Tectonic Life Shift...What Comes Next?

It's early morning. My daughter and husband are still sleeping. Our sea shipment arrived from China a few days ago so in the early morning light I can see our happy chair, our giant-beautiful Chinese wedding cabinet, Tully's English/Chinese books (shoe/xiezi, mouth/zuiba), and a photo of the three of us in Shanghai. Despite the sudden presence of these very concrete objects, China feels very far away, as if it were a dream, not a city/country where I spent the last five years of my life. As a writer/human who develops and depends on visceral connections to place, I admit that I have been knocked off my game by this tectonic life shift. I'm doing a lot of thinking/dreaming/wondering/pondering about how to proceed from here...how to incorporate all that I learned/absorbed/witnessed/questioned during my life in China...and how that is going to inform my writing, my teaching, and my life back in the U.S.

That's where I am today. Stay tuned.

Comments

[Valerie Willman]

I will definitely stay tuned. I, myself, am considering (read: already put money down, just waiting for ok with financing) a move out of the country to Costa Rica from the U.S.

I'd love to read about your shift back to "pat" status from "ex-pat."

Welcome back.

[Sion @ paris (im)perfect]

I imagine repatriation is in some ways even more dizzying and disorienting than moving abroad. At least when you move to a new country you expect many changes. But going back "home" only to feel like a stranger can be odd indeed.

I am sure this will be a rich period of reflection - no need to rush getting back onto your game (and the game probably looks completely different now!). I look forward to your thoughts when you're ready to share.

[Casey Freeland]

Hang in there Kristin. Your writerly instinct will help you through.

Staying tuned,

Casey

[Kristin Bair O'Keeffe]

Thanks for all the support. In many ways repatriation IS even more dizzying that when I landed in China...feeling like two-headed dragon. :)