Difficult Decision

You know that your relationship is good when you talk for 24 hours straight. No breaks, no distractions. Just talking and crying and listening. Making a decision to un-do the goal you've been working towards for years is huge.

Tom and I have decided to come home.

It's more than homesickness and more than missing loved ones; it's knowing ourselves. We wanted to make up our minds before we talked to anyone about returning, because we didn't want to be swayed by other people's opinions. We wanted to do the best thing for us and make sure we had no regrets.

Obviously, it's embarassing, if only because we've put in so much effort. And it is upsetting to realize that our plan will not take us where we wanted, or thought. But we're positive we're making the right choice.

I think my mom said it best: "You made the right decision going - you can just make the right decision again."

A List of Hates

Things I don't really enjoy (i.e., things I fucking hate) about China:

1. Sometimes, for no apparent reason, it stinks when you walk down the street.
2. Lots of honking.
3. You can't drink the tap water, which isn't a HUGE deal, but it is weird.
4. You have to wash your face because it's sweatier than usual.
5. The tiles on the sidewalk are broken.
6. Stinky people on the subway.
7. Being potentially poked by a passing umbrella.
8. Your clothes never smell clean because they've been washed in China water.
9. You don't have the internet.
10. And that internet blocks websites.
11. So you can't talk with anyone at home.
12. All the things you like cost a lot.
13. People think you should speak Chinese.
14. Or they think you should speak Korean.
15. And you don't speak either.
16. You're afraid your husband will punch the old men who give you dirty looks for being a "mixed race" couple.
17. Baby turtles in bowls on the street that are purchased for the purpose of eating.
18. Sad poor houses.
19. Sad people sleeping on the sidewalk.
20. Ketchup or prawn flavored potato chips.
21. No Diet Coke.

Abandoned Blog

Tom and I started another blog which would be about our experiences in Shanghai. It has pics of what we're doing and all that jazz. And, of course, I have my own. However, neither of these connections with home and friends can be maintained at the moment because our new apartment lacks an essential function.

The internet.

Holy shit. Just try not having the internet. You will die. We are dying. And no one knows that because we don't have the internet to tell them that we're fucking dying. I hate not having access to the world outside of our apartment. We can't speak with friends or family. We can only read our email at the school, which is NOT private. Not to mention that the internet at the school is CHINA internet which means that random websites are blocked - including Facebook (depending on the day). So, our blogs are alone and floating in "cyberspace" unread, unattended, un-updated. If you don't hear from us, you'll know why.

Yum

Oh my god, I love Chinese breakfast. Everyone knows that I've been skipping breakfast for many many years because I don't really like it and I've also been watching my weight for many many years. So, despite breakfast being this like all important fantastic meal that's supposed to help you lose weight and start the day off right and all that jazz, I've been ditching it.

Well, no longer. Here at the hotel they have the most delicious Chinese breakfast ever. Lots of yummy rice, lots of vegetables like cucumbers (which sounds gross, I know, but they're not - they're so fucking good) and yummy little sweet rolls that are the perfect size. Tomatoes and eggs (yeah, that sounds kind of gross too), noodles and baby bok choy, spinach, OH!

I'm about to go to breakfast now. I'm really really hungry. All I've had to eat since yesterday's breakfast is a piece of pizza.

Hot Water

Brushing your teeth in Shanghai requires a bottle of water. This is because the tap water in Shanghai is not drinkable, so you can not brush your teeth with it unless you want a funny disease like "beaver fever" or really loud diarhhea. Of course, I detour this problem by using bottled water and putting it into a cup.

The process is fairly simple. Untwist the cap from a bottle of water. Pour it into a glass. Stick your toothbrush in (for wetting). Brush, as usual. Then use the water in the glass to rinse out your mouth and rinse off your toothbrush. Simple.

But what do you do when you're out of bottled water? Well, then you have to boil water in the kettle. And do the entire above process with boiling hot water. I really hate it, so I'm going to make sure I don't have to do it again. Tom usually brushes his teeth with warm water - at least he did in the states, but I like freezing ice cold water for the brushing of my teeth. Not boiling. Bleh.