Post-APSA Program Feelings

I'm currently sitting in miss me cafe while it's thunder storming outside. Winds are blowing, thunder and lightning is crackling and somehow this does not disturb me like it normally would. There is a sense of calmness about it this time around. I've been sitting in this cafe for about 4 hours now, staring at a mock Van Gogh 'Starry Night' mural on the wall as I'm uploading the last batch of APSA photos.

These few days have somewhat been a blur since the kids left. There's no more culture excursions, language excursions, morning punishments for being late or even meetings to meet about the days ahead. With all this free time, it is really sinking that the kids really did leave on that bus and are already home in the U.S. This is a very surreal feeling because even though we spent 6 weeks together, it's not enough. Sure, we all wanted to kill one another at one point or another, but who doesn't after 24/7 interaction in a confined space for that amount of time?

Truly, this has been a great experience to share with everyone on the program. I have no regret in quitting my day job and coming half way across the world to Beijing and doing this 6 weeks program. It has been an awesome-eye opening experience for me personally and I will forever remember the time spent here. It is rare to have moments of joy, pain, and sadness all in one setting but this was that. This experience rolled all emotions into one giant adventure and in the end I came out of that a somewhat different person but yet remaining who I want to be. We are in constant search for self and in the end, we always come full circle to the beginning and reinvent what we already know and want.

Thank you APSA/Jump! for this experience! Thank you for pushing me to do things I would not do normally on my own, making me step out of my comfort zone without pushing me into the deep as well as supporting me in my endeavors with compassion and knowledge. I've learned so much from my fellow colleagues as well as the students. Thank you all for contributing to my life experience and let's meet later in life again!


"We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. " --T.S. Eliot (Four Quartets) 

 

APSA/Jump! Family 2013 

Off to the Hospital we go!

I took an afternoon off to go visit the hospital because if not people will kill me (including big sis and students).

One of my coworker was nice enough to take me to Bei Da 3rd hospital (Beijing University 3rd hospital) because he was familiar with it. I was actually in that same hospital almost 4 years ago for different reason. I was there the first time for blood test when I was allergic to Beijing in the most literal sense. Now, I'm back for a sprained ankle. It's like a horrible anniversary to say the least. This time it was a lot better because I went to a different section specifically for bones, but lets not get ahead of myself.

My mode of transportation thanks to my friend was a bike! He rode up to the apartment and was like tada! He had a giant smile on his face and was like this will be our transportation to the hospital! Isn't this exciting?! Let me tell you--this would be my 2nd time on a bicycle in Beijing and it terrifies me to no end! 1st time was from subway station to get some duck at my friends' area and now to the hospital..All I could keep thinking was please don't let me stay at the hospital for a serious injury due to biking there....

As we started to bike, within 5 mins, it started to pour! We had to hide under a bridge until it stopped a bit and continued our way. Almost half way there it really started to pour all over again. This time we hid under a giant umbrella by the side of the road...It was not a smart thing to bike that day apparently.

Eventually we made it to the hospital and I proceeded to go through the process of a Chinese hospital. Pay for card/fee, go to see doc, consults and do other things like xray..pay for xray...wait.. come back for xray... wait for doctor consult again with xray and pay for med and get fee back for card once returned.

The doc wanted to plaster me up in a cast! Hell no! I'll rest when the kids are gone but I ain't going around Beijing with a cast on my feet.

After the whole situation was dealt with, we biked back again to the school and of course it was raining but this time we said fuck it and rode in the rain. It was really soothing when cars/buses weren't trying to run you down.

Wished I was in Beijing more to actually start appreciating the bike culture here.