First Goodbyes

I can't really stand the thought that after tomorrow morning I won't see my brothers, stepmom, and cat for nine months, but it's happening. Tomorrow is the first official goodbye that I'm saying before I leave for my year abroad in China on August 27th. My stepmom, Cory, brothers, Will (4) and Wyatt (2), and cat, Charlie, are starting our move to Westfield, Indiana and are never ever ever returning to Salinas, California.

I know I said I can't stand the thought of it, but that was sort of an exaggeration. Not that I'm not going to miss them or anything! It's just that it kind of makes this trip all the more of a reality, knowing that people in my life who I see every day won't be around for almost a year... It's also weird because they're moving to the home that I'll be returning to when I come back from China. No more Toro Park or Salinas High or mild weather year round. Instead, I'll be attending Westfield High and facing sweaty, humid summers and below zero winters. Anyways, that's enough about Indiana for now. 

This blog will be an honest, personal take on my year abroad in Beijing, China. I'll update it at least once a week, depending on how my supposedly hectic schedule turns out. 

As far as my progress on packing goes, I currently have a 46 pound suitcase (which is 4 pounds away from the weight limit), and I am to purchase duffel bag to fill up this weekend. I bought 14 items on Amazon which have already been packed. The packing list has about 25 essential items but I may or may not have added a bit more than that, or a lot more, I don't know. Okay, a lot more.

Here is a list of frequently asked questions and their answers:

Why are you studying abroad?

All my life I have moved to countless cities all over California and attended many different schools. I'm use to this feeling of change, and I started to feel too "settled down" in Salinas. I felt antsy, and I wanted to experience something completely new and different than anything I had before.

Why are you going to China? I would never go there.

I would like to say that for some reason, people my age are scared of China, and I'm not completely sure why. It might be because of the whole communism thing or the notion that everyone eats dogs. Having lived in China already, I know that it's not as intimidating as its perception. The Middle Kingdom definitely has its differences from Beautiful Country (the literal Mandarin to English translations of China and the U.S.), so maybe that's why there is fear. 

1) I chose China as my country of choice because I want to gain from experiences in a country that is drastically different from the U.S. What I'll gain, I have no idea. Maturity, wisdom, cultural open mindedness, general open mindedness, who the heck knows. If I do end up with any of those qualities, I hope to share them with fellow youngsters and make them realize that eating dog isn't that bad. 

2) Like I said, I use to live in China. You could say that the reason why my blog is titled "Home Away from Home" is because moving back to a place where I previously lived, but that wouldn't be the true meaning. In saying "home," I referred to my nationality. I am half Chinese, half American (you can figure out the rest). Another reason why is because I want to re familiarize myself with my roots. I want to become more knowledgable about the country my mom comes from, and maybe discover some more things about myself.

3) I am fortunate enough to be a mixed race child that is bilingual, but because I moved to the States 10 years ago and I spend the mass majority of the time living with my white dad and white stepmom and white brothers and white and grey cat, I haven't spent a lot of time speaking Mandarin. This has led me to only understand 5-year-old levels of speaking and understanding the language, and 2-year old levels of reading the language; therefore, I wanted to become fluent in what was once one of my first languages.

4) Even if Chinese were not one of my first languages, I still would have chosen China because I want to be fluent in one of the most useful languages in the world. I plan on being in international business someday, and to be bilingual in Mandarin and English is a good first step.

How can I contact you? Aren't a bunch of websites blocked in China?

Yes, there are several websites blocked in China that are commonly use in the U.S. as communication, but I will be paying a monthly fee for a VPN which will allow me to use all social media websites that I would use in the States. Currently, I am active on twitter (@miacatkay), instagram (@miacatkay), Facebook, and tumblr (miakayserphoto.tumblr.com). This may change due to the rumored fluctuation of interests American students supposedly experience once they study abroad and become accustomed to the lifestyle in China, or something. But hopefully I will regularly be posting pictures on my photography blog, which is the tumblr URL I listed and I will include it in my Blogger description.

What's going to happen with you and Jackson?

This is the most common question I receive. I suppose people want to hear happy/sad endings (or continuations) to other's love stories for some reason. Jackson and I have been dating for nine months. He will be leaving for UC Berkeley in on Friday. Before I met Jackson, I would have said that, for lack of a better term, "high school-college" relationships are impossible, and people need to be independent before they part their separate ways! But, as I have discovered about many things recently, it is much easier said than done. 

What I do know is that to drop everything and end it is not part of the answer. I believe that when two people are in love, it is important to stay in each others' lives to some extent no matter the circumstances. Just because I am leaving doesn't mean I will stop loving Jackson, but being 5911 miles away and not having the luxury of being anywhere near the same time zone like most high school-college relationships creates a bit of a burden. In the end, the answer to this question is not known, even to us. 

Welp, it's 2:23 and my attention span is slowly wandering to Charlie's breathing patterns as she sleeps next to my feet. If you are reading this because you skipped to the bottom, then read the whole thing (just kidding). If you are reading this and it is because you have started from the top of my entry and read all the way here, then I thank you for your time and interest in my fun self, and I love you!!!! Feel free to leave comments on each post. Goodnight!