Full circle.

Well, here I am, wide awake at 6 am. And texting/chatting all my China Summer Program friends that are also awake! Miss them already. It's funny, this is exactly how our first week in Tianjin was. We couldn't sleep in to save our lives. Or our sanity.

Our trip back was a nightmare, per normal China standards haha. I travelled with my friends Ankit, Kat, Ryan, Patrick, and Shan. Our flight to Toronto was delayed, which in turn, made us miss our flight to ATL. The next flight wasn't until the next morning so we had to stay the night in a hotel. The process was more difficult than we anticipated and more frustrating than was necessary. I guess I should have seen that coming? Silly me. Thank goodness there was a good sized group of us to hang out together. We always make the best of situations like that.

Anyway, we left at 1 on Sunday afternoon in Shanghai, and I was back in Roswell at 1 on Monday afternoon. So, it took about 36 hours of travel.

Here's to the best summer ever. Definitely changed me for the better. I hope I never forget what it meant to me.

Thanks for all of you that read this blog :) I'm really glad you've stuck with me through all my shenanigans.

Here's to the nights I'll never remember, with the friends I'll never forget. 

For Good.

Can't stop listening to "For Good" from Wicked this morning. It's been strange as people have been trickling out, catching their different flights to various destinations. It feels like we're saying goodbye for the weekend, and not forever.

Anyway, gotta pack, go get money (I literally have .4 yuan in my wallet right now...), eat and then get my butt to Amurica.

See you kiddos soon.

Oh what a feeeeeling.

I'm finally free! Just finished my final and am so excited to take on this day. Didn't sleep last night due to studying and anxiety, but mostly anxiety. If I have a lot on my mind I do not sleep well. Oh well, I'm trying to exhaust myself before the long flight home haha.

Pretty soon here, we are going to "cheap street" which basically consists of clothing and other goods for really low prices. Prices are already so low you don't even bother bargaining. I'm excited. Then, we're going to get our nails done at a salon nearby. We pay about $15 for both manicures and pedicures. Supa cheap, gonna miss that. Then, tonight is the 'closing ceremony' for our program. We have dinner and apparently other activities. After that pretty much everyone on the program is going to go out for a bit, then we're going to KTV (karaoke) which is one of our fave things here.

Cannot believe in 24 hours (ish) I'm gonna be heading home. So many mixed emotions.

Can you all take a moment and pray that I can get my big suitcase under 50 lbs? This is crucial. That's a pretty hefty fee. But, I am like 90% packed, which is exciting.

Look how delicious my lunch looks. It's baby baozis and dumplings. So yummy.

Perfect way to spend my last Friday in Shanghai. [think heavy sarcasm]

I have a final Saturday morning at 8 am. And it's worth 45% of my grade. Not sure what my professor's problem is...So, I'm cooped up in my room trying to teach myself three weeks worth of material in one day. Crazier things have happened.

I'm very grateful for my Beats these days. It's the  best  only way to listen to the Lumineers on repeat.

And, in about 48 hours I will be heading to the airport headed back to the A. Eeekers.

Here come the water works...

Just kidding. I don't cry. Let's be serious for a minute.

None of us can believe tomorrow is Thursday. Really, where has the time gone? This week has especially flown by because finals has everyone bogged down with studying and work. I really only have one test I need to study hard for, my other two classes have essays/projects for the final exam. Right now, I cannot wait to get back to America. But come Saturday afternoon, after my statistics final, I know I'm going to wish I could stay here a little longer. Isn't that how life works?

This has become my new favorite picture from this trip. It is truly exploding with happiness, wouldn't you agree? Love these crazy kids.

The tech ratio in a nutshell.

Ya know, I'll look back on this summer and laugh, but I will say I am ready to be a grown-up again haha! I think one of my biggest flaws is not living in the moment and not enjoying being young. Well, I can honestly say I made up for lost time the past 9 weeks! But, somehow it's exhausting being this carefree...as counterintuitive as that seems. I'm happy my friends and life over here don't overlap with my friends and life at tech/home. I think China Julie should probably stay in China. It was a good learning experience though, as I'm sure you've all noticed through my adventures. Wouldn't trade a single day (well, maybe the days I got attacked by Jumanji sized mosquitos, cause that shet sucked).

Back to pretending to study...Happy Wednesday!

mmm Coco :)

You know what I'm gonna miss? 

Coco. Home of the yummiest milk tea. 

Sometimes I think it's the only thing that can cool me down on these ridiculously hot days. Today being one of the worst. Meh.

Less than 10 days.

Well, my computer just sent me into a tizzy with this little countdown.

We are spending our last two weeks trying to do anything and everything. I feel like I have not sat still in forever. We often go exploring around Shanghai at night time, just walking around the city and going to any attractions we can find online. It's been fun to spend time with people on the program this way. Although I am sad the summer is coming to an end, I am already checked out of school. It gets harder to concentrate each day. I also am ready to be back in America where everything is easier and I'm not sweating 100% of the time. I feel like I have to shower every time I leave my room here. I have already decided that my first day back will probably be spent reading at the pool (thanks BK for telling me about Divergent). I am already feeling self-conscious about being so pale compared to everyone else! Eeek! I need to close that gap.

The heat here is starting to drive me crazy. It makes me tired- all. the. time. And I have no appetite when I'm hot, so my eating habits are all messed up now. Ever since we got back from Hong Kong it's been a nightmare as far as weather goes.

Don't have a whole lot to update you all on. I am getting my worse grades in college this summer, so there's that.

Tonight almost everyone we're friends with on the program is going out for Kat's birthday. She turns 20 at midnight! I am so excited to celebrate with her, she's been my saving grace in China. Let's all take a moment to pray we all make it back alive.

That's all for now. Over and out.

Don't you miss this face?