Monday, September 14, 2009

Construction, Construction, Everywhere!

Fuyang is growing... very quickly. The main road between Hangzhou and Fuyang has been torn up since we arrived, but now it's really bad. Even busses are finding ways around it.

Our apartment has overlooked new construction the whole time, too. There are buildings upon buildings of beautiful new apartments being constructed. We are pretty much on the outer edge of the "city" of Fuyang, so there were fields and such there before. Now, there are buildings. We've watched new solar water heaters being installed on the roofs (I have a desire to type ROOVES!), landscaping being planted, new guard shacks and gates being put in. It really is amazing to see. They are also building a road right next to our building that gives us a direct route to the Da Run Fa, our salvation/supermarket. We won't need to walk down the creepy-yet-endearing alley road anymore! I think the road should be finished in a month or so. That gives us three months of good use out of it.

There are also plans in progress for a train from Hangzhou to Fuyang. Oh, my, GOSH. I would LOVE to be here when that was here! Hangzhou is so close... a 45 minute drive by private car. But taking a hot, bumpy, smelly public bus takes `1 1/2 hours (sometimes 2!) and it makes it frustrating. Hop on a train and be there in 20 minutes? Wow. We'd blow ALL our money at the movie theater and Carrefour!

It's wierd. The friends we've made here all have different goals and plans for their lives. Some plan on staying in Fuyang forever. Some plan on traveling through China and living in different places. None of them have a date set to return home besides us. It definitely makes me feel a little out of place. We've had this wonderful experience, but it's very likely that once we leave in January, we will never see Fuyang again. We won't see the city grow. We won't see the new schools being built, or the train coming in.

Fuyang is a silly, wierd little city. We've had our share of frustrations... but it's home. Sure, maybe not as "home" as Grand Rapids, but I feel a connection with this city. I couldn't ever be one of those people who will stay here forever. I miss blue sky. I miss family. I miss Target. I miss Michigan weather. The list goes on. But what will I be saying in a year? "I miss Fuyang. I miss the Music House. I miss my friends. I miss the smell of BBQ on the street. I miss the Chinese songs I love so much".

Yeah, this post is a little bittersweet. But hey, sometimes you need that. Today is 9/15. On 1/20, our contract ends. That means, that in a week, the countdown will be "three months and some-odd-days". Jeesh.

1 comment:

  1. I'm still reading your blog! I even put a link to it from my blog so it tells me when you've posted something new. I'm glad to hear things are still going well in Fuyang, but I'm very disappointed that they still haven't finished that road construction. I can't believe it's taking them so long. It's good to hear you guys are doing so well. We miss you.

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