Days alone at Dio

I wasn't planning on updating this until after Thailand, but since I have a little bit of free time, I figured I'd share my thoughts for this week. Nanchang is EMPTY! I didn't think that it could get any worse than when I returned from Nanjing. But I was definitely wrong. It might seem a bit more empty because I am the only one left here and the rest of my teammates are in Thailand. The last group left yesterday along with Danielle. I really loved having a good friend from home here so that she could really see what my life is like here. But having someone from home made me realize how much I miss people back home. I love my life out here, my teammates, my students, the friendships that I've formed, but it all just gets harder when you realize that you can't go back to your other home for another 5 months. When I'm here with my teammates and with my students, I don't think much about home. I just do life here. My new home. But when someone from your old home comes into your new home, it reminds you of how much you miss that old place. I'm not sure how much of this actually makes sense, but I'm just trying to get out what I'm feeling right now.

Like I said before, Nanchang is empty. Yesterday I spent the day completely alone after the guys left. It was really good though. I was able to focus on lessons and work and get ready for the semester that is before me. I also had some good time with the Big Guy. It's refreshing to just be alone sometimes. But I didn't think that it was healthy for me to do that two days in a row. So I woke up this morning and headed out to the one place that I know that would be open still. Dio coffee. I love this place. It is unlike any coffee shop back at home. Think of a really nice hotel, with a piano, with about 20 people working in uniform, and absolutely no people, and that is Dio, but it's not a hotel, it just looks like the inside of one. It is a bit tai gui le (expensive), but it's become my once a week habit. Although this week, I've been here 3 times. Right now, I'm sitting here with my latte, waiting to call some people from back home, writing and watching some ladies dance with fans outside. I must say that it's a pretty nice set up for me. It's probably much better than me sitting alone in my apartment for another day. I do wish that I brought my camera to capture the fan dancing outside, but it's not really an unusual occurence so one day I'll catch them.