Goodbyes.

Goodbyes are rough. Sometimes I purposely try to avoid them. It may seem personal, but it's not, it's just me. For some reason, it seems much worst this time, but as I tell myself, it's only One Year.

Perhaps, it's because I know one year may turn into more. My sister has warned me of this already and she seems like a knowing source as she is about to board a plane for Australia for her next yearlong stint abroad. Therefore, as one of my good friends has said, see you in 1 to 20 years, could be true, but I hope not.

It seems strange to most, but I can't deny the allure of life abroad. If you asked me why I lust for foreign lands, I can't formulate a just response. In person or in a blog post. When speaking about China, the vague explanations deepen. China, they say, is big, hard to understand and full of contrasts. I think I could haven figured that out from the Chinese version of Dora the Explorer. Yet, the importance of looking East cannot be emphasized enough. During my junior year of college, in the midst of my journalism courses at Iowa, I was inspired and excited to explore and write about the world. My enthusiasm apparently translated onto my paper scholarship essay as worthy and honest enough to award me money. I'm facing this new step, journey or whatever you would like to call it, with that same enthusiasm to learn about the world, fulfill my journalistic dream of freelancing and perhaps learn enough Chinese to speak without getting laughed at, this time around.

I say goodbye to my lovely home state early Sunday morning. I'll be leaving it water soaked and in turmoil. Not much unlike the time I left for China in 2008, only it was a different collegetown, mine, that was tossing sandbags and preparing for the worst.

See, goodbyes are always weird.