The whirlwind has deposited me back in Hong Kong. For 40 days and 40 nights, Maeli and I roamed thru the Eastern U.S. cities of New York City (twice), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and two towns in Maryland. Oddly enough, looking back on my calendar, we had exactly 40 planned engagements. Those dates included everything from a day at the Bronx zoo to eating brunch with my 82 year old Aunt. I saw my 92 year old aunt as she visited the fresh grave of her husband. And in between, I saw 3 other aunts. Maeli visited with 26 cousins and most importantly, she saw all 4 of her grandparents. So, taking a deep breath, I now have a moment of reflection.
I can see how the regularity of being back on Lamma Island has Maeli in a very comfortable space. Upon arriving at the apartment, she immediately inspected each room, ensuring nothing had changed, and then set about getting down to business with her blocks and toys. I think that children need to know what to expect in their days. For the last 40 days I drug Maeli all over the Eastern seaboard and left her alone with people that she rarely spends time with.
Perhaps more than Maeli, this trip was a healthy experience for me. I’ve missed the loving faces of my parents and siblings. I’ve missed the lighthearted conversations and board game battles at midnight. I’ve missed talking to strangers who actually know what I’m saying. I’ve missed bold American things like skinny dipping in the afternoon and flirting with a parking lot attendant to avoid a visit to the impoundment lot.
But there are a few things I don’t miss. I don’t miss meat as a daily main course. I don’t miss constant political reminders that people actually still like Bush. I don’t miss fat people. I don’t miss the ache in my back from being in a car too much.
So that’s what life is all about: give and take. I’m sacrificing the comfort of home to be in one of the most exciting places in this day and age. It’s hard to ignore the fact that China is huge right now. Their economy has been growing by leaps and bounds for the past 20+ years. I’ve heard predictions that Mandarin Chinese will take over the English business language. The Chinese communist government is gradually showing signs of lightening up and opening themselves to outside suggestions. And during all of this, America is slipping. The US debt right now is nothing that a band aid can heal. The war in Iraq is a disastrous mess that is getting harder and harder to step away from. Republicans just announced a no-name hockey mom to fill the position of vice-presidential candidate while John McCain could easily kick the bucket should he end up mucking up the White House for the next four years. And I could go on, but I just don’t want to get into a heated political rant. I already drafted one blog article and had to delete it.
So, yeah… America. I love her and despise her at times. I guess it’s the same way with my new home. Is there really no utopia? All the more reason to justify my wanderlust.
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