8 June 2016 –
Oh boy.
This time of year brings with it a tremendous mix of emotions from one of the spectrum clear to the other side. I'm both ecstatic for summer to arrive. The kids, teachers, and parents are all ready for the drudgery of school and homework to be done for the year. However, as an expat, we also have to say good bye to droves of families and friends who are either moving on to their next destination or returning to their passport countries. It's tough to say good bye.
As an expat living in a location with constant turnover you have to learn to make friends quickly. So it's tough for someone like me – introvert and shy – to take the initial step of making friends. By the time I finally get brave enough to talk to someone, it's nearly time to say good bye.
Sadly, it also means a time of regret – wishing I'd taken the time to get to know someone, inviting friends into my home, exploring Tianjin, and just enjoying life in Tianjin. I feel a sense of "would've, could've, should've".
I shouldn't be too hard on myself. This year I did volunteer in the library and I also helped with the school musical. I finished a teaching English as a foreign language course. Yay! The certificate is on its way to me! I stepped outside my comfort zone and started exploring Tianjin via the Metro (subway). I hope to do more of that after our return. We also took opportunities this year to visit Vietnam, Thailand, England, and Bali. We enjoyed having our Kiwi friends visit us during our winter break as they were making their way to New Zealand after an expat stint in the USA. We had fun visits and get-togethers with our Chinese friends and their families. Oh! I also attempted a few Chinese watercolor painting sessions. (turns out, I think the art supplies they use for Chinese watercolors are beautiful BUT I don't have much patience to be so precise and careful when it comes to the actual painting. I felt like the poor painting teacher was gritting his teeth every time he saw me painting. LOL!)
I think the girls would say they had a great year…and now we've got a 5th and an 8th grader!!! Hooray!!!!
Have a great summer!