Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Hobbies

Okay, it's hard living between two places and recently, I have felt the tension more severely than ever. While many of my team-mates are finishing up and heading home in the next 2 weeks, I still have a good solid 5 weeks left in China. I do NOT want to check out. I cannot afford to cut ties with people yet; it's too early. But at the same time, in my spirit, it's getting harder to be patient with cultural differences. To deal with this cultural and mental limbo, I have started to day dream a bit about what life might be like for me in the States. My day-dreaming has mostly taken the form of things and activities I miss doing in the States.

So, I have made a little list of some hobbies I hope to enjoy upon my return. Here they are:
1. Visiting parks, bars, and churches where free, live music is being performed. Music is for the soul, and this soul is weary.
2. Visiting soup kitchens...both as a volunteer and as a guest as I have no job yet and just enrolled in classes to finish my masters in TESL.
3. Swing dancing...I miss the thrill of swing dancing. Although I am rusty after nearly four years of no dancing, I am optimistic that I will pick it back up relatively quickly.
4. Bicycling. Little compares to the feeling of riding one's bicycle as fast as possible through the streets while listening to country music.

I cannot wait to enjoy some of these finer things of living in America. Am I too idealistic about these activities? Are they all really as excellent as I remember them being?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

They could possibly be better.

Reflections said...

Looking forward to biking around our little town with you! Maybe we can even try swing dancing!

Meanwhile, we have great memories of being there with you (even throwing up in your cute little plastic bucket).