Difficult to come, but harder still to go.

Well, Wednesday morning came and it was time for me to say goodbye. I was very excited to go home and be reunited with Mike, but terribly sad to say goodbye. Betty and I started crying over breakfast, and it pretty much continued the whole day. I love this picture of Betty and I and sweet Dow baby.

Waving goodbye to Dow and Betty's kind husband. Betty and I aren't in the picture because we were both sobbing. "Dow, where is your American Auntie?" Dow points to me. I bawl.

Then we headed to school to say goodbye. I played some games and watched some of the third graders between two of their morning classes. I couldn't play too hard though. You know, didn't want to mess up the last day of my China hair. (Or, I'm too slow. One of the two...)

Some of the students assembled to say goodbye. I was thinking, oh, good, I can handle this. Until they came up and said some of the English they'd learned one by one. ONE BY ONE. I was a waterfall. 

"Hello, Ms. Lang. You are so beautiful. I hope you like China. We will miss you."

"I have fun in your class. I love you."

"Have a safe time home. We will miss you."

"Hello Ms. Lang. Welcome to China!" (we talk about this.) "Hope you liked China!"

"When I grow, I want to go to America too."

"Thank you for teaching us English. I like your smile."

"Thank you for English. I like learning."

"Don't cry! We LIKED you!"

I loved these girls. I called the girl on the right "Ramona" because she reminded me of one of my favorite books growing up (see below). And I also loved the little girl on the right. She loved learning and was wicked smart, and overcome a lot of strong boy personalities in her class. 

A whole group picture. I am glad we took it right before all of my English colleagues and I just lost it, crying, crying, crying... But I LOVE this picture. It does kind of make me understand why they thought I was so big. I mean, I don't think I am big, but I look like a giant compared to them!

Waving goodbye.

Then, we headed to Jinhua for a final goodbye lunch like we had when arrived. One last feast. Wait, do I see something to the left of the plate? Jitka and I gave favors this time.

One last totally weird thing I ate: Duck tongue. 

Goodbye shrimp that are entirely too much work to eat. I won't miss you.

Yumi, Beth, and Melinda.

My principal and I. 

Many of the wonderful men who helped make the trip possible.

The next day, we had one last stop. We went to this gorgeous shopping area, which was built 400 years ago in the Ming dynasty. It was the first time the Emperor encouraged commercial business in China, not in the main part of the city, but in this area due to the river. 

They had these awesome statues, and I took pictures of all of them. I call this one "Perky Puppy."

Baby and Momma Elephant.

The architecture of the bazaar area was built to match the imperial palace at the time and to remain in fashion. 

Then, we went to this "garden." Well, the Chinese call it a garden. I call it a palace. It's name is Yu Yuan, which means "Enjoy yourself in the garden." It was built by Mr. Pan Yundan as a a private garden for his parents with calligraphy and pavilions. However, the garden took so long to build, his parents never lived there. 

In each living space, such as this main living room, there is a mirror on the left and a vase on the right as the main decoration. The vase stands for longevity and good position.

When guests came, women were not allowed in the room, but during family time, the leaders sat in the main seats, the women on the right and the men on the left. 

At the top in the blue it says something to the effect of how these gardens are a forest and mountain in the city. The middle in red says it is an area which touches the heavens. At the bottom, it says "San Sui Tang" which means the name of the living room.

Cranes always mean longevity.

Even the doorways were elaborate. No wonder his parents died before before they got experience it.

Oh hey. I'm just a cat. Playing with my ball. In a gorgeous imperial garden.

The Chinese say it takes four elements to create the perfect garden: a water pond, rocks and stones, trees and flowers, and pavilions. I think they should add a fifth: a whoooooole lotta money.

See the rocks on the right? Limestone. Miss you, Indiana.

A picture depicting one of the Tao gods in the middle in the top. 

I just wanted to pull out a book and read here.

I love the passageways: none of them are straight. In this passageway, it was divided into two; this was the right passage for women to walk through. Women on the right, men on the left.
Because women are always right, right?

Even in the rain, the gardens were lovely.

Can you find the dragon?

Oh, hey there buddy.

Over 23 million people are in Shanghai everyday, but it sure doesn't feel like it here. 

The dragon's body.

What a softie.

Another hobbit hole. 

Ahhhh, my old friend. Fitting I see you on during my final Chinese adventure.

I can see all four elements here. Rocks, trees, a pond, and a pavilion. The perfect garden.

The middle rock is the most important. It was put into the river to be naturally formed over years from the water wearing it down and creating the design and holes. It is supposed to look like clouds rising up. 

Jitka said she could have wandered around for hours. As exhausted as I was at this point, I wholeheartedly agreed.

The only hobbit hole I saw with a door.

These rough guys DARE you to go through.

This little room has nothing in it at all but this little tree, it's just a square, but it was create to provide natural light into the area.

When we finally left the garden, we ran into this ancient fence, made of stone and headed by the zodiac signs.

I always love the juxtaposition of the old and the new together. In the midst of the ancient bazaar, you have this window display.

In China, there are traditionally five things you cannot do: you cannot say no to your emperor, your teachers, your parents, Confucius, or to Buddha. Or maybe this dragon turtle will get you. In a couple of years when he crawls close enough to breathe fire on you.

From 1869-1930's in Shanghai, it was like the NYC of the world; everyone came to do business. That's why the Bund is half French and half British and all built around this time.The first silk industry and machinery are like the BMV of their kind. From 1950s-80s, every woman getting married asked for three things: a watch, a bicycle, and a sewing machine--all the Shanghai brand. 

Beth doing a great job bargaining!

Then, we did a final pack of all of our things, got on a plane for 13 hours, arrived into Chi-town traffic, and I got home around 10 Thursday, after going back in time. The end of a long 25 hours of traveling.

One last explanation: One of the assistant principals at my school, who was a sweetheart, knew very little English. He and I communicated mostly through either through Betty's translation or his translator on his phone. When I was crying between saying goodbye to the kids and taking our pictures before my final goodbye to the school, he showed me a translation on his phone, which, though many things often get lost, seemed perfect. "It is difficult to come, but harder still to go." It was difficult to come, indeed. To give up almost half of my summer to continue teaching huge class sizes and go to the country where no one speaks my native language. Especially hard to leave my husband and camp behind in my favorite part of the year to be around my home. 

Yet, as excited as I was to finally get summer vacation and see my husband and camp, I had to say goodbye to dear, dear friends and people I had come to love in such a short time.  To a culture that, though vastly different from my own, taught me many things you cannot learn in a classroom. I learned to say "yes" to adventure, even when it turns out to be eating tongue or snakeskin. (shudder) I learned that no matter the language barrier a smile and kind eyes overcome it. I have been blessed beyond belief this month. It's been a month, I will hold in my heart for the rest of my life, and, as I told my Chinese friends when I was leaving, my heart is full.