Round 2! Struggle bussin' to China.

I’m finishing up my first 24 hours in China, and I’ve already unclogged my toilet, washed my feet three times, seen the cutest baby in the WORLD, killed a roach, put up a hook exclusively for my dino snuggie and stayed up way too late talking to Liz.  It’s good to be back.  =)  There’s just something about recognizing the neighborhood as the taxi gets closer to home, waving to students you know on the street, walking through those creepy but lovable hallways to your apartment, entering a space that you call your own, and returning to people who know you and love you, inside jokes already established and ropes already learned.  Welcome to year two of teaching in China. 

But first!  There is a story; I shall call it “One Day More” or “One Short Day (in the Windy City).”   (Musical trivia anyone?)  See, on August 24^th, I flew with Abby and Meagan from Dayton to Chicago, where I met up with the Pi’s.  Pretty soon we heard an announcement that the flight was overbooked and American Airlines was offering an $800 travel voucher for people to give up their seat and fly the next day.  We were tempted.  Then they upped it to $1000, and we entered a state of indecisiveness, elation, and moral assessment…depending on which person you were talking about.   We couldn’t get James’ permission because he was in the sky flying to China.  We were pretty sure we wouldn’t miss orientation, but we couldn’t get any solid confirmation on that, and there was no time to wait.  So, while debating  whether we would make our team look bad or make James upset with us, Meagan came up with the compelling argument, “Guys.  $1000!”  So we took it, like the people in the game shows who just take the money and run.  As Jess said, “We got held up.  They help up $1000, and we took it.”  Thankfully, we weren’t scheduled for anything for three days, so we didn’t miss anything at all, and James and the rest later said, “$1000?  I would have done it!  That’s like a ticket home!” 

So we were blessed with another day in America.  For the Pi’s, it was a chance to see Chicago, so we walked the city and ate the best pizza known to mankind.  For Meagan, it was a chance to meet her bffs’ bf, who was actually working on set for “Transformers 4” at the Bean, so we got to hang out with him and see extras run away from (*insert something terrifying that wasn’t actually there*) multiple times.  For me, it was a chance to grab some fro-yo with my cousin Laura, who I hadn’t gotten to catch up with yet.  Take all that plus food, hotel and travel vouchers, and it was a megaawesomewin.

Except the luggage.  Ohhh..the luggage.  You know those moments you regret in life?  I think back to when the airport staff asked us, “Would you like to take your bags to the hotel or keep them back at the airport?”  And we were like, “Oh,  our bathing suits are in our bags, so we’ll take them.”  Might I add we were flying to CHINA, so we each had 2 bags weighing 50+ lbs, a carry-on weighing close to that (or over—don’t tell), and a “personal item”…aka a purse large enough to make Lassie a purse dog.  That comes to 24 bags total, including three totes.  Let’s just say…we were on the struggle bus.  It brought me back to the days of my youth, before man realized that putting wheels on luggage would be beneficial, before the authorities dropped the weight limit to 75 lbs.  I would take my post at point A, and DJ would man point B, and we’d guard the luggage as my poor parents transported allll the boxes, little by little.  My parents trained me well, and I stood watch over our crap, a metal water bottle as my weapon.  Thankfully China has made us flexible, low maintenance, and accustomed to being stared at, so this adventure became a bonding experience and something we laugh about now, having safely arrived in China with allll our stuff.   But for future reference, pack your bathing suit in your carry-on.  Just in case. 

Anyhoo, that’s my story, and I’m sure there are many to come for this new school year, starting on Monday.  I’ll tell you what classes I’m teaching…once I know them (#CHINA!), but in the meantime, thanks for thinking for me!  Stephanie out. =)