Back Home in China

Well, we are home...in China.

Just typing it still looks strange.  But as I settle into my 4th week back after visiting my real home, Minnesota, I find myself easily transitioning back into life in China.  

While at home I enjoyed catching up with friends, who I had not seen for almost a year, and hugging my Grandma and Grandpa Edlund.  I got to hold my 16 year old 'puppy' Hudson, only to say goodbye to him 2 days after I got back.  I ate cheese curds, drank good red wine and watched the blue Minnesota prairie skies turn into clear starlit nights.  I dipped my toes into the cool waters of  Lake Superior and had a blueberry milkshake at Trail Center.  I rock jumped into Loon Lake and swam across Birch Lake at dusk.  I raced in the North Mankato Triathlon and ran through the Gustavus Adolphus Arb.  I biked along the Minnesota River and walked to the St. Peter Food Co-op.  I also ate a lot of Mexican food.  

I needed to go to Minnesota, but I also needed to come back to China. 

In Minnesota I enjoyed walking down the streets with a sense of anonymity.  But I surprisingly missed the young children who would tug at their grandmother's sleeve to point out the "Gweilo" walking by.  

At home I enjoyed all of my comfort food, like brie, heirloom tomatoes and good baked bread.  However, I missed the excitement  that is eating out in China...you never quite know what you might get. 

Today, while I was running around Qiandeng Lake near my apartment, I had a "China Moment' that made me smile.  It was near the end of my loop around the lake and I noticed a mother, grandmother and grandson looking up at one of the banyon trees lining the walkway.  As I came closer I noticed that the mother was holding a broom up in the air and was trying to knock something out of the tree.  

I had to chuckle a bit to myself as her five-foot-nothing height made it very difficult to  even reach the lower branches of the tree yet along the object she was trying to dislodge from it. When I was about 6 yards away I saw the badminton rackets in their hand and the birdie (or shuttlecock) nestled amongst the leaves of the tree. 

Then, without really thinking, I stopped running. 

In the US, this might be thought of as rude.  But, this is not an uncommon thing to do in China, as people will often just stop and watch an event, such as this, unfold.  As I quickly assessed the situation, I realized that I - a five-foot-nine-inch person - should help this woman.  I calmly walked over, not wanting to get hit by an errant broom swipe to the head, and held out my hand.  The small mother looked up at me for a moment and then instantly realized what I was offering to do, (*note: my Chinese skills are improving but I have yet to learn how to ask "Can I help you get your shuttlecock out of the Banyan Tree?" so a gesture had to do in this instance)

She handed me the broom and I reached up and with the second swipe the birdie came falling out of the tree.  I caught it and handed it over to the mother.  

We all started to laugh at the situation as she thanked me for the help.    

I couldn't help but smile the rest of the day.

As hard as it is to leave home,  It is nice to be back in my second home.