My time in China has been anything but predictable. I will be finishing my time here in Tianjin and I would never have thought I would move cities. My assimilation to China has been a gradual one; sometimes good and sometimes difficult. My previous blogs can attest to that. Your acceptance to this place is slow and you do become comfortable in what was first a very strange land.
Since coming to Tianjin myself and Wendy seemed to be tourists on a very long working vacation. In Tianjin we became residents and have fallen in to a routine life enjoying the neighborhood and are less inclined to travel or go into the city. There is a settleness in me that I have not had in China. My work is going well and Wendy and I are preparing for our time when we return back home.
I feel I have changed but it is hard to describe. I do see life differently. I will not get into the details but I do. When I return home I do not want to just go back to the old me. I want to make sure this experience continues to shape me.
We still have plenty of time to be in China but I know it will move quickly. Not being able to travel due to COVID has not bothered us as I thought it would. You become very connected to your partner when living abroad. I feel we have embraced this well. Home at the moment is going through a tough time and I feel they have and are living similar life altering experiences that will change their view. Funny and strange times.
I do believe we should “never say never” and we need to go with what life brings us. There are no guarantees so don’t get disappointed if things don’t go as planned and don’t think you are deserving of a better life. Accept what you are given and change what can or needs to be changed.
