mrveitch

This post should have gone up weeks ago…      

       In these short 2 weeks, I have developed deep, personal relationships with several people here and  though it hasn’t been long, I expect that these people will be in my life for years to come.  The initial 2 weeks in the hotel felt very similar to the college experience and looking back, I realize just how evil the Peace Corps is. We lived in close quarters for 2 weeks and by the end of it, we truly cared for each other. Being jerked out of the hotel and thrust into a host family who you will (hopefully) also love, was quite jarring (though as I will explain, my host family made the transition very easy. I can only hope my final site is as amazing). Knowing that I will once again be separated from these people that I love, by as much as 2 days of travel, is an awful feeling. At the same time, it makes those relationships and bonds even stronger and more important to nurture. Knowing that all over the country I have people who love and care for me, and are going through a similar struggle, is a comforting thought in itself. Some of them will even be a local Chinese family.

    When I met my “mother” and her daughter, my initial fear that they would be disappointed, or even fearful to host me, versus say, a blonde & blue eyed laowai (foreigner), disappeared when they greeted me with warmth that belies the fact that we had just met. They snatched up my bags (the one they could lift haha) and we scurried off to the car waiting for me. Inside a new A4L, my 阿姨 (aunty) waited patiently to whisk me away to my new home. The leather seats and shiny paint job reminded me that “Posh Corps” is a thing. My large bedroom and private bath cemented it in my mind. From the 18th floor of a gated apt community, I have an unobstructed view of the hazy Chengdu skyline. The apartment as a whole is sparsely decorated, but it lends to the simple elegance that my mama personifies.

I took a nap and woke to a home cooked me a meal that was hands down the best I had since leaving home. Later when I challenged the family to majiang, they laughed and proceeded to show off progressively more impressive sets. This family will definitely keep me entertained. On day 2, we went to an amusement park and the amazing cooking continued. It honestly doesn’t feel too different from being home. 

My excitement is too real.