Though I’ve been too busy to get homesick, I’m looking forward to my upcoming sojourn in New Jersey. I’ll be returning home for a three-week stay in late January and early February after Pat and I travel around China during my semester break.
Our tour will include Beijing and Shanghai, along with trips to see the Terracotta Warriors and Big Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, the Giant Panda Research & Breeding Base in Chengdu, and the Dragon’s Backbone Rice Terraces near Longsheng. We’ll also make a brief stop in Zhengzhou, where I’ll show Pat my humble studio apartment, the drab campus of Henan University of Technology and the convenience store where I buy all my junk food.
Pat has never been to China, so I’m doing my best to warn her about the culture shock. However, I’m not sure anything can prepare her for the stench of squat toilets or the choking air pollution.
I can’t wait to see everyone back in the U.S., especially the newest addition to the family, Benjamin Freeman Tyson. He’s only three months old, but he’s built like a linebacker and his dad is already grooming him to play for the Vikings.
I’m also eager to see my beloved golden retrievers, Koji and Solo. I’m not sure who will squeal more when we’re reunited, me or them.
