Cloudy in Beijing Blogging about my time in China

My last day

There was hardly a cloud in the sky on my last full day in Xi'an. A few students invited me to have lunch with them, so I went to go see them. Afterward, we then strolled across the nearby campus, where I taught them. One last look before saying goodbye to it.

One of the students I was with asked me what I thought about her school. I said it was unique to have a university that was built from an existing steel factory. Across the campus you can find these dormant smokestacks jutting up from the ground.

But not all are dormant. This one in particular sometimes vents smoke as it sit right next to a long-line of dormitories. It's very annoying a student told me. "It's so loud and the gas dirties all the clothes I've hanged outside to dry," she said.

Recently, a new dorm was opened. It's the nicest and most modern-looking building on the campus. But the students I was with aren't so thrilled by it. They live six-students to a room, and say each floor is crowded with noise of other students. There are no showers in the building and instead have to go to the local bath house. They dub the building "The Chinese coffin" because it looks like one.

This is the modest gate from which I would enter and exit the campus. To get here I took a special bus that transported teachers from the main campus to this one. Once I arrived I'd have to walk up 6 flights of stairs to get to my classroom; not exactly the most wheel-chair friendly school.

The red banner above announces a dancing competition that was being held on the school.

After I left the campus and said goodbye to the students, I went back home to my apartment. Right next to it, they've dug a huge hole for the foundation of a new condo complex. Xi'an is an ancient city, but most is now modern urbanity. New apartments seem to go up each month, while older neighborhoods are torn down.

I feel sad as I pack up. I throw away graded papers and student journal entries as if I'm discarding precious memories. I put my broken bike next to a group of dumpsters like I was disposing criminal evidence, walking away only to regret that I couldn't give it a proper home.

As much as I would like to return to the U.S. and see friends and family, I look forward to returning to China once September comes.

I don't know what Beijing will bring. But as for Xi'an, it's been special. I've never been treated so nice before in my life; to be needed and important, and even popular among the staff and students at my school.

At least for a while, there will be no more morning jianbings, my favorite thing to eat in all of Xi'an. No more old men playing Mah Jong outside where I live. No more Chinese anthem played every noon on a neighboring loud speaker. And no more having to check the expiration dates on the bottled milk drink I buy. So many no mores and things I'll miss.

I wonder if this whole China experience has changed me much. At the moment, I can't really tell. Part of me wishes I would have something more profound to say. But I do know that coming to Xi'an has been one of the best things I've done in my life. I'll no doubt come and visit this place again in the future.

Goodbye Xi'an!