Doesn't Seem Possible
Cici and I were talking yesterday as we drove home from her morning competition. It was my job to keep her talking so she wouldn't fall asleep as we drove home. Do you realize, I asked her, that you only have two 6 week terms left in this school year and then you will be a junior? It really does feel like she has only been here for a month or two, but so many things have changed since she arrived in America.
Your former classmates will hardly know you when you return to China this summer, I told Cici. You have done something that they can only dream of doing. You not only came to America; you proved that you belong. You speak English now almost as naturally as you speak Chinese. You proved that you can compete with the best students in America, in their native language. Your former classmates will have so many questions, and you will enjoy visiting with them. They will want to see your American passport, and will marvel at your long hair. You have seen the world from a different perspective, and things will never be the same between you. You won't fit in with your classmates the way you did before. They will seem less mature to you, and they won't know quite what to make of you.
And I have a prediction, I told Cici. By the time you have been in China for a month, I bet you are very homesick. You will miss your home because this is your home now. You will miss the comfort of your bedroom, your bed, your desk, your bathroom. You will miss the conveniences of living here in America, and you will be yearning to return. By the time we were having this part of the conversation Ping had joined us. I agree with Papa, she told Cici. You will miss being here very much. Ping knows; it happened to her last summer.
Well, while my two chickens are sleeping this morning, I am at the office taking care of business. I have meetings with three new clients this morning, and plenty of other work to get done. Cici has a leisurely day on Monday with no school until 4:00, but she must be there until 9:00 p.m. That sounds like a good day for her to go with Ping to get her Texas ID card issued.
Your former classmates will hardly know you when you return to China this summer, I told Cici. You have done something that they can only dream of doing. You not only came to America; you proved that you belong. You speak English now almost as naturally as you speak Chinese. You proved that you can compete with the best students in America, in their native language. Your former classmates will have so many questions, and you will enjoy visiting with them. They will want to see your American passport, and will marvel at your long hair. You have seen the world from a different perspective, and things will never be the same between you. You won't fit in with your classmates the way you did before. They will seem less mature to you, and they won't know quite what to make of you.
And I have a prediction, I told Cici. By the time you have been in China for a month, I bet you are very homesick. You will miss your home because this is your home now. You will miss the comfort of your bedroom, your bed, your desk, your bathroom. You will miss the conveniences of living here in America, and you will be yearning to return. By the time we were having this part of the conversation Ping had joined us. I agree with Papa, she told Cici. You will miss being here very much. Ping knows; it happened to her last summer.
Well, while my two chickens are sleeping this morning, I am at the office taking care of business. I have meetings with three new clients this morning, and plenty of other work to get done. Cici has a leisurely day on Monday with no school until 4:00, but she must be there until 9:00 p.m. That sounds like a good day for her to go with Ping to get her Texas ID card issued.
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