.
Well, long story short, Peace Corps China "13" COS (close-of-service) conference has concluded. Last week in Chengdu, most of the volunteers that flew from San Francisco on July 1, 2007, plus a handful of PC "12" extendees, met for the last time together before we depart our separate ways come July/August this year.
.
The conference was quick, productive, boring, and inevitably, sad. What I will remember is two days worth of paperwork concerning medical and financial matters, about 5 sessions asking the same question in several different ways - "How was your experience, Phil?" "It was interesting," Phil replied. - and finally, a conference room full of young (many in years, but all in heart) men and women passing a microphone and telling each other with as few words as possible about their most memorable moment(s) in the last 22+ months. I have had too many memorable moments in China, both good and bad, so I choose two, which developed more into short ramblings of thankfulness than actual moments:
- My Shakespeare students from the past two years, for allowing me to bring them something I love and hold dear from my world...and for helping me learn and understand that no matter where you call home, Shakespeare's words are timeless and universal.
- Dustin, my fellow PC blogger, for pushing me to keep writing entries on this blog, regardless of how crazy (and angry) each post turned out to be. Just like running friends (You might remember Dustin and I went for a run together - and got lost together - the day before we boarded the plane to China) push each other to run faster and longer, Dustin, who must say out-blogged me by about 50 posts, kept my brain thinkin' and fingers typin'...and continues to. Dustin's reflection
Now for the fun stuff...
Devon, my amazing first sitemate, after a few months in America, returned to China (I wonder what percentage of PCVs return to live and work in their country of service?) to work for Disney English, and live the high-life in probably the coolest metropolis in the East, Shanghai. After spending a few days with Devon, I told her that if I ever came back to live and work/teach in China, Shanghai would be the only acceptable city for me. It's China's NYC. It's China without the political BS that dominates other popular Chinese mega-cities (See "Beijing"), even though, yes, Youtube.com is still blocked there (I had throw that in, sorry). Shanghai seems to be moving forward, and after teaching in Chongqing for two years and watching so many "powerful people," laws, and educational and traditional road blocks holding young people back from expressing themselves, Shanghai seems like the only place for a progressive person like me (that is if I ever come back to the Middle Kingdom).
I stayed at Devon's 40th floor apartment and filmed this video of the Shanghai skyline, day and night:
On May Day, Devon and her Disney English crew took me to the Asian X-Games. Despite getting sunburned, we had a blast watching the skateboards, flying motorcycles, rock climbing, drinking many bottles of Mountain Dew and eating several bags of Doritos, and watching the Chinese watch crazy Westerners nearly kill themselves in various athletic feats. It was certainly an X-treme Day. Here is Devon talking about the "cultural exchange" of the X-games in China (haha!):
Another clip from the X-games Shanghai will be posted soon.
All in all, the last week was wonderful. So many old (and new) faces. But this experience is NOT over. I still have 2 more months of teaching and lots of personal tasks I still need to accomplish. July 17th, my last day as a PCV, will arrive before I know it...
I love and miss you all,
Phil
蓝麦飞
Posts
1 comments:
Aw man, It's been fun following your blog for the past couple of years and it pains me to have to see it end.
You are a great storyteller and I hope that when you are done with this experience you could enlighten us further with a book.
Later,
Dante
Post a Comment