One of my favorite things to do every year is to buy a new calendar and a planner for the new year. I remember bonding over our love for writing and accessorizing planners with Marwa during my college days in Green River. It’s just one of those things that makes you feel good.
I’ve always had a thing for buying journals that are appealing to motivate me to write more. I also picture them becoming treasures once I’m long gone. My planners are usually cheap, yet cute with enough note space. As for my calendars, you know I stay loyal to the cat calendars.
This year, I bought my 2020 calendars a little early. Not to shoo 2019 away, but to start planning more effectively for the new year inshaAllah. I’m not one to plan too much, but rather have an idea of what I’d like to accomplish. If life’s taught me anything, it’s to prepare and plan nevertheless. I may put my trust in my Creator, although it’s still necessary to put in the work.
As a recap of 2019 and all the beautiful challenges and changes that were and weren’t planned, I’ve decided to do a travel log of all the places I ventured to. The year was full of love, loss, reminders, resilience, fear, and a whole lot of discovering more of me. Another year of my eat, pray, love journey, as every year tends to be. Nevertheless, I continue to discover so much of myself and do my best to make the most of it.
Every year I meet more people from all over the world and get a glimpse of the world’s beauty. And every year my heart gets a little fuller. They say life gets tougher as we get older and the more we know and see, but there’ll always be experiences that remind us of humanity. Knowing this is what truly fills me.
Hohhot
The place I called home for a year and a half. The place I felt so secure and at peace. It was where I walked around the city so freely, knowing I had access to the things that made me feel at home: mosques, markets, and good food. The place I met many individuals and families who became like family to me. The place I experienced difficulties, but also a sense of wholeness from my solitude. Where I experienced some of the most absurd things, likewise, some of the most beautiful moments. The place I learned to love, but equally dislike at times.
Any foreigner you’ll ever meet here will always have a love-hate relationship with China, and yet many of us want to stay. It’s just one of those places you can never fully explain the feelings you have for it. But Hohhot is another story. It’s simply not a place I would want to stay longer than a year. And if anyone were to ask me if I’d move back, I’d say, it served its time. And for everything in life, we must continue the journey and move on.
Regardless, it was my first home away from home, and I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. I met Leena, and that’s a relationship I know was destined to happen. The late-night walks, dinner dates, therapy seshs, gym meetups, laughing and complaining about ish. A friendship that became a sisterhood.
The most precious thing about life is, the people you wouldn’t expect to meet in places you’d never expect to meet them. Alhamdulillah.
Seattle
Home. Or at least where my loved ones are. I can’t fully call Seattle home nowadays. I’ve come to realize that home is where my heart lies, and these places are Los Angeles, the perimeters of my home in Seattle, and wherever life trails me to. I’ve accepted my nomad self and the thought of not knowing where I will be next inshaAllah, and sometimes that’s alright.
Coming home for Chinese New Year’s was a must after not being home for a year. My first year away from my family had been the hardest, and when the time came to visit, I wanted nothing to do with work and China. I returned home to snow; lots and lots of snow. Just my luck. I was really looking forward to warmer weather back in Seattle after experiencing -25 degrees Celsius in Hohhot. Of course, that just meant more time with the family at home, and that was what I really wanted and needed.
Shanghai
A quick stop. I’m not sure if this trip really counts, but since I stepped out of the airport’s perimeters and did some sightseeing for a couple of hours, it counts. On my way back to China from Seattle, I had a stop in Shanghai and stayed for about 10 hours. Landed in the evening and my flight was the next morning. Left the airport and went around the city center and it was beautiful. I remember seeing the architecture around the pier and it having a very European look and just seeing how vibrant the city was. Not necessarily a place I’d consider to live, but definitely a holiday trip.
Ordos
The place I would run to when Hohhot and I needed a break. My not-so-quiet, quiet place. Where I would enjoy walking and chatting around the small city with Tus. Sometimes all I needed was a day away from my own quietness, and Ordos would be the place I’d go to. An hour and a half train ride away. Even though there wasn’t much to do in the small city, there was something very calming about taking a little trip away from home. The one time I did have company was when Leena and I planned a 2 day trip during a holiday weekend. We visited two different sites about Genghis Khan and called it a good ol educational trip.
Beijing
The city of people. Too many people. Walking anywhere feels like a mission. The thought of how many people there are in China doesn’t really hit you until you’ve actually experienced being in the crowd. If you’ve got locals complaining about the population as well, you know it’s a big deal.
Beijing was a nice holiday Leena and I planned for Labor Day. A well-planned trip that was very easy-going and relaxing, even with the amount of walking we did. We visited a couple of tourist sites and enjoyed local things here and there. I’ve never traveled alone with a friend before, and it was something I really appreciated with Leena. They say one of the best ways to get to know a person is by traveling with them, and I’m truly blessed it was with Leena. Ughhh, so damn cheesy, it’s disgusting xD Love you Leenoooooo!!!!!
Turkey
Love. A whole lot of love. An experience I hope to never forget, even the small details. I’ve said this previously, but Turkey has always been a dream destination for me and it has lived up to what I expected. It was all the art and history that made my trip very special to me, and the fact that it was also a solo trip. A part two is definitely bound to happen inshaAllah. I also met a couple of wonderful ladies along the way, shout out to Zahra, Saida, Naima, and Samira. Such wonderful souls I was blessed to meet and lifelong relationships even if they may be from afar.
Chengdu
My new home. Before my move, I read up on how life in Chengdu is very easygoing, and for a big city, it’s not as fast-paced as you’d expect it to be. And it’s true. There may be certain aspects about the city that really irks me, like the bad air pollution, but I’m really enjoying my time so far in terms of living. There’s a good balance between enjoying city life and access to nature, and that’s what I love and need. Plus my home makes me feel happy. I’ve personalized it to make it feel homier, and it truly makes coming home something I always look forward to alhamdulillah. It’s also my very first apartment I’ve personally invested in and found on my own, and that makes me feel grown. So for now it’ll be home.
Guangzhou
A quick getaway. I haven’t really said much about my trip to Guangzhou on my blog other than posting a couple of Instagram pics. It was a trip I wanted to just enjoy and bask in. I was originally going to move to this city before Chengdu, but because of last-minute changes, it didn’t go as planned.
I loved Guangzhou for its markets and city life. For any market and wholesale lover, this is the place for you! Plus the amount of foreigners you’ll find makes it feel like you’re not in China. It’s also China’s chocolate city, and you bet I did my fair share of lurking 😉
Craziness aside, I greatly appreciate how convenient living in China can be. Considering how accessible transportation, Wechat pay, shopping, and the overall lifestyle is. And visiting Guangzhou really made me realize how easy traveling can be, especially solo travel. Even then, travel as a whole has become so accessible and simply a click away when looking for info on any given place.
And there ya have it, another year of moving around the world boundlessly. The memories may be all jumbled together, but they are there and that’s what I love and will remember.
In just a span of 2 months, it’ll be 2 years since moving to China. Although I may not have a set timeline of how long I’d like to stay in this particular country or even abroad, one thing is, I want to live not feeling regretful of not going for the things I love. Even the small things.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve taken from my journey is that life is meant to remind us of our purpose. This doesn’t mean we must know everything we want to do in life, but rather understand the worth we come with and use it to pave the path of aspirations we have. We must look deep into finding that purpose, and while doing so, live boundlessly while spreading love, hope, peace, and all things good.
May 2020 be the extension of me finding more about myself, the world, and my greater purpose. And may it be your year of choosing to be a greater and stronger you.
Happy New Year!
Xīnnián kuàilè!
Yeni yılınız mutlu olsun!
xxxxx
