Crazy is Normal

“Tell us your name, where you’re from and one interesting fact about yourself."

If you’ve ever been in a classroom, you’ve been forced to answer these questions or ones similar. They are my least favorite aspect of my least favorite week of school: syllabus week. Until now. Because finally, in 2018, after completing fourteen years of education and giving many dumb introductory sentences of myself, I have an easy answer to that third question. Thanks to my parents (as always).

“Hi, my name is Maria, I’m from Greenville, SC…and my interesting fact is that my parents moved to China over Christmas.”

Boom. Drop the mic. Students everywhere bow as one of their own conquers the dreaded task.

Ok, I’ll cut the drama. But I’ve said that sentence (with minor variations) about six to seven times over the last ten days, and it always gets a reaction.

No, people don’t start singing The Sound of Music to me (although that’s happened *rolls eyes*).

Instead, they look at me like I’m crazy. And I get it—I know the Juttons are definitely a minority when it comes to the choices we make and the opportunities we take. But what others consider crazy or risky is pretty much our family’s normal by now. That’s why when my parents and I had our weekly video chat in July during my second month of being in Botswana (remember, crazy is normal) and they casually dropped the fact that my dad was looking into overseas job options into our conversation, I knew they’d end up far away, very soon.

After people stop giving me the “that’s insane” look, they typically have asked me how I felt when I found out my parents were moving and how I felt when I dropped my mom off at the airport and watched her walk away and how I feel now and…you get the picture. People are curious and concerned and I’m fairly logical and mostly hate talking about feelings. So I figured I’d answer those questions now, but keep in mind the whole crazy is normal thing, so you understand where I’m coming from.

I had three main reactions when the China job offer was officially accepted: betrayal, intense jealousy and delight.

My first reaction, betrayal, is probably not what you’re thinking. You see, when I decided to go to USC, my parents and I made a deal: they would not live anywhere cooler and more exotic than Columbia, SC (see, I always knew they might move away again). Listen to me: THEY BROKE THAT DEAL. Read any and all of their previous posts for proof. Jingmen, China is WAY cooler than Columbia, SC (sorry, gamecocks). Also, I reminded them of that deal and they IGNORED me. Anyway. Betrayal.

Second, intense jealousy. You people who think we’re crazy, as in “why would they ever do that, they’re insane and what about the SAFETY” won’t understand this. But I was bitten by the proverbial adventure bug at the tender age of six, when we moved to Romania. It kills me to hear the daily escapades that go along with living life in another country and see all the amazing, sweet friends they are making. But in the end, the third reaction trumps the previous two.

Delight. I am so excited for my parents as they start this new chapter of their lives. I cannot count the number of times we’ve talked (jokingly and seriously) about what they would do after I went to college and eventually moved away. They always remind me that they had a pretty great life before I came along (and I counter this with statistical evidence to the contrary with which I shall not bore you) and of their hopes to continue that life in these years.

It’s going to get a little sappy here, so bear with me. My parents are literally my goals. They have taken and are continuing to take opportunities that most people would be too scared to consider. They are a picture of what I hope my own 40s contain: a strong walk with Christ and a marriage filled with dedication to each other, adventure and laughter. They are a true representation of one of my favorite Scripture verses, 2 Timothy 1:7, which says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

That’s about all I have; sorry for any rambling. This literally popped in my head last night as I was about to sleep and it’s more fun than reading textbooks. Sorry professors. 

It encourages me so much to see so many people’s comments on all my parents’ posts about China and how much support they (and I) have. Love you all!

-Maria, whose parents moved to China and left her all alone