Visiting Portland

During the long flight back from Portland to Dalian, I had a lot of time to think about our time in Portland. Although we've been back to the US twice since moving to China, this was the first time in a year that we've been back in Portland.

The first thing that struck me was how beautiful Portland is. I remember the first time I went to Oregon during my senior year of high school. We took a very long bus ride from Ukiah (California) to Ashland for the Shakespeare festival. I can still remember driving along a river lined with beautiful cedars and thinking that maybe I'd want to live in a Oregon someday. Then, when I first came to Oregon to visit Mike, we went hiking in Forest Park, walked around downtown and I fell in love with it. There are so many trees and the sky is so blue. When the kids and I were driving around a few weeks ago in Portland, I said "there are so many trees" and Kiana said "and they have branches!" And, as it always has to me, Portland just feels like home.

And of course, visiting Portland was a bountiful array of food food food. While downtown in Pioneer Courthouse Square last weekend, I couldn't help but notice that there was more good food available at food carts in the one block area than there is available in Dalian! (At least to our palates).

The hardest part was feeling like I was cramming a year's worth of outings, shopping and visits with family and friends into 3 weeks. I ended every visit and phone call with family and friends feeling very happy - feeling like I was confirming that my relationships in Portland are fulfilling and fun. However, after every visit, I wanted more, more, more! There were many people I spoke to only briefly on the phone that I wanted to have longer in-person conversations with. And the in-person conversations that I did have were way too short. At the end, it felt like I just got a nibble when a wanted a full meal. Like I could only sample one chocolate chip out of a brand new bag. I was having so much fun I wanted to spend more time with each person, but the reality was that I just didn't have the time. So thank you to everyone for giving me just a nugget of your time while I was in Portland. And sorry it was only a nugget! And for those of you I missed altogether, I'm doubly sorry!

Although we aren't quite settled in yet, it does feel good to be back in China. It looks familiar. It feels familiar. It smells familiar. Our stuff is here. It's home.
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