A Year in Review

I honestly can’t remember the last time I wrote a New Year’s letter to everybody—in fact, it’s quite possible that I have never done so before. And yet, this year I feel strangely compelled. Perhaps it’s the peer pressure (I’ve gotten over five such letters in the last week), or perhaps it’s just because I’ve had that interesting of a year. Whatever the reasoning behind it, I hope you enjoy! Also, please note that I have linked to relevant blog entries if you feel so inclined as to find out more about a particular topic.

This year started rather quietly for me, celebrating New Year’s with a few close friends at my former Chinese teacher’s house here in Kunming. They have an amazing flat, and it was enjoyable to pamper myself just a little bit here. We then absconded with one of our, ummmm, older friends, and took her to one of the skuzziest ex-pat bars to be found in Kunming: The Speak Easy. She was appropriately scandalized, and it was decided that all in all, it was a good start to a new year.

After arguing with several Chinese service attendants at banks and other places, and after a sleep-deprived week to finish grading all my finals, I was off with two friends, Chesa and Marie-Liesse, to enjoy the splendors of SE Asia. In all, we visited five countries: Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines (where we narrowly escaped the Valentine’s Day bombings that blanketed the country that day). Though each of these countries has their own strong and weak points, I think that overall, Laos was my favorite country by far. It is just such a contrast to the rest of SE Asia! Whereas Kunming has a population of over five million if you include surrounding suburbs, the entire country of Laos has only a population of six million—it’s a difference one notices immediately upon entering the “backwater burg” of Vientiane (the capital).

After almost six weeks of travelling, it was back to good old Kunming for a new semester. It was almost too relaxing at some points, but I lumped enough on my plate in the end, that I seemed to never stop going.
First, I got a new dog named XiaoXiong (小熊), or Little Bear. He also has the Franglish name of Maurice, but hardly anybody calls him that. He’s a cute little Lhasa Apso in serious need of braces as his under-bite is quite pronounced. I think it makes him just that much cuter, but my friends seem to think that it makes him look evil. :o(

As if raising a puppy wasn’t enough, I took the HSK (the standardized Chinese Level Test), and failed brilliantly. It’s somewhat disconcerting to study a language for almost four years and still be considered of the elementary beginning level! In addition, I took the Foreign Service Written Exam, and again, failed brilliantly. Well, actually, I don’t know how well I did, but not good enough to enter the service.

My lovely mother, her boss, and her coworker also came through China for a three-week visit in May. We spent some lovely time along China’s eastern front, visiting such cities as Shanghai, Hangzhou (and its famous Western Lake), Suzhou, and the quaint canal village of Zhouzhuang. Then it was down to my neck of the woods to experience my everyday life here in Kunming as well as the normal tourist track of Dali, Lijiang (whose old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and Zhongdian (AKA Shangri-la). I think my mom had her eyes opened to a whole new part of the world, and so, besides having a good time seeing her, I also enjoyed introducing her to new things.

At the end of May, while sitting in one of my favorite restaurants in Kunming that serves XinJiang food, I decided to take advantage of my students’ labour week and head west—far west—to XinJiang, China’s hinterland. I travelled by myself, and had an absolutely amazing time. The scenery there is gorgeous, and upon arrival in Urumqi (the capital of Xinjiang), I felt right at home. Urumqi is situated on a arid plain right next to the TianShan mountain range, just like the Front Range of Colorado.
Upon my return home, I decided to stay in Kunming for another year, and re-upped at Yunnan University. It meant a mad rush to change apartments (XiaoXiong wasn’t exactly welcomed in the foreigner’s compound), but it was worth it. I quite enjoy my new apartment, as well as the new roommates!

Enter next traveler: Robin, my old housemate from Whitman and fellow Fort Collinsite. She arrived to break in the new apartment (we had fun figuring out the washing machine), and then it was off for a two week journey across China. We hit Dali, Lijiang, and Zhongdian, but then continued through the serious back country of Sichuan province, spending several days in LiTang, a Tibetan town located at a mere 15,000+ ft. I loved every minute of it, though not speaking Tibetan made it a bit difficult to communicate sometimes. From there it was down through Kangding and Chengdu, only to fly to Xi’an (for the Terracotta Soldiers of course) and finally to Beijing. She insisted on seeing the Great Wall, so we made an excursion.

Then it was time for some serious reverse-culture shock, as I headed back to the US for almost six weeks. I enjoyed thoroughly getting to see all of my friends and family back home, but the US remains a very crazy place (not that China isn’t). I stocked up on good wine, good food, good salad, avocados, good chocolate, good desserts, and a good ten pounds…luckily I have been able to take them off (and more) during this semester in Kunming.

I returned to my new apartment only to find the bustling road on which I presently live, Wenlin Jie demolished. They were redoing the sewer system and enlarging the road, but all it looked like to me was piles of mud dangerous crevices filled with raw sewage. Yummy! After about a month of construction, it was mostly finished, and I couldn’t have been happier! Like I always say though, if you’re not about to die in China, then you’re doing something wrong! (NOTE: I don’t advocate actual dieing.)

I have truly felt that coming back to Kunming was the right decision for this year, but I think I’ll be ready to continue my adventures elsewhere next year. I took on an aggressive teaching schedule—22 hours per week, plus three hours of tutoring, plus Chinese class. I nearly drove myself crazy—losing my voice at the end of almost each week. It made it hard for me to carry on my favorite past time, KTV (Karaoke TV), and so I have resolved not to do so next semester. My favorite class was probably American Culture and Society, where I got to discuss substantive issues for a change, and I feel like I really made an impact on some of these kids’ lives.

The holiday season this year was generally good, and I got my fill of sushi so I really can’t complain. This time around, a band of teachers here at Yunnan University as well as one of our other friends performed at a local, Scandinavian-run tea house/café/gallery called Nordica. They were simply amazing, and I’m constantly amazed at the caliber of talented people I find around me here. I was also asked to carry out a Swedish tradition of toasting all the girls in the room (a couple of girls also harassed, I mean toasted, the boys). It was fun to participate, but then it was home for an early night to finish my Personal Statement as my graduate school applications were due on the thirty-first. Thank goodness for a 13-plus-hour time difference!

And with that, we have made it to present more or less. For those of you my age (that is to say, born in 1982), this year should be especially auspicious. It is once again the Year of the Dog, and thus, I hope you are able to make the most of it! I will be travelling to India starting on January 18th to pass the Chinese New Year. So, I wish myself “一路顺风” (Safe journeys, literally, “one road with the wind”), and if you’re interested in keeping up-to-date on my boring life on the other side of the world, check out my blog at http://www.knezzy.com/FunFacts!