Tonight is my last night in the D.C. area for this year. I have spent five very short weeks here, and I'm just a touch reluctant to leave. Classes, and with them all the stress, just ended Friday. I finally have time and mental energy to do what I want, but it's time to move on.
In spite of the work, there were some highlights. I saw friends that I haven't seen in years, lots of them, though not all of them. I met a lot of great people that I hope to keep in touch with. Most astonishingly, perhaps, I ran without suffocating! I'm a fresh air addict and it's near impossible to get a fix in Beijing! To offer a small glimpse into the reality of Beijing pollution, I will tell you that I can run for about 10 minutes there before I feel like my lungs are crusting over. Here I can run for half an hour. Yes I break a sweat, but no I don't feel like my chest is imploding. It's funny because I was starting to think I was just getting old, but this break from bad air has been reassuring!
The good stuff just kept on coming this summer, so I have a lot to be thankful for. I know a list doesn't quite cut it, but it's what I've got. In no particular order, I'm utterly grateful for...
...my friends from former lives who still make me feel like I belong, even though I keep abandoning you to go on my fantastic voyages.
...my awesome roommates who made me laugh and kept me sane.
...all the cool people in the program (FAST TRAIN, not AA) that shared stories and ideas.
...Screen on the Green.
...Dan, who has an uncanny ability to just appear places.
...crab.
...sun, blue skies, greenery, and the smell of fresh air.
...crickets.
...and, why not, vegetables.
My summer isn't over, though. Tomorrow I head to Kentucky to visit family, before going back to New York, and visiting more family, for a couple of weeks. I'll get to spend time with people I care about and do a lot less work than I have been. Life is good!
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