I can’t believe I’m having this particular feeling. I usually don’t have this kind of concern as I’m always around friends and family. I have been in Nanchang for four years and my friends had to leave for one reason or another. Now, I’m here in this quiet city by myself without…any community. No LGBTQ+. No gaymers. No Dungeon & Dragons players. So, this is what loneliness feels like.
Usually, I like being alone. This is because I could be around my friends and family, or go home when I felt drained. The main point is it’s a choice. Now, after my immediate boss (a gamer and all-around good guy) went back to South Africa, I’m officially alone and it’s not a good feeling. Don’t worry, my friends back in Chongqing noticed it and are making the time to come and visit me and vice versa.
Another friend is going to be leaving at the end of the school year to go back home. He wants to be back with his family and start one of his own, which I understand. Still, this is the last straw for me. After my students graduate, I’m definitely leaving China. It’s not just the lack of community, but the psychological suffocation that I’m always dealing with it. So, if I don’t do well on my mock Spanish proficiency test, then I’ll move to Thailand. I’m actually going to be going there for Chinese New Year.
Now! I must get back to work. Please don’t forget to follow me on my social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads) on my web page’s right side. Also, I love hearing suggestions of what books to read outside of my norm (Science fiction and Fantasy) as I am a part of the Goodreads’ reading challenge for 2024. At the moment, I’m at 189, while still teaching three grades and taking two classes. I’m definitely going to reach 200 before the year ends.
