Wow it's been a month already?

So it's been a month already since I've been back from China.  Seriously time flew by.  I feel like I was just there yesterday.  I realized last week, I never blogged about my trip.  I tried doing a day-by-day blog from China but that didn't work out well at all.  See in China, they watch over their internet like some kind of big brother/spy type thing.  That and I think the internet connection is not nearly to the capacity of the US.  Mind you I was not about to write anything derogatory in the least bit about China, but let's not take my chances, right?

So. China.  Life-changing trip.  I really did love it.  Every single minute of it, maybe not so much but I learned so much on that trip.  Such about life, work, people and the world in general.  Coming back I feel as though the world is such a smaller place then we think.  I mean I watch some travel shows now with Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai and now I can say "I've been there!"  Pretty cool, eh?  

So first city was Shanghai.  I'm not sure if it was just absolute culture shock or the fact that Shanghai is just totally abstract to the rest of China.  What I liked most about Shanghai was actually what was about and hour away and that's Suhzou Industrial Park.  This place is the Silicon Valley of the Far East.  And it's amazing.  Companies from all over the world set up shop there.   It's pretty cool.  The "new" Suhzou is actually only about 14 years old and its pretty amazing, absolutely everything is brand new.  I liked it.  It suited me.  

What I didn't like? (Because you know were getting there right?)  The cabs.  Again possibly blame this on culture shock but the cab rides I took in Shanghai were close enough to make me gag.  I also felt the language barrier was possibly the worst in all of China.  For some reason in Shanghai in general I never felt completely safe nor like we were really wanted there anyways. 

Ah, brings me to my next point.  Now growing up I was always taught to respect absolutely anyone, a perfect stranger, your mother, your arch nemesis (I'm working on that one,k?) Shanghai was the only city I was literally an outcast.  Ok I'm American, we know this but all in all it wasn't a welcoming city to me.  So when someone does disrespect me I have the right to at least vent about it right?  And I certainly would never treat anyone who came to our country with any amount of disrespect, right?  Yes, it's just how I was raised.  

On to Xi'an.  Besides the flight from Shanghai to Xi'an which honestly was the worst flight/landing I'd ever been in my life.  I also didn't feel so grand about not having an English speaking pilot, but hey when you grow up in that, its just what your used to.  Either way I got through it.  Thankfully my advisor and I had some really great conversation on that flight and throughout the trip I may add, but I'll get to that later.  

Xi'an was a really neat city.  I felt like we were rushed in and rushed out, which in fact we were, but it was interesting and uber-historical, which I love.  First night was a dumpling dinner which was fantastic.  I think I tried at least 15 different Chinese dumplings.  MMMM so good.  And later in the night the group surprised myself and another kid who actually has the same birthday as me, with a cake and cards.  (Kinda felt like it was a little bit forced from some) but hey I was extremely grateful to my advisor and the trip host who went out of their way to do that.  Really no one had to, but those people did and it felt nice.  People asked how cool it was to celebrate my birthday in Beijing and to be honest, it didn't feel much different then anywhere else.  It's a birthday.....that's kinda it.  

It was at this point personally I realized how incredibly independent I am.  And I have to be.  I'm in a country by myself with people I partially know but not like a good friend or family member. It actually felt great to venture out on my own and be in my own world for the rest of the trip.  I learned so much about myself and who I am and who really matters to me that sometimes I wish I could have those moments back.  But I'm in a better place now and much stronger then ever.  

The Terra Cotta Warriors was an absolute treat.  Walking into the Building #1 of the first dig, gave me goose bumps.  I finally felt as if I was really in a different country and totally different culture.  Shanghai was so urban that it was hard to really get that feel but Xi'an gave me my fix. The pics are on Facebook so check them out.  Words really can't explain it.  

So Beijing.  My FAVORITE city.  I was so excited to get to Beijing, maybe because we were done really traveling quickly and not staying in one city for long but nonetheless I loved it.  It was part upcoming/urban city and part deeply rooted in Chinese history and tradition and I couldn't get enough of it.  When we got in there was a sandstorm coming from the Gobe Desert.   The skies were completely brown and it was like were in on a different planet for a little while.  Thankfully it subsided after that day.   My room had a pretty cool view and one of the only patios out of the group.  THANK GOD!  I spent a few nights just mediating and doing a lot of thinking.  It felt great.  

Ok ok....so the Great Wall!  Wow...wow. wowie...wow wow.  Mind you I felt like hell walking about 1600 stairs but it was so well worth it.  Not too many can say they've been to the Great Wall and I can!  SCHWEET!  When I got to the top I did what any good Irish Catholic girl would do.  I called my mom.  And she did what any good Irish Catholic mother would do.  Get all excited while at the same time trying to fight back tears because she's proud of her kids.  That was a really cool moment.  I wished I could have stayed up there the whole day and just looked out over the mountains.  It's #1 for the most surreal times in my life.  I want it back!   

My last day in Beijing could not have been better.  Luckily my advisor, another professor and her daughters were up for doing some more sight seeing and we decided to go to the Lama Temple in the heart of Beijing.  I could not ask for a better way to cap off the trip.  As some of you may know I've studied a little bit of Buddhism and I find it fascinating.  I went to see the Dalai Lama at UB and I've loved it ever since. The temple was full with smaller temples that housed extravagant and large Buddhas, none of which we could take pictures of. At first I was kinda disappointed but no picture could capture how I felt in that place.  It was extremely quiet in a place who's outside walls sat next to busy intersections.  I felt at peace with myself and what I had accomplished while on the trip.  It was there I realized I'm ok with me.  Just me.  (small tear)

OK ok ok ok.....suck it up right.  

So after that we took one last look at the Pearl Market.  Oh lordy be!  The shopping in China is an adventure and I LOVED it.  I picked up some Coach bags, Northface jackets and a few Chinese chotckes for the kids of course.  All of it was worth being told by the US Customs agent that because of counterfeit merchandise like the stuff I bought, I in fact, fund terrorism.  

Thanks.  Thanks so much.  

Even through that I'll say this.  I love the United States of America.  While I'll always travel and always want to experience new things.  I absolutely love our country.  No matter what politics may follow and the economy the way it is, this country is the best GOD DAMN country in the world.  Hands down.  And I'm friggin proud to be a warm-blooded, god fearing, American!