Just being happy

I love the moments when I just feel happy. I am not talking about when you should feel happy (i.e. Christmas, going home to San Diego, my birthday, traveling to a cool country...) but the moments when I am not doing anything special and I am just happy. This past week I have just been happy. Maybe it is because I have the week off of work, but really I think it is more than that. Last year I spent every moment of not working traveling and this is the first time I am not doing anything for the holiday. OK, kind of a lie, as I went to Hangzhou for 3 days, but Hangzhou is only an hour away by train so it is not that far. Anyways, while in Hangzhou I was in the best mood. I do love Hangzhou and just walking around the lake, but I think it is also that I realize how lucky I am to be in China. Sure China has its moments (the understatement of the year) when people are spitting everywhere and won't wait in line and my apartment won't heat up among other things, but there are times when I just stop and think, "wow, I live in China and this is cool." It is cool because I get to experience so many cool things that so many people do not. Half the time I forget I am in China because life has become normal, but now that I will be leaving in the next half year I am realizing that I need to experience as much of China as I can and appreciate it for what it is. I have decided to start exploring more, meaning I just want to get lost in the streets with my camera to take pictures of everyday life. I want to travel to places within China that I have not seen instead of always looking to escape to another country on my holiday. I want to go back to Hangzhou and rent bikes and ride around the city and I want to get a bike (or borrow one) to ride around the streets of Shanghai. While there are lots of things that frustrate me about China, I have truly been blessed by my experience here and this past week I realized this (although this is not the first time I have realized this). I also have been blessed by my friends here. Both my jobs have put me in the company of really good people, and that helps. As you well know I am the definition of an extrovert and without people I go insane. On the other hand, I have also learned to be happy being by myself. Living alone had forced me to do this, and I love it too... the best of both worlds. I know that I will get frustrated again with things here (probably starting with me going back to work next week... ugh) but for now I will just be happy.