In the time since I have returned home, inching now towards a full month, I have been keeping busy, or at least shifting locations a lot. As I write I am sitting in a friend’s house in Seattle, where I am whiling away days in the city and working my way through the visa application process for Taiwan, a relatively simple process that has contributed more stress than I have seen in some time. Nevertheless I am enjoying the time, exploring parts of Seattle I’d had yet to see and doing things like hiking in Rainer Park. I’ve been in the city for a few days now.

Prior to Seattle I was in Spokane catching up with family out at my dad’s. My time was largely consumed with the seemingly endless energy of my nearly 3-year old sister or out in the yard doing some work. It was nice to get away from the sounds of urban areas, and of course seeing everybody and having the chance to catch up was a pleasure as well. I had taken Amtrak up from Portland following a quick stop at home to pack a few things after my week in Denver visiting Ian. Highlights from that week included (for me) numerous bike rides and walkabouts in Denver proper. Also went to a beer festival in the mountains and shot a whopping 82 on 9 holes of golf, the first time I’ve picked up a club in at least a decade. It was brutal.

I have about three weeks remaining before I go back to Asia and start over as an English teacher in Taiwan. I’m looking forward to it, to the challenge and the higher standards and demands that this job will place on me, as well as the increase in pay that it offers which will go a long way towards alleviating the cramped finances of my life. Ultimately as time and distance has grown I think I have a better perspective on my time in China. Namely, there is a lot about it that I really like, a lot I really dislike, and only a few things in that middle ground. For all that, I am excited to go back and I do miss it.

Quick and short, got a little more time on the ground before I take off again.  Then it will get more interesting