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December 16, 2012-A year is a very long time to be adventurous.  I have tried to be unflinchingly honest about my travels and about how I see China.  So, in keeping with that philosophy, I must tell you all that I want to come home.  I'm not actually considering leaving China before my year is up, but lately all I can think about is home.

I think about Christmas cookies and lefse and our Christmas day tournament and $10 gifts and spending winter break watching reruns of Project Runway and Christmas movies and trying to start the fire at the Ski Hill.

I think about homemade soup and annoying the cousins by opening our presents very slowly.

I think about watching the new James Bond movie and The Hobbit, and buttery movie theater popcorn.

I think about shots of espresso.

I think about playing True American and eating bison burgers and listening to Casey's Pandora station while "working" at the rock wall.

I think about all my boxes of books in the garage and knowing I want a certain one and going out to look for it and coming back with about 15 others instead. 

I think about dark beer and Grandpa's apple pie.

I think about July and the big homecoming party that we'll have. 

I don't mean to be depressing.  There are many, many good things about my life here in China, and normally I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity.  I like teaching, and I love my students.  I have made some good friends here, both Chinese and American.  I have had the chance to see some amazing places so far, and there are many more such adventures to come.  I have the chance to really learn about another culture, and to understand our own culture from another perspective.  Most of the time, I can't stop thinking about how lucky I am to be here.  It's just something about winter and cold and Christmas time and being 14 weeks into a semester (Carleton's 10 week term is even more appealing from a distance) that makes everything seem a little hopeless.

Luckily, I have a few exciting things on the horizon to raise my spirits and reignite my sense of adventure.  In a few weeks Ben and Elizabeth will be here to visit.  I am so excited for them to see China and to see my life here, but mostly I'm impatient to see them.  And shortly after their visit, my semester will be over and I'll have a month off to travel around southwestern China and Hong Kong.  So for now I'll just have to get through Christmas (never imagined I'd say that!) and New Years. 

Stay warm, and drink some coffee for me!