New beginnings start with a plane ride

It's Sunday night and as I'm crawling into bed at about 8:30pm, the cracks and flashes of pyrotechnics rock my ears and brain and suddenly I'm wide awake again. It's a noise I haven't heard in weeks, but I quickly remember my location and laugh a little bit. Trying to indulge my more adolescent tendencies, I assume that all the noise and ruckus is for me as a sort of welcoming gift. I realize the absurdity, but it's fun to pretend. Luckily, this feeling of wakefulness passes about 6 seconds after the fireworks are done, and I'm out like a light.

***

I arrived back in China yesterday morning on my 3 hour flight from Tokyo. I've had a summer of madness and fun (and sleep deprivation). The past 6 weeks have been spent gallavanting through western Canada, from Victoria to Vancouver to Kelowna to Lethbridge, even to Montana and then back the same route. I've been doing my best to see all the friends and family that I could fit in and have as much fun as possible while seeing those people. I've been spending much of that time eating, and I'm starting to get the waistline to prove it. Hopefully having a bit of a routine is enough to get back to some sense of normalcy and maintain the running I tried to keep up over the summer.

Any of the China friends could read the opening of this post and know exactly what I'm talking about. At any random hour on any random day, fireworks could be blasting off across the city. Before, this experience used to be limited to my weekend trips to visit D&M, but now that I'm living in Kaifaqu (the Development Zone suburb of Dalian, and about 25 mins from my new job location), it will become more of a regular occurrence. Last night the lights and noise were only a building away, and even this morning at 6:15am I began to hear the snapping and banging of more fireworks about 2 blocks away. The Chinese really like blowing stuff up... or at least they do up here in Dongbei.

Since hopping on my plane from Vancouver to Tokyo then to Dalian, I've been thinking a lot about the summer as well as the year to come. I probably had the most silly, irresponsible summer of my life, spending money on food and drink and friends and festivities. And although having this new job will require quite a bit of focus, I keep thinking about the potential for all the adventure I'll have on my holidays and weekends. Plans are starting to be thrown around for my first week of holidays at the end of September (I know... ridiculously early!) and for weekend trips to visit friends in Shanghai, Beijing, and even Thailand and Singapore. Maybe Thailand and Singapore are a little far for weekend excursions, but the temptation remains!

I have to start getting ready for my first day of work (not REALLY work... just moving things into my new office at the high school and a bit of a meet and greet with some of the new teachers), but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who made time this summer to hang out and have a ridiculously fun time with me. I miss you all and I hope you know that although I feel like I'm living a pretty sweet life right now, I can't wait to see you all next summer. In the meantime, I've got a lot of adventures in front of me. And this summer, I took the final steps of leaving my past behind me and beginning this life anew. For all the support, emails, and love sent from every part of the world, thanks. I'll try to eat something really ridiculous soon so you can all laugh at me! :) And SOMEONE, PLEASE come visit me! I have an extra bedroom!!! Take care, and dream big.

T