what's new- moving back to the US, new job, and turning 25

i have been seriously MIA on this post and I promise to be back soon with an update on what's new! thank you to everyone who has read about my journey and supported me!

talk to you soon!

Darcy

i got invited to a chinese wedding!

hey hey hey! 

so last week i got invited to a chinese wedding (i'm fancy) and i was all hype to go- weddings mean tons of good things right? food, alcohol, pictures, cake, alcohol... ya know, all the stuff we in the west love to indulge in. and while i was super happy to be included in such a special occasion; i did not have a clue on what to bring as a gift. in america, i would just base my gift on how long/well i knew the couple and then go from there, but this was different. it was a traditional chinese wedding- i had to represent for the u.s. and bring something good to the table. oy vey decisions decisions. luckily my coordinator frances (the bride) invited other teachers from my school so they just told me that in china, red envelopes with money are given to the couple as a gift. the amount given should be even (pairs) and should not contain the number 4. so no giving 40 or 400 because the number 4 in chinese sounds like the word death (don't want that to happen). the rest of the teachers and i decided to give 200RMB each (a nice chunk of change if you times it together by the amount of people coming from our school).

envelopes usually look like the ones above

the next step was thinking about what to wear- should i go buy something? or should i just pull out my best outfit in my closet and hope for the best? i decided on the latter for 2 reasons; the first one being: i am trying to save money. my time is winding down here in china and i need to come home prepared to pay some serious adult bills (whomp) the second reason is: my ass is too big to fit into any of the clothes here. now, i have lost about 8 pounds since my arrival. not a lot of weight at all and i am still too plump to squeeze into a pair of jeans or dress made for a typical chinese woman. no way was i going to this wedding looking like a busted can of biscuits - no ma'am. no sir. after tearing up my closet, i found a nice red top and some leggings- this will have to do, i said. come to find out, i was almost over dressed for the occasion. the only rule to chinese weddings on what to wear is not wearing white- wearing white at a wedding in china if you are not the bride is considered bad taste. i can understand that completely because it's the same principle in america. chinese people like to be comfy when they party and i saw a lot of the guest in flat shoes and simple tops. no one was stealing the shine away from the couple.

once we arrived at the venue, it was a mad house. chinese people everywhere, lol. i had brief flashback of travelling during chinese new year and almost turned around and went home. trust me- one time battling against a billion people is enough. however, frances had invited me personally, i couldn't not go- shoot, i am the ONLY foreign teacher at my school- i bet a million dollars that everyone would notice my absence. so i sucked it up and went inside. what i saw could only be described as cinderella meets china. it was a real life fairy tale. i felt myself getting warm behind the eyes (ya know the feeling you get before you tear up) and i swallowed. in the main hotel lobby were huge tables filled with gifts for the bride and groom. 3 large wedding posters were posted up behind the tables- the couple's photos were shot on a beach, in a park, on a boat and in a temple. they looked SO happy. by the main entrance to the reception hall were a group of men in black. they were responsible for collecting the red envelopes at the door and counting the number of guest. when i made my way to the table i saw them glance at one another and then smile- "you must be the american" one of the guys said, "come" before i knew it i was running up the stairs to tell the bride i had arrived. frances looked so gorgeous in her greeting uniform- before the wedding starts, the groom and the bride will wait at different areas to greet the guest and thank them for coming. once i saw frances i went back downstairs to give in my envelope and sign my name to the guest book (i was guest number 300. YES 300) there were at least 400 people there for the wedding and i was so excited to see what would happen next.

frances in her uniform looking for her camera-
i caught her at a bad angle but she still looks beautiful  <3

when i walked into the main hall, there were two sides; one for the bride and one for the groom- i got super lucky and found a seat next to the front of the stage so i could see all of the action. there were about 200 people on each side- everyone stopped to look at me and say a endless amount of "hellos" i just smiled and looked forward to the time when everyone would focus on the ceremony and not me. there were 3 teachers from my school at my table so i could speak english (what a relief) my seat mates quickly explained what every symbol an gesture meant. on the table were 2 bottles of american soda- 2 bottles of baijiu (the white devil) and 2 kettles for tea. the servers would come around to collect garbage but you can serve yourself the drinks. i talked to the guest next to me and gave huge hugs to frances' mother and father. they looked so nice- i also got a chance to talk to the groom's grandmother and little nephew-the boy ended up giving me half of his chewed up piece of candy (we totally go together now) and i sang songs to keep him entertained. finally- after drinking my weight in pepsi- the lights were dimmed and it was show time! the announcer told everyone to take their seats and keep the central aisle clear for the wedding party. (at least that is what i guess he said because i don't speak chinese :-P) the lights came back on and out walked the groom- his american name is john- to the front of the aisle. he had his best friend behind him, the announcer (officially i don't know his title but he was the one making all the speeches at the time) he said a chinese blessing and out walked frances and her father- she was stunning. she wore a beaded white gown with a diamond necklace and tiara. the train of her dress was about 3 feet. everyone looked while the groom made his way down the aisle to collect his bride. unlike america where the bride usually walks down the aisle with her father- in china, the groom walks down the aisle to get the bride and they walk to the front of the alter together. after reaching frances, john got down on one knee and asked her father to allow her to come to the front. of course he said yes and together they went to the alter where the ceremony started. each of them said their vows and walked to the side of the alter. to a table with 2 goldfish in 2 separate tanks. as part of chinese culture, goldfish mean good luck and long life. each of them poured their goldfish into the same container. after that they cut the cake- another custom different than the west. once they cut the cake, the best man would give the speech followed by the maid of honor. the rings were exchanged and then they were pronounced husband and wife.....and i cried. yup- i don't even speak chinese but the love and spirit in the room was so wonderful that everyone was crying. the rest of the night can only be described as a legit wedding party...we drank, ate and sang songs. there was a lot of line dancing with the older people and the children basically ran around playing. each dish that was put on the table had a significant meaning to marriage and family. frances' grandmother told me that i must eat oysters for good "women's health" i'm guessing she meant all my lady lumps will function properly if i consume this seafood 0_0. gotta love old people- they do not give a damn about saying what is on their minds. unlike the american weddings i have been to, the bride and groom do not have an official dance together until after they return from their honeymoon and that event is for family and spiritual leaders only. overall i am extremely excited i got to be a part of this event - i will never forget it!
frances if you are reading this (she claims she doesn't but then again, she also claimed she wasn't getting married when i first met her and we see how that turned out huh, lol) i want to wish you a very happy and blessed marriage! thank you SO much for inviting me and allowing me to post these photos on my blog. i love you!

each guest gets their own little souvenir 

the main entrance way 

the cutest guy in the room! (sorry john)

waiting for the ceremony to start- there was A LOT of people

my table guest, they are all english teachers at my h.s.

exchanging rings 

the goldfish ceremony

john & frances' wedding posters. beautiful! 

china brings out the kid in me!

hello loves!
it is officially spring in china and i am SO happy that my apartment is cozy and no longer the ice box it was for the past month. so there is this phenomenon going on in china that strikes both fear and anger into the hearts of foreign teachers everywhere: english corners. apparently, most foreign teachers are subjected to this nightmare when they teach in china. an "english corner" typically consist of students of all ages and skill levels taking apart in a informal "lesson" during the evening or weekend.

i get the idea behind starting an english corner- the school wants to promote more english language discussion between the foreign staff and students outside the classroom and so having people attend a weekly meeting can strengthen the appearance of the school's mission for learning and growth- IN THEORY that is great. in reality: it sucks. lemme tell you why: first of all, english corners are usually very unorganized and sometimes can resemble a town hall meeting instead of a classroom. people with advanced to non existence english skills gather together around one foreign teacher trying to out shout each other. most of the attendees are not there to improve their english skills- they want a performance. most of them sit there expecting the teacher to wow them with stories or my favorite request: "dance like michael jackson". excuse me, sir! for i did not travel across land and sea to become your evening entertainment *insert self righteous face here*

yup- looks like a whole LOT of learning going on here...

as i have previously stated, i am the only foreign teacher in my school. so the joy of this wonderful assignment rest on my shoulders. will admit that i am much luckier than some of the other poor fools who need to host english corners OUTSIDE on a weekend afternoon or worse- multiple times a week (god how cruel) but i do have to host it for my school every friday evening (social life, what social life?) for the english teacher's kids. yup you read that correctly- i don't get a classroom of english students. i get a classroom of kids from the ages of 5-11 years old. good thing i love kids and i am not terrible at entertaining them, BUT, i specifically did not want to teach younger children for this reason: they. are. a. handful. maybe i need to take more vitamins or something, but by the end of the day, the only thing i have the strength to do is lay down. working with little ones means you have to be active- you have to jump and run and laugh and play and smile. whew!! i got tired just typing that. so, working with my colleague's kids in a "english corner" is not my first choice in the "what would you like to do on a friday night?" department. plus, have you ever tried to hold a kids attention for more than 20 minutes?! impossible i tell you. impossible!

this about sums it up!

which brings me to my second point, these things are not suggestions. they are mandatory. as in part of your job description. most schools look at english corners as a way to milk out more work from their foreign english teachers since they are paying us so well *insert sarcastic face* the chinese do not believe in giving up about 2/3 more of a monthly wage to a foreign teacher compared to a chinese teacher without making you work for it. that's right- don't expect to just teach your classes. but you must be prepared for and facilitate a bunch of strangers every week. because i have no choice in the matter- i make the best out of the situation i am in. i like to think of my english corners as a fun time where my little kids can play around and be free from the strict chinese school system they abide by everyday. it is a friday night for god's sake! so instead of teaching them things like, "hat, cat, dog, hello" -i teach them how to play all the childhood games i played when i was their age =)

this past friday we played: hangman, hot potato, hop scotch, mother, may i, and bingo (teaching them bingo was HILARIOUS) i basically just had them jumping around for an hour and then sent them home to their parents all wound up on an adrenaline kick (revenge is sweet) next week, i am going to take them outside so they can play freeze tag and i am so damn excited. the bottom line is: being a teacher in china sometimes comes with unexpected job responsibilities (next month, i plan on doing a post about 15 things you should know before teaching in china) and your attitude determines whether or not you are going to be positive or negative with that new opportunity. i still don't like teaching english corners and i doubt very much that i will agree to do one at another school if i decide to teach in china again. with that being said... i am going to spend the next 2 months planing out an epic water balloon/capture the flag fight for my kids as soon as the weather breaks 75 degrees! ok, so maybe i like "teaching" this english corner after all!

china brings out the kid in me!

p.s. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!! 
i want to wish a happy mother's day to all the mothers out there doing the best they can for their children. we appreciate you! 
i got my mom tickets to a concert for mother's day and i wish i could spend it with her but i know she is proud of me. although i'm a handful- she wouldn't have it any other way! i love you mommy <3

my mom and i. circa 1994.

bustlin' around beijing

hey loves!

so this week i went to beijing and i'm happy to report that: 1- i did not almost get deported. 2- i got a chance to climb the great wall. 3- i had the time of my life. 
so basically, it was everything that shanghai was not, lol. and although i loved shanghai, in my opinion, beijing is a much better city. i loved the atmosphere of the city- it lacked the pretentiousness of shanghai, and the historical landmarks are really beautiful.

i planned on doing this trip with a friend of mine, who couldn't come at the last moment *le sigh* solo travelling has it's ups and downs- one of the reasons i like being alone when i travel is the ability to stay as long (or short) as you want at a particular location. i like to wander around the city and get lost. some of the BEST discoveries i have made in china, were by accident. the thing about travelling solo is you have to hope someone is nice enough to take your photo. i shot most of these pics, except the one's i'm in.

the train station stop on the number 4 line

Tiananmen Square

inside the Forbidden City, temple of Empress Dowager

the ceiling of the Temple... a pure gold dragon in the center

inside the Forbidden City 

last minute Great Wall travel buddies! Sophie & Yan

sitting on the Great Wall of China.

View of The Great Wall from Tower 3. the climb was HARD

scorpions on a stick. Wangfujing snack street. Yummy?

Lama Temple entrance

goddess of love

chinese lion. protector of the temple

Temple of Heaven... Amazing sight!

the BEST dessert in China. mango custard

Peking Duck. Beijing Speciality

Yukey and I. She is the woman who is responsible for my job in China. I adore her!

the tale of the frozen wonton

howdy!

i hope you are warmer than i am right now. in fact, unless you are living in siberia or antarctica, i know you are. that is because the heat to my apartment has been cut off for "spring". i am now sitting in my room with 1 wife beater, 2 long sleeve shirts, long johns and a hoodie. IN THE HOUSE. it has to be about 40-50 degrees outside (i don't know the damn celsius conversion) and building management has decided that it is spring time...so no heat. i get it, heat cost money. in fact, before i came to china, i had the pleasure of paying a heating bill so high i would forget, and think i paid the rent. but no- gas, coal, oil, unicorn fumes- they all are expensive and whatever is heating this building is probably costing my school it's weight in gold to pay. especially since they acquired my ass because i keep that shit blasting. I HATE BEING COLD. no. i do. i really get angry- like fighting mad when it is so cold in my house that i can see my own breath 0_0. china is frugal and my pockets understand the logic, but my frost bitten toes do not.

this is me in a few hours.

see, what they fail to realize is what is easy on them financially is very difficult for me to agree with personally. i believe that just because it is april, does not mean it is spring. if you still have to wear a hat outside- it is winter and the heat should stay on. now my ass is thinking of ingenious ways to heat my apartment before i turn into a life size chocolate igloo. i asked my coordinator for a space heater in the mean time because i do not- i repeat do. not. like being cold. he said he would get back to me tomorrow. in chinese terms that means ( i will not guarantee that your request will be granted, but if it is, it is because you will need to remind me again tomorrow) see- i may not speak chinese, but i do speak bullshit and that is what i call on this here foolishness.

i suppose i can go out and buy one myself, but if i get it from the school i can be sure that it will work. china has no "product label guarantee  on anything you buy. if you are unlucky to get a dud of a space heater- well then you are just a cold unlucky foreigner with less money in your pocket and i refuse to spend a nickel on something that won't function in desperate situations like these. thank the lord i have tons of coffee and hot water to drink. which is terrible because coffee will keep me awake and the last thing i want to do is be awake for this. oy vey! at this point, i am ready to put an ad out in the personals for a cuddle buddy- JUST a cuddle buddy, so if you know any fat ladies in china, friendly pets in china, or a huge ass stuffed animal i can buy in china- point them in my direction!

Exactly!

gossip, gossip, shut up, just stop it!

hey ya'll! 

i find myself posting at the weirdest hours in the morning. it's been months, yet my body still thinks it's on america time. it's not unusual for me to be up until 5-6am (true story, insomnia is a horrid whore) anyway, while i am up, i watch netflix, youtube, get on facebook and twitter plus an endless amount of blogs/websites. some of the stories i see online are HILARIOUS. laugh out loud for real funny. and i do! i laugh so loud that i probably wake up my neighbor next door and the people above me. i don't mean to, honestly. i am not that loud ass obnoxious neighbor who comes in at 3am and bangs on the wall because it's a good idea. i don't decide to run my loud ass washing machine at midnight, or play my music at concert level sound. but... i do laugh. laughter is what keeps life from getting boring and letting your problems get a hold of you. laughing makes the future seem brighter. i love to laugh and it's not a crime- except that my neighbors now think that i have "ill-advised" visitors in my apartment every night of the week. at least... that is the word on the street. or, in my case, the word around the school yard.

i was both shocked and amused by this new found information. that i, a foreigner, a foreigner who speaks no chinese, a foreigner who once told her taxi driver to "take off your clothes" instead of  "take me to the mall", would have tons of guest in her apartment. my major question to that is: HOW?! like 2 weeks ago i couldn't phone a friend or find one person to smile at me but now: i have "tons" of people in my apartment. ummm. no. first of all- that is logistically impossible- my apartment is the size of a bedroom with no real sitting space and a makeshift kitchen/study area thingy. 3 people in this motherfucker would be a cause to call the fire department for capacity overload. so NO... I don't have tons of people in my apartment. don't get me wrong: i do wish i was so popular that chinese natives and western expats alike would flock to my apartment to hear me tell jokes and see how much coffee and chocolate i consume in a day. but the reality is that the only people who have been inside this place is me, my imagination, and the plumber (even he only stayed 5 minutes) so you see... the notion that i'm throwing 'project x' type gatherings is a big overstatement. 

my coordinator voiced concern over it and i replied honestly. i told him that i can't sleep and thus watch a bunch of nonsense until i can. that nonsense makes me laugh and that is what is making the noise. in a hurry to get out of my closet  apartment, he nodded his head and told me that any visitors had to be signed in. le sigh. i guess i'll have to register my netflix account at the front desk.

the next bit of information i learned about myself, came from a student. the rumor is that i am 24 and single (well i already knew that) but in china, being this age and single makes you an "old maid". in a chinese women's eyes- i might as well start collecting cats and wear sweaters 10 sizes too big for me because my lady lumps and curves have no more value or appeal. the student told me that the teachers believe i have come to china to "get a big business man's son" she said that because this school has A LOT of rich students and i may be looking to get one to date and eventually marry. MIND-BLOWN excuse me?! huh? you are telling me that i flew my ass to china so to teach IN A HIGH SCHOOL so i could find me a young underage boy to take back to the states with me because his parents are rich? here lays Darcy *casket pose* anyone that knows me.... knows that that is the further-est most biggest most unbelievable lie on the face of this planet. honey if chasing money was important to me, i would still be on my slave ship working for massa and juggling bowling balls to get a raise around christmas time. money ain't the motive for me being here. the student who told me this at like 8 in the morning, sat stone faced the entire time while i laughed so hard i almost peed myself and had to take deep ass breathes to keep from snorting. every time i tried to answer her, i ended up laughing again. that rumor was pulled out from the crack of someone's ass. i mean.. really? no, ya'll need more people. apparently all of the visitors i have in my apartment at 3am don't like me enough to date me... or they are old ass cat ladies like myself who enjoy knitting by the fire and sipping tea for fun. i told the girl that i am saving myself for someone special. she looked at me and smiled. 

10 bucks says that she tells the student sitting next to her what i said (or some version thereof) before i even get the chance to upload the power point i had planned for today's lesson- gossip in china travels faster than precious running away with that bucket of kfc 

AHAHAHAHAHAHHA #ForeverFunny

i usually don't like doing the whole "trendy picture post" thing because following trends are for people who have no mind of their own. or for people are too lazy to think for themselves. however, this picture is in solidarity for those of us who believe in marriage equality.

here's to change and most of all to LOVE

no country for hurt feelings...

howdy! i decided to write this post for my fellow expats, backpackers, wanderers and those who are living far away from their family and friends. i want to talk about the confusion, frustration and anger that can consume you when you would like to talk to someone who understands you but are unable to due to time differences, work schedules etc. those of us who are away from home usually don't want to just talk to someone who only understands the language we are speaking, but someone who understands what we are trying to say and how you feel. no one can do that better than the ones you love. unfortunately, it is a common complaint among long term travelers that, once you go abroad, many of the relationships you have at home are tested. 

this pass week, i have had very little communication with anyone back home. i decided to go a week without social media. why, you ask? why would i be 14,000 miles away from the nearest friend or family member and not be online constantly? well, the answer to that is simple- my feelings were hurt. before i took my social media break, i felt like the people i wanted to talk to were nowhere to be found. i was upset and angry at my friends and some of my family members because they weren't showing me that they were thinking about me. or that they cared about what i was going through. i believe that if you miss someone or are thinking about them, you need to do more than just shoot a dry ass email once a week, or mention them on twitter. these last few days i felt isolated. not just alone in china, but alone in the world. and believe me when i say, that is a very fucked up feeling. so i turned off my fb notifications, i didn't tweet and i didn't email anyone. i needed to get to the source of my frustration and my pain. i am not the kind of person who is going to look outwardly for help with these kinds of situations. i tend to trust myself to make the right kinds of choices more often than not. i wanted to make sure that when i started talking to people again, it was from a place of objectivity and love. not from bitterness and rage. 

now let me be 100% honest, i went to china to GET AWAY from people. seriously. i was working like a dog in a place that neither valued me as an employee or as a person. being there ate away at my self esteem and my confidence. anyone that knows me, knows that i am a very hard worker and i keep my word. i don't scare easily and very rarely will i give up on something without giving it 1,000 percent. but, there comes a time in your life when you have got to stop making excuses for your unhappiness and take control of the situation. i wanted to live life on my own terms. but, i am not delusional and i didn't think that in china, my life would be sunshine, rainbows and unicorn tears because- it's not. life is hard for everyone. no matter where you are or what you do, life can beat you up and sometimes the weight of the world is on your shoulders. even celebrities and those we think "have it made" are fucking sad sometimes. i understand that. but i know that my trip to china was a much needed break from corporate monotony and self deprivation. it was an opportunity for me to do something that didn't really make sense logically (according to some people) but it made perfect sense to me. i am a much better person now that i was 5 months ago. living in rizhao is like living on another planet. all the writing and blogging in the world can't capture what it is like to be here. you have to see it for yourself. the town has a lot of old traditions mixed with a energetic population- seriously- people here say hello to strangers in the street. in other words- new york city, it ain't. when is the last time anyone on the street smiled and said "hello" to you? i'm not counting the dirty old man that smells like the 40oz they drank 3 weeks ago- or the woman with 100 bags on the train trying to guilt trip you into giving up your seat. i'm talking about people just having plain, old fashioned, manners. i get to meet a lot of nice people in this city. the change of pace has helped me be more relaxed. i'm less jittery and on edge- i feel great being here most days. i'm even forgetting that i almost got to see china from a small dusty window on the inside of a cement cell. 

by being away from those i care about and without tons of social interaction, i get to see the real me. the good, the bad, and the ugly. one thing about myself that i realized this past week, is how much of a needy person i can be sometimes. not the kind of needy that will land my ass in a psych ward, but the kind of person that has expected, or convinced myself that people would actually be available to me whenever i needed them while i was in china. and that is not the case, not in the way that i believed it to be. oh, i am not saying that my family and friends have abandoned me (i know they would never do that). i am not saying that if i skyped my bestie with a real problem, she would pretend not to see my 3x3 inch picture blinking on her computer screen. but what i am saying, is that sometimes people get caught up with their own lives. they are involved with their own personal drama and situations. and because of that, sometimes, they can't help you with yours. i debated about writing on this topic, i didn't want people to read it and think that i am throwing them under the bus- i am not. i'm just being honest about my feelings. 

i want other expats to know that just because YOU had a major life change, doesn't mean everyone else in your life is on the same page. i had to understand that while, i went around the world to start a new life, the people i love are still working the same jobs and paying the same bills they were before i left. their lives have not changed drastically like mine. they are still going to the same places they have always gone to and living life like i never left- because, life goes on. we expats need to realize that our life changing journey isn't a shared experience completely with our friends and family members. i am sure they are excited and thrilled that you have decided to climb mount everest, or save kittens in africa, or teach english in katmandu- but they can only be there to support you while you do it- they are NOT doing it WITH you. and that is something that took me longer than i like to admit to realize. don't get me wrong, my friends are doing great things- no doubt about that. i can honestly say that all of my friends have a lot going for them (birds of a feather...you know the rest). i am very proud of the accomplishments they have gained since we left college. in fact, i brag. i brag all the time about how my team rides for one another. there isn't a birthday, or special event, my girls have missed. we have celebrated life and death together and our love is strong. no matter how mad they make me- i still will always be there for them and they will always be there for me.

it's a little cheesy, but you get my point!

i had to take a step back and understand that part of being an adult- means being OK with being alone and enjoying your own company. part of being a expat is about learning how to let go of the fear that your friends and love ones are throwing parties to celebrate your absence every time it takes them longer than usual to answer your email or missing a skype date. another part of being a expat is learning not only how to live in the country you moved to, but learning how to LOVE it. since embracing this new philosophy- i like travelling around my city and riding around on a random buses- just to get lost. i  have discovered all kinds of cool things i would not have seen while buried in my apartment staring at my computer and waiting on _____ to send me a IM. now, i know how to get to the bank, movie theater (no english movies or subtitles, but chinese movies are HILARIOUS), the cleaners, the bus deport, the bar, to the airport, and i know where to get all of the silk scarves and green tea i will ever need. i feel like this place turning into my home. by fully embracing the culture and the people. i have learned to love china. i no longer fear travelling (it can't possibly get much worse than what i have already been through) in fact, i plan on going to beijing to see the great wall next month, i also want to see the famous terracotta warriors in xi'an this may. i might even get to the island of zhoushang for a tropical vacation right before i leave this june. in the mean time, i am going to visit all of the cities next to rizhao- who knows, i may find a deal on the next iphone400 or something :-)

travelling  and exploring the world can be fun, or it can be a nightmare but that totally depends on your attitude and your outlook. someone smart once said "you can't get ahead, looking behind" and i agree. sometime your feelings will get hurt when you can't communicate with the ones you love. and yes. sometimes you will feel a pang of resentment when your friends go on and do stuff without you. but that it the price you pay for being freaking awesome and living life on your own terms. remember that not too many people have the opportunity to do what you are doing. enjoy your time away from the responsibilities and bullshit that comes with being home and working a 9-5! enjoy the time you have left being an expat. take advantage of every dinner invitation (free food is the BEST food) every close encounter you have had with the police, and laugh at yourself when you realize you thought you told the taxi driver to, "take you to the mall" but  what you really said was, "take your clothes off" (or, maybe that kind of stuff just happens to me, SO embarrassing). your families love is always going to be there. true friendships are not going to be lost by distance or time. in fact, you appreciate people more once you have been away from them for awhile. be grateful that you have had the chance to see places people can only dream about. the next time you find yourself drowning in your own pity, remember: the moment you get off the plane and finish hugging all the people you "missed"- someone is going to bring up that time you fell down the stairs at the club on your birthday and how it ended up on YouTube or WorldStarHipHop....home sweet home!

photo courtesy of AwesomeLuvvie.com

side note: chocolatewonton has over 800 views! OMG! i never knew almost a thousand people would be interested in what i had to say.i am very happy when readers email me and tell me i made them laugh or how they can relate to what i write. don't be afraid to facebook, tweet, instagram or email stories you like  to your friends and family. i appreciate the feedback and the support!