In less than two weeks, we will be heading back to the US for the summer. We'll all be there for about 5 weeks, getting our fill of fast food, seeing friends and family (and many gambling tables?), refilling our medicine cabinet and playing golf for less than $120 a round.
It's definitely time for a break to get back to the US culture for a bit. The way of life here is wearing on me. I'm starting to get more depressed and having less fun. There are many little things that I am getting sick and tired of here........
I'm getting sick and tired of:
- our apartment (pt.1). It is 90% Chinese, and there are no Western boys above the age of 5. So Freddie and Warren don't have any friends here in the complex. On the random days off, they stay at home, play video games, read for a bit and fight with each other. We have to organize sessions to get together with their friends. It's not how I envision the boys growing up.
- our apartment, pt. 2. I hate getting woken up at 4 am by some college student screaming on the riverwalk outside.
- the cockroach season that never ends
- the swimming pool here with the random rules. The pool closes from 11:30 to 3:30 every day - because it is "too hot at the pool". Also, they tell us we can't swim when it just finished raining, when the week before, they would have let us swim in lightning and thunder.
- random answers, in general. Our piano teacher called us to say she will be late for the lesson (on Sat afternoon, when we have plans Sat night) because "it's raining too hard". Huh?
- elevator etiquette, or lack thereof. If you are in the elevator trying to get out at your floor, look out first -since the crowd is coming in. I'm starting to barrel people over now getting out - maybe that will teach them to wait before entering the elevator
- the car situation. We are having issues with our driver - and that just makes it a nuisance for everyone.
- the constant planning every day for transportation. I can't just leave work, drive home, pick up Martin and go to the doctor. Doesn't work like that.
- our apartment, pt 3. The regular doorman ALWAYS tries to strike up a conversation with me ..... when he knows damn well I can't understand anything he says. And I think he is hitting on Janice.....
- not being able to watch sporting events live with the kids. I'm getting depressed at this. We can't watch the Masters together, or a baseball game, or root against LeBron together...... We will be going to at least 3 Reds games over the summer to make up for it.
- the youth baseball league. I am the coach of both teams - and it's painful. I can't communicate with 20% of the kids. 20% of the other kids will show up 30 minutes late (for a 1 hour game). I have to explain to parents why their kids can't just step on third when a ground ball is hit when runners are on 1st and 2nd. Kids backing away from pop flies - at AGE 11. Kids wandering off the base after reaching the base safely - then get tagged out. I expect this at T-ball, not in 8-9 or 10-12.
- the caddies at the golf course. The next caddie to speak - as I am about to bring the putter back- and say "uphill" will get my Odyssey shoved down his/her throat. (I do kind of appreciate the bluntness, however. I hit a bad shot; I look hopefully at the caddie. "Is it OK?" The response: "No. OB." )
- Martin's skin, which looks like he has "leg measles" because of all the mosquito bites. I expect this to clear up after being in the US for 3 days.
- our apartment, pt 4. I hate the closeness of apartment living. I hate it. The TV can be heard everywhere. After being in a house since 1996 (wow), living 2 years in an apartment is hell. And I really don't like the fact that the boys don't have their own room.
There's a lot of good things about living over here. Work is good and busy. As many of you can guess, I'd rather be here than in Cincinnati right now from a career environment standpoint.
But the newness has worn off. The first 4-6 months were horrible with the transition (mushrooms, anyone?). The next 9-12 months were an adventure - and for the most part, was fun. Now - it's a drag, a chore.
I know many of you are thinking "suck it up - stop trying to live the American life in China and live like a true Chinese person". Well, I did my time, and it was fun/entertaining for a while. But I'm done with it.
When we come back here after the summer, we will be moving within the city to an expat compound where we will have a house. A four bedroom house. We will be a little farther from work, yes. But there will be western kids for the boys to run around with, some privacy, some space, and people who speak English. Yes, a good bit of suburbia in China. And you know what? I'm not guilty about it at all. I - we - deserve it.
It's definitely time for a break to get back to the US culture for a bit. The way of life here is wearing on me. I'm starting to get more depressed and having less fun. There are many little things that I am getting sick and tired of here........
I'm getting sick and tired of:
- our apartment (pt.1). It is 90% Chinese, and there are no Western boys above the age of 5. So Freddie and Warren don't have any friends here in the complex. On the random days off, they stay at home, play video games, read for a bit and fight with each other. We have to organize sessions to get together with their friends. It's not how I envision the boys growing up.
- our apartment, pt. 2. I hate getting woken up at 4 am by some college student screaming on the riverwalk outside.
- the cockroach season that never ends
- the swimming pool here with the random rules. The pool closes from 11:30 to 3:30 every day - because it is "too hot at the pool". Also, they tell us we can't swim when it just finished raining, when the week before, they would have let us swim in lightning and thunder.
- random answers, in general. Our piano teacher called us to say she will be late for the lesson (on Sat afternoon, when we have plans Sat night) because "it's raining too hard". Huh?
- elevator etiquette, or lack thereof. If you are in the elevator trying to get out at your floor, look out first -since the crowd is coming in. I'm starting to barrel people over now getting out - maybe that will teach them to wait before entering the elevator
- the car situation. We are having issues with our driver - and that just makes it a nuisance for everyone.
- the constant planning every day for transportation. I can't just leave work, drive home, pick up Martin and go to the doctor. Doesn't work like that.
- our apartment, pt 3. The regular doorman ALWAYS tries to strike up a conversation with me ..... when he knows damn well I can't understand anything he says. And I think he is hitting on Janice.....
- not being able to watch sporting events live with the kids. I'm getting depressed at this. We can't watch the Masters together, or a baseball game, or root against LeBron together...... We will be going to at least 3 Reds games over the summer to make up for it.
- the youth baseball league. I am the coach of both teams - and it's painful. I can't communicate with 20% of the kids. 20% of the other kids will show up 30 minutes late (for a 1 hour game). I have to explain to parents why their kids can't just step on third when a ground ball is hit when runners are on 1st and 2nd. Kids backing away from pop flies - at AGE 11. Kids wandering off the base after reaching the base safely - then get tagged out. I expect this at T-ball, not in 8-9 or 10-12.
- the caddies at the golf course. The next caddie to speak - as I am about to bring the putter back- and say "uphill" will get my Odyssey shoved down his/her throat. (I do kind of appreciate the bluntness, however. I hit a bad shot; I look hopefully at the caddie. "Is it OK?" The response: "No. OB." )
- Martin's skin, which looks like he has "leg measles" because of all the mosquito bites. I expect this to clear up after being in the US for 3 days.
- our apartment, pt 4. I hate the closeness of apartment living. I hate it. The TV can be heard everywhere. After being in a house since 1996 (wow), living 2 years in an apartment is hell. And I really don't like the fact that the boys don't have their own room.
There's a lot of good things about living over here. Work is good and busy. As many of you can guess, I'd rather be here than in Cincinnati right now from a career environment standpoint.
But the newness has worn off. The first 4-6 months were horrible with the transition (mushrooms, anyone?). The next 9-12 months were an adventure - and for the most part, was fun. Now - it's a drag, a chore.
I know many of you are thinking "suck it up - stop trying to live the American life in China and live like a true Chinese person". Well, I did my time, and it was fun/entertaining for a while. But I'm done with it.
When we come back here after the summer, we will be moving within the city to an expat compound where we will have a house. A four bedroom house. We will be a little farther from work, yes. But there will be western kids for the boys to run around with, some privacy, some space, and people who speak English. Yes, a good bit of suburbia in China. And you know what? I'm not guilty about it at all. I - we - deserve it.
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