Going Home
It had been a wild and crazy ride with visits to Shanghai and the Bund, Beijing with the Great Wall and Tienanmen Square, and Hangzhou with the tea fields, West Lake, and dirty ol' Cangqian. Mama Woomer had gone to meet both my post graduates and my freshmen. She met the wild and crazy Dave up in Beijing. She had been able to meet all of the FoC peeps... people who have had such a big role in my time in China. She was able to spend time with Adam, getting to know the man who has made my time in China thus far so wonderful and memorable. We had sung at KTV, drank our fair share of Chinese beers, and eaten our weight in street food. Our time was running out and soon it was time to say goodbye...
April 1st
We spent Monday (March 31st) up in Beijing and traveled back down to Hangzhou, arriving after 9 o'clock at night. We were exhausted but happy to be "home." The next morning (after we attempted to sleep in), we worked on getting Mama Woomer packed before going back into Cangqian one last time.
We wandered around the town, going into the local grocery store (Mama Woomer fell in love with my body wash and had to get some bottles for herself), wandering through the wet market one last time, and turning off the main road to walk along the canal.
Cangqian is a very small town where everyone knows the laowai (all three of us). It's about a 20 minute bus ride to the edge of the city and I like to think that up until last year, it was pretty far removed from the hubbub of city life. There are wide open spaces, farmers, fields, and not a lot of traffic. But now, the university has moved it's way out here and businesses are beginning to spring up everywhere. There is construction and cranes everywhere you look and this quaint little town along the canal will soon be engulfed by the oncoming economic boom expanding out to Cangqian (and I admit, it does make me a little sad). So for that, I was glad that Mama Woomer got to wander along the canal and see Cangqian before Hangzhou devours it.
That evening, we met up with Adam one last time. We could have gone anywhere for dinner: Panchos, Tiba, Papa John's, a nice place downtown... but in the end we went with what Mama Woomer had loved the most. Street food.
We left nice and early to make sure that all the good stuff was still there--bread, mushrooms, potatoes, onions, chicken, beef, niangao. We loaded our plates up with everything that we loved, grabbed some beers, and sat out on the street on our little orange plastic chairs, watching the world pass us by and just talking one last time. We relived some funny memories, told stories, talked about the weekend, and just enjoyed one another's company.
Before we knew it, Mama Woomer's last day in China had come and gone and it was soon time to say goodbye.
April 2nd
Waking up early, Mama Woomer and I hopped into a taxi cab and headed to the airport. It was about an hour long journey and we sat in silence just looking at the mountains as they passed by us, almost as though they were waving goodbye too.
We arrived at the airport, checked her in with no problem, and killed time at McDonald's. Yes, Mama Woomer's China adventure began with a cup of McDonald's coffee and it ended with a cup of McDonald's coffee.
We stood at security, waiting for the right moment to say goodbye and go our separate ways. Of course tears were shed as we hugged each other goodbye. After she passed through security, I started to cry too... and for a moment, I wished that I wasn't alone again...
At the beginning of this series of posts, I mentioned that I had gotten mixed reviews from people who have had family come to visit. Some people loved it and others hated it. While it was exhausting to get up and do something everyday and yes, I did get grumpy every so often (this apartment is SMALL to share with two people), I admit that I did love having Mama Woomer here.
My worlds have been separated for seven months now, and that was the way I liked it. But it will be so nice to be able to go back to America some day and have someone who understands when I talk about the buses or the traffic or the spitting or the loud talking or the potties or the street food. I will not be alone when I return home because someone else has experienced the same things that I have.
It was so wonderful getting to show Mama Woomer to this new world that I've created for myself. Things like chopsticks, street food, bus rides, crossing the street, West Lake--I could go on and on--all of these things have become dull and the monotonous everyday aspects of my life; nothing special. I've taken living in China for granted (and there are even some things that I have grown to hate about living here)... But having someone new to show China to, helped to show me the wonder and ridiculousness that is China and that is my life. I never want to get used to anything. I never want anything in my life to grow dull and boring. Having Mama Woomer come here and see things with a new kind of awe helped to rekindle the excitement I feel about living in another country. That, on top of all the amazing, hilarious memories we were able to make together and with Adam made these last two weeks so worth it.
And so there you have it--an epic adventure of two weeks in China that spanned all of Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing has come to an end. Mama Woomer got to experience sights, sounds, tastes, and smells that many people never even dream of having. And I got to experience a whole new China through her eyes.
Miss you mama!!
Until Next Time,
Amanda
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