Goodbye Chengdu

It has just hit me that I am leaving Chengdu tomorrow, and China the day after that.  I am going to miss this city that I have become so familiar with that I can give directions and recommend restaurants. I will miss natives asking to take pictures with me daily, although I will not mind not having to guess whether all the staring strangers think of me as a national enemy or a celebrity.  I will have to readjust to people not offering me food incessantly and trying to feed me at every meal.  I wish I had more time to spend better getting to know my host sister, but even if I were to stay here longer her time is still constantly consumed by preparing for college.  I learn so much when I am with her, the most valuable first-hand culture and language.  I cannot wait until two years from now when we are both attending college in America.  I am going to miss learning a new character every time I look out the window at a poster or street sign.  It will be strange not hearing random Christmas music in shopping malls, being within walking distance of a bamboo park, and eating dumplings for breakfast.  I am not ready to switch back to American.

Giraffe translates literally as "long-necked deer" from Chinese, one of my favorite things about the language.

My host house as I leave it in the morning 

My host mother and I at the airport