I put myself on a strict budget a
little over a week ago. 20Rmb a day. It has been so awesome to see
the oil in the container stay at the same level, if you will. Most
days, I can actually use less then the full 20 which is helpful
because I can put the left over aside for a day that I need more.
{Such as coming up I am sure I will need to buy TP, laundry soap,or shampoo so
I will use the extra to go towards that.} There are days when I will
spend a little more, but get something that will last a bit longer
then the one day or one meal. Such as, buying a large loaf of bread one day so that I don't have to buy it the next. Some days
its a jar of mayo or a jar of jam, so that I can make sandwiches for
the next few days. I gotta say....I am loving it! I think I have
eaten better then before because of being more creative! And I have
always loved to see what I can do on a shoestring budget! Instead of
just running out and getting a plate of something they make at the
cafateria downstairs, I will actually go to the store and buy veggies
so I can put together some sort of a pasta salad with my instant
noodles. Or, one of my favourite options, is to get some tomatoes and
cucumbers and make sandwiches with mayo, garlic salt, and Italian
dressing mix. Thursday morning, I want to ask if I can be late to
work so that I can make apple fritters for my classmates, teachers,
and coworkers. So I have been slowly buying the things I need each
day so as not to have to do it all at once. {I already have the flour
and oil, so I am just buying things like sugar, eggs, and milk each
day.} Oh shoot....that reminds me! I forgot to bring cinnamon. Note
to self...find out if any of the 外教
have cinnamon I can use.
My little brothers home coming is
getting closer and closer, becoming more and more real. As it dawns
on me that this is finally going to happen, we are finally going to
be a family of multi-colours, another thing has occurred to me!
My parents are going to come to China!
When my best friend, who you may know as my sister Kade, and younger sis Kat came to visit me for the first
time, it was awesome and weird at the same time. I had never really
expected my two worlds to come together like that. That was coolness
in itself, but to have the people who raised me for the very thing I
am doing, come here and see the place that has captured my heart,
life, love, and attention?! It is both nerve wracking and exciting
all at the same time. Never did I imagine getting to actually have
them with me here.
I am hoping that they get to fly into
the ZZ airport here and let me pick them up, show em around SIAS and
all, and then go together to get Little Dude. However, even if they
have to go straight to get the smallest Hep, I will move mountains to
be there at the airport when they touch down, and I will still get to
see them experience China! They have heard me speak Chinese before,so
it isn't like that is going to be a shock or much of a thrill, but
they have never had me introduce them in Chinese! :) The fact that
they have {I am pretty sure at least} agreed to let me be there to
introduce them to their new son....well I could just burst into tears
right here and now! When I started learning this language, I do not
ever remember thinking about the fact that I could some day use it to
show my parents the home of their kids! Never really thought they
would ever make it here.
If you get my update emails, you
already know that I was asked to stay here and earn my bachelors
degree. I would be provided with a scholarship that would waive the
tuition fee, leaving only my living expenses such as my room, books,
insurance, food, etc etc. My knee jerk reaction was “NO!” cause
ya'll know I have never made it a secret that I hate school! Yes, I
am loving learning this language, I love my teachers, I love that I
know how to carry on a conversation now because of the classes I have
attended. And I hate school! Lol! I was afraid that it was only my
dislike for studying that kept me from accepting it, so I asked to be
given some time to think it over and buzz about it. And then I did
just that. For a few days, I thought over it, talked about it with my
family back in the Mitt,and spent time in buzzing about it too. In
the end, I still decided to turn it down. Even though it is what I
wanted, I have to admit that it does make me a bit scared,because that is now another thing that won't keep me here. I have
done my best not to think about or try to figure out yet what I am
doing after this year of school is over. It was a decision I made
before getting here, that I would leave that to my second semester.
Not wanting to spend much of my time concentrating on that and taking
time away from getting use to my life here and work and all, I
thought it best to leave it to the second half. Yet I keep getting
things thrown at me that mean I HAVE to think about it, at least a
bit. And the fact that even with thinking of it, I still don't know
what I am going to do after.....I would be lying if I said it didn't
bother me even a little. I know now, though, that I will not be
staying at SIAS to earn a bachelors degree in Business.....so perhaps
I should take that as a comfort. I know something! Knowing what I am
not doing can be as important as knowing what I am doing, at this
point at least.
It is strange how things change year to
year, though! Last time I was in this situation, I wanted nothing
more then to be able to say that I was going to go back to the States
to pack up and return a month or two later. I wanted to stay here,
even if that meant not going back during the summer at all. I did not
want to think about having to go back and stay for an extended
undetermined amount of time. This time my first year, I was looking
all over for something to do that would keep me here in China for
good, and not really allow me to return. {Keep in mind, this time
last year my brother was not dating his soon to be wife, so I had no
idea that I would have a sister to meet, nor had I burst that new
disc and needed to return for medical work, and I was still thinking
that there would be a chance for me to work as a staff member for BMH
here in China. By the time I flew back to the States, it is true that
I wanted to spend a bit of time there, to get my back worked at and
to meet my new big sis. Though I did spend more time then I expected
to I truly am thankful for the time I spent there and all that
happened in my stay!} This time though, I am so excited to go
back,...again not for long, but I am looking at staying a little bit.
Maybe this time will work the same way as before and because I am
wanting this to be a bit longer of a trip it will be a short trip
{Like how my last one was to be a short one and it was long!} I am
looking forward to being part of my little brother getting to know
the family. I don't want to just be that face he saw a few times and
knows from camp, but doesn't really know as his sister. That has
always been a fear of mine with the siblings I have known since birth
and still worry from time to time they will feel that way. {Like they
don't know me really} and I don't want it for this brother either.
That being said.....I so want to live
in China! I want to be part of kids lives! :-D Just in case anyone
was thinking my heart had changed at all!!
But, for now, I am going back to not
thinking about the future! :D I am going to concentrate once again on
what I am doing right now. My school and my work...and some projects
I have not had time to get to yet! I have been wanting to work on
something for this summer's camp here and have not been able to get
the chance to do it yet. HOPEFULLY, I can get myself to not be so
lazy this winter break,and kick my own butt if needs be, in order to
get it done in time to start helping with camp prep once school
starts back up! I again have such a list of things to do during my
break. I just hope I don't end up putting it all aside in order to
watch movies and sleep!
And that is today's randomness!
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