You'll always find your way back home

Although I am quite certain you know this story, I will tell it once more to ensure we're all on the same page. On April 24, 2009, my life changed forever (that may sound extreme but please bear with me). My father walked into the cozy bonus room where my sister Emily and I were watching TV and said he had something to tell us. "How would you all feel about moving the family to China?" Nervous laughter, shock, exchange of glances with my sister, hyperventilation, jaw-dropping speechlessness- looking back I struggle to convey the weight of those moments. The following weeks were filled with questions, contracts, and lists. Within a month my parents and two younger sisters were on a plane to Shenzhen, China to look for a house and to tour schools. I stayed behind in Knoxville to watch over our house (which was up for sale). Apparently I did a decent job with the constant vacuuming, dusting and stuffing junk under furniture for showings because an acceptable offer was soon made on our house. SOLD! From there my life was reduced to boxes. Our furniture was quickly packed up and put in a container to be shipped via container ship to China. Since that takes 40-60 days, the furniture had to leave long before my family. So, we moved into a furnished apartment. On the third floor. A few days later a larger apartment opened up. So, we moved into a new apartment. On the third floor. Most of my belongings went into a storage facility as I shuffled around. When my family left in early August for Shenzhen, I spent a couple weeks in a nomadic state, house-sitting for friends as I waited to move into my apartment (on the third floor!) for the fall semester.

Fall semester flew by. Between classes, my job at Target pharmacy, clubs, preparations for spring semester study abroad in Chile, and my new job as the Groh family liaison in the USA, I really had little time to breathe, reflect or make sense of what was going on. I feel that constant state of activity was a blessing, however, because anytime I did slow down I began to miss my family and to resent the thousands of miles that separated us. But all that is history now. 827 to-do lists later, I have made it to the other side of one heck of a year. I am (finally!) sitting in the lovely living room of my family's home in China. My laptop is plugged into the floor (yep, the outlet is on the floor-weird right?), and I am ready to give this blogging thing a trg in an effort to not completely fall of the face of the earth for the next seven months.

Did I mention I lost my passport? Yes, good story. I had the privilege to travel to Europe after finals with a few friends. I spent time in Germany, Austria, and France and was scheduled to fly out of Paris on December 22 to Hong Kong to reach my family by Christmas. I wish I could capture the glow I must have had as I rode the shuttle from the train station in Paris to Charles de Gaulle Airport. After four and a half months I was going to see my family! Sooo you can imagine my epic disappointment when I checked my purse as I stood in line at the Air China ticket counter and found my passport missing. Deep breath!! I stepped out of line, searched my carry-on and large suitcase, emptied out the contents of my purse, and ran to the information desk. I soon found myself sitting in the office of the French border police. After several phone calls and a few tears, I managed to pull myself together long enough to make my way back to the hostel where friends were staying for one more night. My amazing friends helped me sort out my options as I came to terms with the fact that I would not be spending Christmas with my family. I returned to Germany with the group and made arrangements to obtain an emergency passport from the consulate in Frankfurt. The solo journey to Frankfurt beginning at 2:45 AM on Christmas Eve proved to be quite the interesting trip, but I came out on the other side unscathed with a shiny, new temporary passport. Although this baby looks the same from the outside as your passport, the inside looks a little more homemade, which the Chinese government did take note of one week later when I crossed the border from Hong Kong to China. As the consulate in Frankfurt told me, I can expect "suspicion and special consideration" whenever I cross a border with my new temp passport. Lovely. Next task:obtain a new Chilean student visa-ughhhhhhh.

I have been in China for 8 days now. I have many stories (and pictures!) to share already, but for now I'll wrap this one up. Happy New Year everyone!