Saying good bye is never easy… well for some. While the kids had a different bus monitor each year, I am pretty sure we left our mark on each one. I asked friends of mine if there was a big turn over of bus drivers on their bus. Most buses had a lot of consistency. I am pretty sure bus # 70 had the most turn over since the Carey’s arrived in Shanghai. It is a good thing that the Ayi on the bus doesn’t speak any english and I couldn’t communicate to her very much in Chinese. I felt hopeful when she was willing to pose with the kids on the last day of school. She looked happy huh! A little too happy to say good bye. Ya think!!!
Mr. Zhu was one of the first people I met when I moved to China. Most people know him as our driver… but for us he was so much more. I remember meeting him and not caring about his driving record, rather my biggest concern was if he smoked. He was also, my shopping assistant often helping me bargain for things, he was our map… learning very quickly my stomping grounds and never once showing emotions that yes, we were heading to the gym AGAIN. He was my water stop, parking in strategic places to be near where I could score a water on my run. He was my SOS, when I was over served at “Ponyo” S11, 290, N59. (My friends names in Chinese were was Ponyo… which means friends in Chinese and then their house numbers.) He knew my kids schedule better then me, often reminding me that baseball was tonight when I was trying to tell him it was ok for him to go home for the night or asking if he had to drive Garrett to swimming. (all in Chinese/Kristenese) He was body guard, when I would get frustrated with various Chinaisms… I remember someone honking at us when I was loading our car up with groceries… the honking gets old fast. I started to walk over to the car/driver and he guided me right back into the van. He would laugh when I would get out in traffic in the middle of the road and run the two blocks… even when I wasn’t short on time or when Chris and I decided we absolutely needed two cement elephants that neither of us could lift by ourselves. I knew he thought we were crazy, but he liked it. I wish he could know how much he impacted my life in China. I couldn’t wait to see him bouncing on his toes waving when we arrived after being gone all summer. While he had all that time off, he seemed happy to have us home. Without him,
our family would have been lost.
When we decided to transfer/move to China, I came with Chris in April of that year on a look-see. I know this because there are pictures of me in China… if there weren’t any pictures, I never would have believed I was here looking at houses and apartments. I think I slept through it all with such jet lag. No decisions were made and we ended up deciding on our housing last minute online… we did not even see the apartment. After living the first year with white walls… and rental furniture…
We made our apartment our home… we loved our digs!
As odd as this is… shopping was unusual in China. There were few places for immediate gratification in shopping. Walk in … purchase and wear. Until I met Julia. She spoke GREAT English and makes the most beautiful creations with beads. Most of what you see me wear today is from her booth in the Underground. She was fair and kind…. she made me the most beautiful necklace as my going away gift and I have never been so touched…
It is hard to believe that over three years ago we landed in the Pudong airport … like this… and left with a greater meaning..
As one of my best Friends in China said, “Don’t be sad that it’s over, be glad that it happened” We were all touched in different ways from our experiences while living there and it brought us even closer together as a family. Plunging through the new culture… embracing some aspects and struggling with others They made us stronger, more confident and in the end closer together. While its great to be back in the States… with the clean air, comforts of home and conveniences… we will miss our adventures of China. Most of all though, we will miss the great life long friends we made along way. Without them we never could have stayed.
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