Heading Back

I'll be back in Lanzhou on Wednesday. I'm excited for the semester, and planning has been much more low-key since I know more of what to expect this time around.

I already know how different this coming semester is going to be compared with the Spring 2008 semester I spent in Lanzhou. First of all, I know exactly what to pack (and what not to pack!). The first item on my packing list this summer was instant coffee! The Chinese are, not surprisingly, big tea drinkers. They have instant coffee, but it's already sweetened and has whitener in it. I plan on drinking my fair share of tea, but some mornings I'm sure I'll just want my coffee! I'm also taking some boxes of macaroni, a jar of nutella, and a box of CoCo Wheats. The macaroni and nutella are more so I can share them with other international students, not because I will miss them. The CoCo Wheats are because it's an easy breakfast that I enjoy, especially on cold mornings!

I also think I better planned out the clothing I'm taking. Layering is so important, so I packed colors that go together and items I can wear on top of one another. For anyone planning on traveling, I can't stress the importance of layering!

Another difference I am expecting is in the international students I will be studying with. Sometimes I have an irrational fear that my classmates won't be as cool as last time. What if they're all jerks and we don't get along? On one hand, I know that I can never make friendships exactly like the ones I formed with Dustin, Ellen, Tracy, Travis, and all the other good friends I made last time. But that's the nature of friendship. This semester, I know I will make strong, lasting friendships with new people. Of course it won't be the same, but it will be just as great. By the way, my roommate from before, Aidana, will be in Lanzhou at the same time as me. She's studying at a different university, but she's only a bus ride away! And, my Chinese friends Lili and Ming will be in Lanzhou with me, too. These two were exchange students to Muskingum this past year.

I also know I won't travel quite as much as I did last semester in China. One reason is that I have to be back at Muskingum in January for the spring semester, so I don't have the luxury of traveling for a month after my classes. Since I will be limited to weekends and short breaks, I will have to take trips to nearby cities.

Lastly, because I'm fairly familiar with the city of Lanzhou, I will be spending less time learning the city and walking around taking it all in. Instead, when I go out, I will enjoy visiting the places I remember and trying to find new things to do.

I am really looking forward to my semester in Lanzhou. The city feels a lot like home to me.