The Panzhihua 4 Minus 1 - A Visit to Duluth and Peace Corps family

I've been trying to see people or plan out times to make time, not knowing what the next few months will bring, let alone days or minutes that lay ahead. I had hoped to visit my brother in the middle of this month, my missing him prompting last minute conversations of me flying out to Seattle, ticket prices seeming to laugh back at me in a sinister tone. With my trip out to Dave postponed, I thought of all of the people that were on my list to see. Having been lucky enough to see Paul, Lindsey and Brian of the Panzhihuaren family were closer than the rest, and so I let the idea out and shook it around. 'Yes, yes! Come, come!' came the voices from the north.

A few days before heading up to Minnesota, I woke up excited at the only days away reunion, e-mailing Linds and Bri of my excitement while dancing to my happy feet.

I left Friday morning at eight after going over directions with Dad, him giving Mapquest a disapproving nod while suggesting an alternate route that would later shave an hour off of my time. And so armed with a peanut butter and jelly, apple, two clementines, water, hugs and kisses to family members, and devastatingly good looks fresh from the covers of my bed, I warmed up my car, climbed in, turned on NPR, and was on my way.

The hours went by fast, sleepiness at one point being so heavy that I was unsure of my exact whereabouts and whether I was still on the right course. I pulled into a rest stop and studied the map, relief coming over me upon finding my location. I needed caffeine!

Readied and more awake, I observed the change in landscape, from mostly shade trees to a mix of shade and pine, the look signifying that I was officially north. The drive reminded me of trips up to visit my brother in the U.P. and waves of missing him crushed over me. Good thing I was in the car or I would've been freezing!

Then I was there at Superior, Wisconsin, with only the water and bridge separating me from Duluth. With an hour before my arrival time left, I turned the car around and went back to the last rest stop I had spotted. I freshened up while in my car, then called Nikki (my P.C. soul mate) and talked to Guy (a person you will be introduced to at a later date). Time running on, I made my way to Duluth, traversed the city, taking in it's quaintness, and parking.

Brian would be the first person I'd see, work breaking for him earlier than Lindsey. With his directions, I found his place of work, followed the signs to his office, and knocked on his office door while opening it hesitantly. Within a second he was in view, a smile on his face, and the months in between when we all parted washed away. After meeting coworkers and looking around, we made our way to their apartment, were we played the wait game till we could get Lindsey. We talked of life, catching each other up on the latest, while being showed the apartment and relaxing from the day.

Picking up Lindsey at work was a reunion that threw me, seeing Brian and Lindsey together in America being almost too dreamlike to grasp.
From there we drove to a Mexican restaurant, ordered drinks, and toasted to our reunion. Within moments everything came spilling out, life and laughs of the kind normally shared between the three of us.

Full and feeling good, we made our way downtown for the Christmas parade that was to ensue. Glimpses of the parade's beginning came into view and we rushed to follow it to see the start. We stood with the many people of Duluth and other places of Minnesota, hats, gloves, kids, dogs, and loved ones nestled together and worn as outdoor wear whether it was the original purpose of said thing/person or not. The breeze took your breath away and tempted smiles to stay put, while turning noses red. I danced to the beats of the many bands or shrugged my shoulders in time with the throngs of tap dancers that strutted their stuff. My favorite was watching the flame throwers, several groups of them, girls whirling lit up batons, making me jealous of the way parades were done up in the north.


We walked home pub crawl style to ward of the cold and keep our feet moving. Cold nights and cider in an Irish pub - where could anyone go wrong? Then you add the company of two amazing people and anyone with that mixture is golden.

Back at home, the walk seeming longer than I had anticipated it feeling, we changed, hugs given round before heads fell on pillows.

I woke up to a dusting of snow, it having fallen in secret while we slept. It tugged a smile to my lips as I shuffled around in the morning newness.

It was a slow, luxurious morning of watching MTSS podcasts that made us laugh and made me proud of the friend who was responsible. After breakfast and showering, we headed out in my car to run errands. Once parched and tired, we headed closer to the lake for a yummy lunch that satisfied like no other. We finished our day with a purchase of gourmet chocolates and movies and headed home to snuggle in.

Sunday, my last full day with Linds and Bri, was another chill day, reminding me of hang out session together back in Panzhihua. Linds and I tooled around for a bit in the late morning and were hungry by three in the afternoon. We picked up Brian and collectively decided on Indian. Indian had other plans, as both places were closed. So instead we went to the next choice, a local pizza place with great apps and drinks. The three of us sat in the bar, where the ambiance was Amanda style and the waitress looked crazy tough but was killer cool. We sat down and started a game of Scrabble while eating in between bowls of artichoke dip and vegetarian pizza with fake meat.

Back at home, Linds dialed up Steve, the missing member of our family, who is now living in Korea. It was crazy to have all of us there in voice, to have a conversation between everyone, to laugh with each other even though one was across the ocean.


Monday morning we all got ready, me to go and Brian and Lindsey for work. The night before we discussed the next time we would be getting together, which we decided would only be two months away when Steve would be back in the States, so the goodbye was only a 'see you later.' By the time hugs were dolled out and one last look and smile shared with both I was already excited at the next time I would be back to Duluth.