It
contains a double-decker air mattress with a slow leak, meaning that,
by morning, I generally have to fight my way out of it – literally
out of it, because it engulfs me overnight.
There
is a desk, too, for me to sit and write, albeit with no chair in
front of it.
I’ve been writing, I assure you! I’ll
tell you more about writing in a minute.
On the
walls hang a mismatched collection of art, as though the landlord had
no other space for these works yet intended to display them, arranged
in any fashion.
Virtually
every bit of wall space a meter off the ground is covered: with
velvet prints, with oils, lithos and posters.
The
window in my garret is framed by gauzy green curtains that are
entirely too long and absolutely ineffective at blocking out
streetlamp glow. Still, they add a nice touch to these otherwise
spartan quarters.
This
stateside sojourn was meant to last 9 months, after which I should
have departed again.
Obviously, it lasted a bit longer...
At the
outset, I did not know if I could endure 9 months in Trump country,
where people believe gun ownership is a right but healthcare is a
luxury – one that few can afford.
Or
whether I would be able to function in a car culture, as a
pedestrian/bike rider.
Or
whether my grief at leaving my life in China would ever subside!
I have
a job.
This
position I am privileged to fill keeps me busy: researching, reading,
learning, writing, editing, uploading...
With
everything else that has happened, in this year of my silence,
writing for Superprof has been my one constant: my anchor, my escape
and my tether to sanity.
Writing articles for them, I've learned about painting, yoga, physical fitness and the British education system.
I've learned about language learning, too - a favorite activity of mine!
And, as I move, so does it: Superprof = portable learning!
Departure
from here is imminent.
It’s
been a rough year: all the reasons I left here in the first place,
eight years ago, still exist – but seem magnified now.
The
political divide, the social stratification, the haves versus the
have-nots and the in-your-face of it all.
The
self-righteousness and the religious fervor – either extreme which,
sometimes, leads to violence.
Next
month I will leave, perhaps never to return, save for the occasional
visit.
You’re
coming with me: are you ready?
