Looking Eastward/Homelessness

In a few days, I will be officially homeless. After a long day of moving, there is basically no furniture left in Parents House #1, as I've come to call it, for we hauled it all, box by box, to Parents House #2. (Movers? Ha!! We're Appalachians!!) My parents thought they'd play a nice game I decided to call "Where to Shove Derek Until He Leaves." There are 6 members of my family, and 5 bedrooms. The math is simple, but yet my parents are still unable to find a place for me to stay.. Door #1, the playroom- which is basically the Purgatory for the furniture that didn't achieve Rec Room or Family Room status, but features such amenities as the fussball table, which no single child deserves in his or her room. Plus it has one of those creepy split doors like in a nursery, and I don't wanna be crept upon by my family. Door #2, share a room with my brother. No. Door #3 the office- That's more like it. Even if the former occupants put up what appears to be jungle themed wallpaper, I can manage for a couple of weeks if it means I have some privacy. So even though my entire family will be staying with my aunt until the new house is ready, making us all officially homeless, I am the most homeless of all. But I don't have time for such American nonsense. As you very well know, I am going to China soon. Anyone who has spoken to me for more than 6 seconds since about November knows this. I am unfathomably stoked, people. My head is filled with visions of rickshaws, miles of silk I can turn into some ballin' pajamas or a few Hugh Hefner-esque robes, pearls that I can ceremoniously toss in the air like confetti since they're apparently like 4 cents. I will stuff my face with rice, noodles, and whatever else they eat, and on my return to America, my chopstick proficiency will put everyone to shame. And besides the chance to live abroad for 18 weeks and Anglicize the little Asian nuggets with my English skillz, I get to take advantage of the awesome Chinese currency exchange rate. Which, to my understanding is basically 7.4 trazillion yuan per dollar. This knowledge is even making it difficult to spend money now. $8 for a BK combo?!?! I could buy a Kia Rio for that in the Orient!! I can't wait to buy presents for everyone. And I can't wait for the customs people to see what I bring to the U.S. My plans? 1 suitcase of jade lions, 1 of pearls for the lovely ladies, 1 of tailored suits, and 1 of throwing stars, in case people get sassy with me/get all up in my grill. Yeah, suck it, TSA. That's what you get for running people through those naked pervert scanners and making me take off my shoes! My feet don't always smell good, ok?!? So with most of my yuan already mentally spent, my thoughts return to my living situation. After some contemplation, it doesn't bother me a bit where I live. I have no home. And I could care less. Having all my stuff doesn't make a home for me. People do. And even as I am tossed all over the world, I keep my friends and family in my memory, on my mind, and in my prayers. My roots aren't set in any specific location, nor will they ever be. My roots are set in "my" people. My friends from high school, from work, from Southern Virginia- I know there are people I can talk to whenever, wherever I am. My family watches out for me the best they can, even when I am on the other side of the world. As long as any vermin are small enough to be vanquished with Birkenstocks, I will put up with any living situation. Because surrounded by the love and good wishes of the people I care about, I know I will always be home.