“Skip China dude,” my friend said as he tried to convince me to stay home and go to the beach with him. The beach is a persuasive offer because it is familiar to me. I know what to expect, because I have been there so many times. It is relaxing, because I know all the ins and outs. Lying on the warm sand, it is hard not to ask why life can’t always be this easy. It is also a contained adventure. I know what freeways take, where to park and when to leave.
China, however, does not have any of these qualities. It is a pain to prepare for this eight-week journey. As I write this, I still need to pack, figure out how I am getting to the airport, and say bye to all my friends. Although in theory going to China is a great adventure, I have to admit I thought adventuring would be a bit more convenient.
However, I need to be pushed out of this false idea that life can always be easy. Growing up in the United States affords me a lot of privileges that living in other parts of the world do not have. I want to know how far removed my world is from the reality of those who live in other parts of the world, like China.
So if I am going to study abroad in China, if I am going to go through the chaotic storm of international travel, I am going to do it right. And that involves making all the inconvenient decisions, such as packing up my life and getting on that red eye flight; and getting myself out of my air-conditioned suburban house and into the humid, muggy streets of Beijing. Growth comes from experience, and often times that experience is thrusted upon you in the most inconvenient ways.
So I can’t skip China for the beach, dude.