Leaving China

The first goodbye was a difficult one. Waving to our Chinese hosts and friends was heartbreaking. My closest friend from China, Ennis, could only blow us a kiss and look away, hiding the tears streaming down his face. At the airport, it soon became time to wish our friends from U of I off. As I hugged them I remembered the circumstances that brought us together. As fellows of the Wanxiang program we came to learn and do as much as we could and that we did. Thus it was time for us to bid each other adieu and while I believed myself ready, I was not. The tears were streaming down my face without the consent of my mind but with the need of my heart. Never again will this group of people be together, never again will one step into the same stream twice. This fact, however, does not keep me from wishing that the stream come together once more. I am horrible at goodbyes, often preferring them of the Irish variety. So for now, I will wallow in my palpable denial and pretend that when I arrive in China next, everyone I left will be waiting there for me.