And so the journey ends.
Getting back from the trip was a whirlwind of getting stuff packed, distributed and tossed. And having my last moments of hanging out with people. Which was really nice, especially yesterday. Okay, last Friday, went to Jinshitan and swam a bit with Dave and Nick. It was nice to finally be at a beach that wasn’t repulsive, in fact it was quite pleasant. We even climbed on and around this little island that when the tide went out you could walk almost all the way around at water level. I walked, Nick swam, I was scared. Then we had a quick snack at a nearby Western diner run by a Canadian, Susan’s. Really good cheap food. Yum-O.
Friday night Tingna and Cici cooked dinner for me, which was pleasant. The weekend was good, hotpot and then took the teachers from Jordan’s out on Sunday, they’re pretty cool, especially now that we’re just friends (my boss is only annoying when she has to be a boss, understandable).
Monday , after running around to banks all day, ugh, I made a carrot cake and we had dinner over Gigi’s parents’ house. The second dinner over there, and I think it was even better than the first. I literally could not stop eating. Crab, stuffed eggplant, clams, chicken thighs, fish, shrimp, niu rou bing(beef in a dough, amazing). Words can’t describe. I’m going to try and recreate at least the stuffed eggplant back in the states, but Gigi’s dad is really quite the chef.
Tuesday, my last day, ended up spending lunch and all afternoon with Irish James, which was nice, because he’s cool and I never really got to hang out with him much solo. Met up with Justin and Nick at Brooklyn then went off to have hotpot for my last meal. Because I love hotpot. Hotpot hotpot hotpot. James, Justin, Nick, Gigi, and Gigi’s friend Jing, a nice crowd. Daisy, Joe, Stephanie, Nik, Sandy, and Scott met us at Bobo’s, where Nick Daisy, James and I stayed till about 3, and then Nick and I went off to McDonald’s for a coffee and to hang out the last bits of time before I had to finish pack and go to the airport (first flight was at 7:55, so I just stayed up all night). When I got back to my apartment the sun was just starting to rise, and above the haze, my last morning in Dalian welcomed me with the rosy fingertips of dawn on a perfectly cool and but not too cool September morning. Cici and Tingna woke up to send me off in a taxi, which was really sweet of them, since it was so early, it was fun living with them, wish I would’ve known them for longer. I feel that way a lot about Dalian. Like in a lot of ways I was only just starting my time there when I left. It was an easy decision to come back to the states, I just wish I could pick out my favorite parts and people of Dalian and bring them stateside with me. Saying my goodbyes were tough but not heartbreaking, because I really like to think I’ll see these fine fine people again some day, in some country, some years from now. So now I sit here in transit, waiting for the next phase of things to begin, my life in Denver. 再见中国我会想你。
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