Leaving this Landrea

In this very moment, my apartment is being (quickly!) packed up by a moving company. My boxes will be put into a container, placed on a ship (no clearing of customs because Taiwan is a part of China you know... or at least according to the PRC it is), shipped up the channel between mainland and Taiwan and will hang out in a storage facility until I find a new apartment in Taipei. Then, hopefully, we will be reunited in my new home.

Side note:  The shipping team is fashioning a custom made box around my futon.

I've wanted to write a blog about leaving, but I just don't know where to start.

I came to China nearly four years ago with the intention of staying for two years and then coming 'home'. Two turned into and easy three. Three turned into a confident four.

But now it is time to leave.

I am very happy with my decision to leave. I never wanted to be the person who regretted staying. I am very happy I stayed for year four and do not regret it at all. Year four has been great. I finally toured Hong Kong, yet I still didn't make it to Macau. I ate a fish eye ball and had one last adventure in Bali with my dear friends. And I finally learned how to talk to and buzz people in on my apartment's intercom system. Winning!

I had an amazing year four with my students. Being at SIS in the secondary school for four years has allowed me to see some of my first students become high school juniors and freshman. I have seen the seeds that had so much potential in grade six grow and flourish in grades seven and eight.

Side note: The box they fashioned for my futon does not fit out the door. Attempt two at box has begun.

In some ways though, I am ready to leave. Sometimes the pollution and the dirty streets get to me. Sometimes, I just get really tired of almost getting hit by scooters, cars and busses. Sometimes life can be really challenging here. (Sometime, ask me about my worst Monday in China ever... I'll tell ya the story, I just am not ready to write and publish it).

I really love this place and all of its confounding complexities. You would think that having spent four years here, I would be some kind of "expert" on China, but this could not be farther from the truth. Just when you think you understand it, you realize, like Jon Snow, you know nothing.

Side note: Futon is repacked. We have yet to attempt getting out out of the door.

Finally, I guess I have to address the fact that I am leaving an amazing school. I don't like to think about it, because it is and has been the best part of my time here. I have grown so much as teacher, and I have been supported to continue shooting for professional greatness. I can barely even recognize the teacher that I was four years ago.  I know it is because of the admin and amazing colleagues I have had here over the years, that I am going on to teach at one of the best schools in the region. SIS is amazing and a hidden gem in the world of international schools.

Most of all though, I am not ready to leave my kids. I want to watch A. and A. and Y graduate. I want to read what H. writes as he learns more and more English. I can't stand that I won't get to see my little 6 Flaming Phoenix advisory grow up and make "punny" jokes to each other.

I am not too worried about leaving my friends behind and maybe that's weird. I will remain in Asia and Hong Kong is just a short 1:45 flight away. I hope to have some fun weekends meeting up with my Shekou friends there... I've already planned to come back for Hong Kong Sevens Rugby.  My dear friend Lindsay will be in Tokyo, just a few hours away. Colleen will be in Qatar, but the wonderful thing about international teaching is, in all honesty, it's not that far away. We WILL see each other again. Probably sooner than we think.

Side note: They are now creating a bubble wrapped, padded box for my mirror. This is awesome.

I will be home in just a few short days.

I'm tearing up as I write this, folks. Not sure if it is sadness or happiness at this point, but I better knock it off so the movers don't stare at me.

Anyways... Home. Yes, I will be home soon. I will go to Teacher's College again for one week. But other than that, I will be chilling out in KC. I want to enjoy a few ball games, drink some Boulevards (or what ever is on tap at the Hermanson's), eat some barbecue (given) and reconnect with my friends. It's been another year and babies have been born, friends have gotten married, lives have changed, little ones have grown, jobs have changed, and I need to hear how all of it went.

Maybe over an 80 Acre Hoppy Wheat and a Z-Man?

Side Note: My apartment is very empty. There is an echo in one of the rooms... there is also a dead cockroach on the floor.  I'm thinking I'll just shut that door until my ayi comes.