Holiday FAQ'a
Not since I was in college have I been peppered with so many questions about the direction of my life. At least now I'm not being asked if I am "seeing anyone" and providing the most unsatisfactory answer of "no" to that question without fail.
So, to sum up:
Are you really moving to China? When?
Yes, it looks like it. I'm guessing 6-10 weeks after the baby is born.
So soon?
The sooner the better. Do you think this is easy? What would be easy is just to stay here and not do anything. However, inaction is not the best path.
How long are you going to live there?
I'm hoping for something not longer than 15 years, because Randy will be 65 and I am hoping he will retire someday. He deserves it. But really, we don't know. Probably years.
The good news, though, is that we do get one free trip home a year. Our tentative plan is that the kids and I will be in the states for the summers, though just not this year. Probably some Christmases, but not all of them.
Are you going to get a nicer/bigger/better apartment?
Yes, sometime in the next year. Until then, prepare to hear more about My Life with Chickens.
Will it be close to good schools?
This Western concept doesn't apply to expats in our part of China. School decisions are not made by geography like they are here. Besides, any school worth its salt provides transportation within certain limits. So I am looking more for walking distance to grocery stores and apartment complexes with their own playgrounds.
What about your own work? Are you going to be able to go back to work there?
If I need to, I can, because my manufacturing and engineering background might actually be useful in China. Heck, it might be easier for me to find a job in China than in the U.S. when and if the time comes.
And your further education? Isn't that important to you?
Yeah, not really. I found that when I wasn't having children I directed a lot of energy into professional work and my on-again off-again studentdom. But as I approach 40 or whatever milestone year that is supposed to make me freak out over the absence of documented accomplishments in my life, I can take advantage of opportunities there in Shenzhen. It isn't likely that I will complete that Master's in Theology I started, but there are English-language MBA programs in Shenzhen, offered by Hong Kong Universities. For the time being though, trying to learn even a few hundred words in Chinese is hard enough work.
Is Randy going to come back for the birth of the baby?
Not likely, and I am mostly okay with that. I think it will be harder on him, because he has such wonderful memories of the births of all of his children. When we decided to have the baby in the States, rather than in China (ugh) or Hong Kong (ugh for other reasons), we knew that it was probable that he wouldn't be here. Something would have to be dreadfully wrong for him to rush back to the States, so right now we are hoping that we don't see him.
Do you have any names picked out?
Yeah, Tiki. That is the best I can do under the circumstances. Pray I come up with something better.
So, to sum up:
Are you really moving to China? When?
Yes, it looks like it. I'm guessing 6-10 weeks after the baby is born.
So soon?
The sooner the better. Do you think this is easy? What would be easy is just to stay here and not do anything. However, inaction is not the best path.
How long are you going to live there?
I'm hoping for something not longer than 15 years, because Randy will be 65 and I am hoping he will retire someday. He deserves it. But really, we don't know. Probably years.
The good news, though, is that we do get one free trip home a year. Our tentative plan is that the kids and I will be in the states for the summers, though just not this year. Probably some Christmases, but not all of them.
Are you going to get a nicer/bigger/better apartment?
Yes, sometime in the next year. Until then, prepare to hear more about My Life with Chickens.
Will it be close to good schools?
This Western concept doesn't apply to expats in our part of China. School decisions are not made by geography like they are here. Besides, any school worth its salt provides transportation within certain limits. So I am looking more for walking distance to grocery stores and apartment complexes with their own playgrounds.
What about your own work? Are you going to be able to go back to work there?
If I need to, I can, because my manufacturing and engineering background might actually be useful in China. Heck, it might be easier for me to find a job in China than in the U.S. when and if the time comes.
And your further education? Isn't that important to you?
Yeah, not really. I found that when I wasn't having children I directed a lot of energy into professional work and my on-again off-again studentdom. But as I approach 40 or whatever milestone year that is supposed to make me freak out over the absence of documented accomplishments in my life, I can take advantage of opportunities there in Shenzhen. It isn't likely that I will complete that Master's in Theology I started, but there are English-language MBA programs in Shenzhen, offered by Hong Kong Universities. For the time being though, trying to learn even a few hundred words in Chinese is hard enough work.
Is Randy going to come back for the birth of the baby?
Not likely, and I am mostly okay with that. I think it will be harder on him, because he has such wonderful memories of the births of all of his children. When we decided to have the baby in the States, rather than in China (ugh) or Hong Kong (ugh for other reasons), we knew that it was probable that he wouldn't be here. Something would have to be dreadfully wrong for him to rush back to the States, so right now we are hoping that we don't see him.
Do you have any names picked out?
Yeah, Tiki. That is the best I can do under the circumstances. Pray I come up with something better.
Comments
I lurk here on your blog. Best wishes for you as you plan for a new baby and the big move.
I just wanted to let you know (if you don't already) about online theology and Scripture courses at Notre Dame. (STEP@nd.edu) You can't get a degree with these, but they might be a nice break for you and just as easy to do in China as anywhere.
So, after you get that newborn settled down and move to China and move to a new apartment and make schooling decisions and learn some more Chinese....(people aren't worried that you are going to be bored, are they?) then if you have a second for yourself, check out STEP.
Happy New Year.
RheaDogg