Last Monday in Nanning

It is dawn here in Nanning on my last Monday morning here. Next Monday morning I will be in Manila, waking to some eggs and chicken adobo, and probably heading to MOA to get some much needed new clothes.

My last post was fairly down. I think because I had been talking about Korea with a friend here who is going back, and what is on offer there financially. I am also a bit annoyed at the way the university has us out within 48 hours of turning in exams. It is a lack of professional courtesy that no university in Canada would ever extend to a visiting Chinese professor. In Korea I had a month after my last day. I won't even get in to the weekly disaster that was the writing programme. I think the whole semester in general has left a very bad taste in my mouth.

So I should balance that with a more positive view because there is more to be excited about than not. Even if I am not saving as much as I need to be, I have gained that magical two years experience. When and if I do head back to the ROK, I will be eligible for full pension, housing assistance, and a very decent salary. I earned that by coming here. I am actually very fortunate in what I've been able to do in Guangxi personally and professionally, and while it is time to move on, I should be proud of what I have done, not just beat myself up for what I haven't. I also have a great summer ahead. I do wish I was visiting Vancouver, but that will have to wait til next year. I do get to see Yen's family in Manila, and head to Saigon to stay with Mike for a week, which I am also very excited about. Even if I break the bank a bit, I am seeing some of my best friends, giving my wife a great summer, and heading back to a job with a minimum 30% raise. How good is that?

Also, I have been going back over my posts since 2010 and have come to realize something. In 2012 I was on about when I was going to get back to grad school. In 2014 I was always on about when I was finishing and moving on from cram schools in Korea. In 2017 I am thinking about getting out of Nanning. Not a lot of living in the moment. So for the rest of the week I plan to do a bit more of that. Today is my last exam followed by 4 hours (at least) of grading. But then it is done. I submit it Tuesday morning and collect my last paycheque. I then have a bit of packing but I mostly hope to enjoy my last couple of days at GXU. I have done everything I wanted to here, so I think it will be more a cup of coffee or a pint by the ficus tree, but that sounds great.

Otherwise, as stated before, I am not feeling much in the way of sentimentality about leaving. I'll miss the people I've met here, but I also know I'll see most of them again in the next 12 months.