Chinese good-byes

The majority of my students have disappeared for the summer, without so much as a "good-bye." I only know they have left when they send me a text message after they've already arrived in their hometown.

But I was the saddest yesterday when I called my special student and friend after she didn't come to our study. When I got in touch with her, she was at the train station on her way home to Xinjiang! She wasn't supposed to leave for another couple of weeks, but she abruptly decided she had to go home that very day.

The moral of the story is that Chinese people really don't say "good-bye" like how I'm accustomed to. They just quietly disappear, and don't want to make a big deal out of their departure.

I'm just glad I got to hang out with her so much recently, and I'm hoping that she'll connect with a good fellowship back on the other side of China. At least I'll get to see her again soon in just a couple of months!

In other news, one of Shannon's students has joined the family! And one of my guy students, who has been studying with Jonathan, will also have to make a decision one way or another this Tuesday. Please be thinking of all of them! :)

And now that I have too much time on my hands, I've been thinking about the future... Not too much, mind you, since any plans you make in China will automatically be obliterated, but I still have a lot of hopes and dreams. I'm still very excited about being here next year, but I really cannot see myself teaching English for a long time. So perhaps grad school will be back in the picture soon. We'll see...

And, welcome back to one of my most faithful blog readers, my baby sister, Andrea! (She was serving in North Africa for a few weeks, and now she has safely returned to America. After this experience, her life has also been ruined for the ordinary). :)