The Goodbye List

In an earlier blog, I wrote about all the people I was having to say goodbye to and realized what an extensive list it was. Building relationships in a place is hard--because sometimes you have to say goodbye for what might be forever.
Being back in the States is really great in a lot of ways, but I think I've been distracting myself so much since I've been back that I haven't been able to address the feeling in my heart that something (or someone--even lots of someones) is missing.
It's not as hard to address the culture shock as it is figuring out the stages of grief.
Of course, being sad about leaving those relationships behind means that they were good, and I suppose that is great and wonderful.

Anyway, here are some visuals for all those folks that I loved and knew in China (writing that in past tense is weird). 

The team at Zhong Bei University

Our Foreign Fellowship

(most of the families happened to missing from the particular Sunday that this was taken, so imagine about twice as many people here.)

My co-teachers

Gerry 

My wonderful, beautiful babies

Taiyuan Teens (meaning kids, volunteers, and the camp)

The ladies at the shop across the street

The school guards

Friends in other parts of China

My team

It's been hard for me to connect back to these relationships because nothing in my American life includes them other than my pictures, memories, and things I brought home with me (except for my teammates and stateside friends--we have phone numbers but I don't see them anymore).
So far it's like nothing changed, except that I feel a gap inside and every once in a while something will remind of my students enough to bring tears to my eyes.
Readjusting is such an interesting process.