Long, slow, and steady

I’ve been away, but that was by choice.  I couldn’t keep focus on Kiddo and the blog with what has been going on in the world.  I stepped back.

We are in the doldrums in the problem.  February break hits and it is a needed time.  A refresh.  Then, however, we get back and it’s another 8 long weeks until the next break.  We still have 3 weeks to go.  Winter transitions to spring, so that’s a bonus, but really, it’s just work and school and life.  We have weekends, but knowing that there is no break coming, we kind of bunker.  That and it rains.  Cold becomes warmish until it finally warms.  So, there’s not a lot going on.  Welp, this weekend we went out to shop together and played legos.  Welp, we put away the winter gear and pulled out the rain gear and watched a movie.  Welp, we…. It’s boring.  It’s the slow time.

Not that we mind it.  Not that we hate it.  It’s just not content.  

It’s given me time to reflect on things.  On China.  On life.  On the adventure.

I’m glad we’re doing it.  Especially in the face of things right now.  However, China isn’t for us.  It’s not that we don’t like it.  It’s not that it’s not great.  It’s all of those things.  It’s a wonderful place.  Safe.  Clean.  Efficient.  Green.  Affordable.  Great food and a wide variety of it.  However, it’s crushing at times.  The long stretch of work and school with minimal breaks until February and then a month off where China shuts down as everyone travels.  Then, another crushing 8 weeks until a long weekend break.  Then, another 8 weeks until the end of the year.  Then, Kiddo gets out, but J goes back for 2 weeks to (basically) kill time as they are doing nothing but logging time to match the Chinese track students and school calendar.  Then J gets 6 weeks until she goes back, again, for 2 weeks, to attend meetings that do nothing but log time to (again) match the Chinese track calendar.  A month wasted.  

There is a certain lack of flexibility.  Things are how they are.  There is order in that.  There is safety in that.  There is a certain stillness in that, but the lack of dynamic thinking can sometimes be burdensome.  There is beauty in it, in an odd way, as there is 10,000 years of history of it ingrained in the mindset and culture.  Being outside of that culture, however, leave a feeling of malaise and discomfort.  It’s hard to explain unless you’ve experienced it.  

We are here next year as well.  Repeating it again.  Maybe we will groove into better, knowing it.  Maybe we will move on.  I’d vote move on, but factors outside of our control determine that as well and I won’t speak on that.  I can’t.  Not unless you want a 20 page missive on the topic and my thoughts.

The good news is, with spring here, we’ve done a spring photoshoot.  Kiddo put on one of her new dresses for it.  We also got in some sand pit time.  There was the class field tip.  And we got dirty knees and butts.  Hung out with H and had some fun.  And got a new sleep shirt…. The days of my wardrobe becoming hers has started and if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to the balcony to FLING…. See you at the bottom.

Let’s go, Kiddo…. In a week you’ll be 9.  In a few weeks we’ll take a trip and see more of China.  Then, after closing the year, we’ll get back to Thailand and see more of SEA and have some summer fun, see some new cities, and lounge on a beach.  Thanks for being you!