Home time!

January started off with studying and exams, it was like a week full of Mondays. We had four exams over two days. They weren't too difficult which is either a good sign or a really bad sign. After completing them I had 10 days in Tianjin till I flew home for Chinese New Year. My plan was to relax and take it easy. One day I was making my bed and I noticed a little black dot on my bed. The little dot then started walking across my bed to my complete surprise. I took my comforter off my bed to check the sheets and down the side of my bed there was a fold in the sheet and there were 20-30 bugs setting up camp. I then ran for the maid to get new sheets to change my bed. She was in as much shock as I was. Thankfully, she changed the sheets for me and I had a clean bed once again. I was then afraid my comforter had bugs in it as well so I shoved it in the wash. What I didn't think about was the size of it. Due to its size it couldn't move in the washing machine so the washing powder became a paste. I then decided to wash it in the bath and that seemed to do the job. It did make me much more exited to go back to Scotland.

I didn't get up to much in the 10 days as I was exhausted from studying for so long. They seemed to go fast and before I knew it, it was finally time to return home for the holidays. When I had booked my flights to go home I said to everyone except my mum and brother that I was coming home on the 22nd of January but I was actually coming home on the 19th and wanted to give them a surprise. Thankfully, my flight was at 1am so I could say I was going to sleep and they wouldn't think anything of it. I had a stop over in Manchester so I told them I was going to the gym and then made my way to Edinburgh where I met my mum and brother. I can’t get over the relief I felt after seeing my family again and actually managing to make it from Tianjin to Edinburgh by myself with no hiccups. It was a miracle.

When we arrived at my house, I jumped in the boot and we called my sister to ask if she could get the “shopping” out the boot. My sister came out very reluctantly with my boyfriend to get the “shopping”. They were speechless and it was so worth keeping it a secret. They also couldn't believe how I managed to make it half way across the world without accidentally telling them.

The rest of the month was very relaxing and let me get back into the way of life in Scotland. I found the food hard to eat, the first few days I managed one yogurt a day without upsetting my tummy. Having a comfy bed, a cleaner shower and being able to have a dinner that didn't include rice or noodles was amazing. Having access to more than just a microwave was amazing! I really enjoyed making dinner for me and my family so I made it most nights with the help of Gusto. I loved walking my dog and being able to have a cold a drink from the fridge. There’s not a lot of comparisons you can make between Scotland and China, they are both so different in so many ways. I love them both but being home was a great way to start the year.