Satan’s Armpit

I’ve been putting off an update. As you know, recent weeks have been a period of major adjustment. Leaving my husband and daughter, flying down to the second-hottest possible area of China to live (there is still Hainan Island…), and starting a new life, that’s what I’ve been up to for the last three weeks.

I bet you’re all wondering how that’s going.

Well, I have to say that my overall first impressions of nearly every aspect of my new life are overwhelmingly positive.

I had a couple of days to truly appreciate the intense heat and humidity, as well as get to know B and her crew before the summer camp started. I walked around exhausted, feeling like I weighed three hundred pounds (have you ever been to the tropics?). Summer camp was truly exhausting. Every night I just fell in to bed after the ritual evening shower and lowering of the mosquito net.

But camp was also amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it in China.  The children were well behaved, and all of them know what they were supposed to say and when they should say it. All day I was surrounded by “May I please go to the bathroom?” and “May I have some more broccoli please?” It was surreal.

Because they were so well behaved, the staff was able to do all sorts of fun games and activities with them, without worrying about fights, safety, or them running off. I expected to have to deal with a lot of discipline problems, and when there were almost none, I was left to teach them crafts and serve them more vegetables.

After camp, B and myself, who hit it off very well, did a lot of office work and resting. We also started the Keto diet together, or at least a slightly more relaxed version of it. Basically we try to avoid all carbs and sugars, and limit our food to meats, dairy, and non-starchy vegetables. I thought it would be difficult, but so far I don’t have any cravings. As long as I can feel full, I don’t even feel the need to snack! I think I am just very very lucky.

I’m also already losing inches, and I’ve had some other nice health benefits such as better digestion, and a bit more energy (or perhaps I’m feeling weighed down somewhat less)

This kind of diet would almost be impossible in Qinghai, so I’m taking advantage of having a keto buddy and having more foods around me than bread and noodles.

I’m also really enjoying the people here where I live. Of course it is only one small area of an enormous province, but there are so many stark contrasts to my experience in Northern China. In general, people are friendly. Even the grandmas! People often say hello to me before I say “ni hao” to them. It is quite a nice change from the stern judgemental nai nais in the north.

And people genuinely seem happy here. In general. That’s a really nice change. And you know what. I find that I am happy too. Now I am feeling cautiously optimistic that the good parts of 2017 can finally begin. Once I get my daughter here, I think things will be as happy as there is potential for in our current situation. So that is the next step. Arranging for her kindergarten.

I’m looking forward to starting classes at my new school this fall. If the summer camp is any indication of what the regular school year will be like, I may regret not moving here years ago. And let’s see when/if I ever do leave.