Saying Goodbye
View of Kunming from XiShan, a nearby mountain.
Tomorrow morning, I get on a flight back to DC! It's going to take me around 24 hours and three planes, but I'll get there eventually! It's so exciting to think about coming home. I'm excited to come home in the winter for a change, because it means I get to wear my bulky sweaters and coat on the plane... packing has been a little easier this time around.
Saying goodbye to China this time around has been hard! When I left after studying in Beijing, I had in my head an idea that I might come back. When I left Shanghai last year, I had already made plans to come and study in Kunming. And now, leaving Kunming, I'm not sure what the future holds for me and China. I have some serious concerns about living here but they always balance out with the great experiences I've had here. It's been especially nice this semester to close some (but not close to all!) language gaps and meet other people who are just as interested in life here as I am.
Today, on my last day, I went to Yuantong Temple, which is only about 15 minutes away from the university but I hadn't managed to visit before. I was surprised how large it was! I also was there around lunchtime... which means vegetarian meals for 5RMB (a little under a dollar) per person. After walking around the temple, I got in the lunch line and got a heap of steaming rice, beans, tofu, and tons of veggies. I sat down at a table, and since it was so busy, I soon had tablemates. Once I finished my meal (the pressure to clean your plate at a Buddhist temple is strong!!), I asked the ladies across from me about the price... I hadn't seen anywhere to pay. They answered (along with two other helpful listeners from a nearby table) that it was free today... woo free lunch! As I said goodbye, one of the women told me I was 太漂亮了 "so beautiful"! Haha. Let the record show that it's currently Wednesday morning and the last shower I had was on Sunday morning. So many people have been so nice to me here, way beyond this polite compliment. I'm lucky to have had the experiences I have here. Not everyone who lives here has an easy life, and even though being a foreigner can come with huge privilege, sometimes that doesn't happen. I'm grateful for the experiences I've had and all the people I've met here.
Pictures from the temple:
On Monday, we took a little overnight trip about 4 hours out of the city to see the Earth Forest... it was very cool! Yunnan is known for some beautiful natural scenes and this one did not disappoint. Pictures below!
Professional train sleepers:
Think there were enough people at the train station?








