Still on the road...

After more than a week on the road, we are still on the road. We will leave Hong Kong for Beijing tomorrow at about 1:00.  We do not particularly like Hong Kong, but I'm sad to leave as my best friend from Tokyo is here with her family.  There is something nice about being around other people who are temporary (or maybe more than temporary) refugees. We heard the news about Tokyo's water supply with sinking hearts.  It's not really clear yet what we'll do after our China tour is over.  Fulbright said that those of us in Tokyo can postpone the Fulbright and come back later (and they'll pay two tickets back to the U.S.) but in that event you don't get paid anymore.  And, it would be hard to come back for a semester somewhere down the road.  We are all really tired.  I felt sorry for myself in a small apartment in Tokyo but I feel even more sorry for myself with all of us trapped in one hotel room.  And no school for Sam.  We are all worn quite thin with each other and are ready to resume normal life.  Even as I write that, though, I can't help but thinking of all the people in Japan who are real refugees and who will have a much harder time putting their lives back in order.