dreams. check.

When I graduated in the spring of 2010 I was determined. Determined to start my career, work internationally, travel and have adventures. And I did. And I am. And I wouldn't change any of it.

When I left I didn't know what the future held. If I'd move back. Where else I'd go. And I really liked the feeling of getting rid of things and not having so much stuff. But guess what I've accumulated in China? Stuff.

Canada sometimes seemed a little boring. Elsewhere - the unknown - was far more exciting. Therefore I was exciting for going there. And sometimes I think I thought doing "normal" things at home was a bit boring. "White picket fence or world traveller?" I certainly answered that I wasn't the white picket fence type girl. (Which is probably why I currently need to get a new passport because mine is full 2 years before it expires. Going for 48 pages this time around!)

But it's funny how after only 2.5 years I'm more willing to be flexible. These dreams I've had have been had. I've accomplished them. I've enjoyed them.  And still am of course. Check.

I just finished reading the book "Red China Blues," a memoir by Jan Wong - a chinese canadian who came to China during the Cultural Revolution in 1972. While my experience is very different from hers - I am after all, a white faced canadian who doesn't blend in, who doesn't speak chinese, and who is living in a very different China - I do however very much agree with one of her final statements, "Living in China has made me appreciate my own country." Clean air, english, education opportunities, maternity leaves (the ladies at our school get only 3 months!), open spaces, women's soccer, freedom to worship, driving, universal medicare, it's clean... just to name a few!

Adventures and traveling are good, but WHO you do them with makes them great memories. That's what is becoming more important. The relationships. Family. Friends from church, from camp, from school, from home... from China even.

Our small international school here is at least 50% Korean. Probably because of how close we are to Korea. The Korean kids naturally clump together, and we sometimes tend to praise those students who play in mixed groups and try to push the others out of their boxes. I even talked to some parents during our conferences about how we should encourage students to play with everyone. The other night this made me think of myself. It's true, I have more multicultural friends here than I have every had before. But I still migrate towards people like myself to share my heart. And I actually only have one chinese friend from Dalian that I hang out with from time to time... the chinese friends you may see in pictures are really chinese-canadians :)  Guess their grown-up teacher is not much better than they are when it comes to comfort.

All that to say home is where my heart is. bahahaa how LAME of a phrase. But actually, it's true.

I still love teaching! But TOCing (teacher on call) might not be so bad for a while. I'm kinda excited to have time to build other things.

I still love traveling! But North American destinations could satisfy for a while. And I've saved enough to buy the mazda 3 hatchback I've been dreaming of since university which will certainly take me places!

I still love, and must have, adventures! But that can be had anywhere. It just takes the right people and frame of mind :) And maybe a silly costume, mustache and laughter. It's endless really.