Where does it go…

…time that is.

Today is June 6th; in one month and one day I’ll be flying back home to Canada. 

I still remember my first day in China, I arrived in a brand new city, was greeted by a short young man from my University at the airport, who spoke no English and was surprised to find out the amount of luggage I brought with me was copious…I guess I forgot to mention I was hauling 50 lbs of goalie equipment across the world…he dropped me off at a random hotel downtown and gave me directions to the University where I could register the next day, I found it; and began my year as a Chinese Language student.  Now that year has almost come to an end. 

And it’s bittersweet.  I’m so excited to go home; to see family, to see friends, to drink tap water and walk down the street as just a regular Joe, but, I know saying good bye to the friends I’ve made this year is going to break my heart just a little.  I’ve made some close friends this year, and to be honest I don’t really want to say goodbye, because I don’t know when the next time I’ll see them will be.  I wish I could say I’ll see you soon…but really, how often do I make it to Slovakia…or Belgium…?  We’ll meet again, I’m sure of it, but it doesn’t make saying ‘see you later’ any easier.

This has been an incredible year.  Incredible.  Incredible.

Really.  When I think back on what I’ve done, where I’ve been and who I’ve grown closer with…it makes me smile…a lot.  I’m glad I took a year off from life to come to China; because really it turned out that this year wasn’t a year off from life but a year that showed me what life is really about.  Coming back I know that I can’t just live ordinary; and that’s exciting…and scary all at the same time. 

I’ve learned a lot this year.  I can write a fajillion Chinese characters and hold a conversation with just about any taxi driver, I can order a delicious meal for a table of friends and talk my way through Chinese cities, towns and villages…but more than that I’ve learnt a lot about myself.  A lot about who I am and who I want to be.  I learned that it takes a lot to step out on faith, but the rewards of doing so are immeasurable.  I’ve learned that life isn’t about what everybody else is doing, and sometimes it’s hard for me to agree to take a different path, to not do the ordinary, but every time I choose the un-ordinary path…the destination is so incredible that it makes me trust that taking a different road will pay off.

When I start to think back on this year; it blows my mind.  This year was so much more than a year abroad studying a language; it was the opportunity of a lifetime. This year may be coming to a close, but it’s just the beginning of a bigger journey.