinking...please stay there)!