See Ya Later, Beijing

When I used to hear of people going abroad for a while, I never thought I would be one of those people. As much as I wanted to do it, I always thought that those kinds of experiences were for the people who were more daring than I. For most of my life I have wanted to teach overseas for a stint of time, even my old barely-put-together junior high yearbook says that I want to be a teacher in Africa when I am older. Now, granted this ambition has changed slightly, but still, I’ve always wanted to do what I just did for four months.

Coming to Beijing was the craziest decision I’ve ever made, but I also know that it is by far one of the best decisions I ever made. I had no idea what to expect, so I tried to figure that out by reading people’s memoirs of travelling around China and by thoroughly reading Wikipedia articles on this city. I’ve realized though that every person’s experience is different, and as much as you try to prepare yourself for something new, it will not be what you expect. At all.

I felt that God was calling me here. I was having a heart-to-heart with a friend in cab a few weeks ago about our purpose for coming to China. I doubted my purpose at times before I came. I talked with my parents about it and wondered if this really was God’s will for the next four months of my life. There were so many obstacles that had come up, and it seemed like it wasn’t right. To others it would seem like these were signs to not go. Just hours before we were supposed to fly out of Halifax, we checked online and found out that our flight was cancelled. You would think this would be a very clear sign not to go. The peace that I had in this decision to go overruled the signs though, and I went to China.

Kenzie, Alicia, and I had many low days early on. There were days where I wondered if it was all worth it or not, days where I actually considered going home. I am beyond grateful for these two women in my life. We laughed together, we cried some ugly tears together, we darted across six lanes of traffic together, and we learned how to use chopsticks expertly together. I am thankful to have come home after a good day at school and be able to share it with them, and I’m thankful that they had listening ears when I had a more frustrating day. I know that God brought the three of us to China at the same time for a very specific purpose, and it’s amazing to have seen the way that our friendships evolved.

I’ve learned how to be more open since being here. I’m not sure what events all led to this, but God has taught me so much about what it means to truly be yourself. I read a book while I was here about the masks that Christians sometimes feel like they have to put on at times. I’ve asked myself questions about the motives behind the relationships in my life, behind the decisions I make, and behind the ways that I devote my time. Does all of this point back to God? God has revealed new truths to me that I think I knew in my heart, but it hadn’t sunk in, or maybe I just hadn’t learned how to apply these truths to my daily living. This passage from Colossians 3 has been sort of the theme of my time here: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” After helping at a weekend camp retreat with my church, I was driving home in a cab with a few friends, and we were sharing some of the ways that God works in our lives. Someone said that maybe as Christians we focus too much on what we are supposed to do instead of who God created us to be.

This had been something I, too, had been thinking a lot about. My purpose in China is not so much about what I did; it is about learning who God made me to be, it is about the people that I had the chance to meet and build relationships with. I’m not minimalizing the things that happened here, or minimalizing making decisions of what you should do in your life; I think these are important, but who are you while you do these things? Have I reflected God? Am I the person he wants me to be?

We are always making decisions; this is something that I have struggled with. If you know me well, you know how indecisive I am. I am learning about letting the peace that comes in Christ rule in my life. I’m learning about praising him in all circumstances. My time in China has been incredibly challenging and rewarding, and I have felt the Lord draw me closer to him in this time. He has revealed areas of my life that need attention, and he has revealed more of himself to me. It has been surprising, refreshing, unsettling, and comforting all at once.

No matter where you are or what you are doing, invite God to show you something new about who he is. Watch out though because it could be a doozy. You might not see it for a few days, or you might see him reveal it slowly over a few weeks. If you’re stubborn like me, it could take moving to China for four months to finally realize what that new “something” is.

I leave China in eighteen hours. What an adventure it has been.

Going to miss Geetika and Camesha like crazy. So blessed.

Family portrait time :)

Dysfunctional and wonderful

Final Saturday in Beijing with the girls. Going to miss you all!

City and Country Tales

If I keep going to Bethel, I may very well end up adopting one (or two or three) of those kids. On Saturday a group from my church went to the Bethel Foster Home to help harvest crops and do whatever they needed us to do for the day. It was hard work, but it was so worth it.

We drove west of Beijing to Bethel which is about 90 minutes from Chaoyang. There were about twelve of us who went. I had no idea what to expect, but I was just eager to help in whatever way I could. I had my greenhouse working chops to put back into practice. While there, we harvested winter melons and beans; then, we planted lots and lots of garlic. We also cleaned some dormitories. It was really neat to see the facilities and hear the stories of the people there.

Bethel was founded by a French couple (they call them French Papa and Mama) who felt called to sell everything they own. They then decided to start an orphanage in China for a group of children who are often forgotten about: those who are blind. You'd think it would be a sad place when you think of orphanages or foster homes, but it is actually so full of joy and hope! It was overwhelming.

At the end of the day, we had the chance to spend some time with the kids. I really wish I could speak more Chinese so that I could have asked them more questions. It's surprising though how insignificant the language barriers are when you are just showing each other love. They just wanted to play and be around us. They loved playing clapping games and giving hugs :)

It was a short experience, but it was the highlight of my holiday week. It was the last thing I did after spending a whole week in Shanghai.

This is not to say that seeing Shanghai was unimpressive. I could not get over the number of people that swarmed the streets because of the holiday. The lights were amazing to see as well. We went on a night cruise along the Huangpu River and saw the cityscape all lit up. I really was just a wide-eyed country girl trying to take in one of the world's largest cities. I would try and seem relaxed - like being in a city like that is no big deal. It was a big deal though! I've learned that I love cities and the energy in them. I love all the different kinds of people that you can meet who you would not normally meet, especially when one foreigner comes across another. It's like an instant bond.

This being said, I'll always come back to the country. It's my home. It's in my blood.

These are some photos from our day at Bethel:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gleefully/10100094733/in/set-72157636213878224/

This is a photo from one of our days in Shanghai:

Accustom

China is sincerely baffling sometimes. Around one corner, you'll see a couple frying up some chicken legs on a makeshift stove. Around another, you'll nearly get trampled by a woman decked out in Prada and whatever other expensive designer clothes she buys. The next, you'll see a dad holding his toddler out over a bush to pee through the big split in the child's pants (intentionally put there, of course). Despite all of this though, I have been surprised at how life has not changed that drastically.

I know you're thinking, "But she's in CHINA!" Surely, there is culture shock. Well, yeah, in some ways: like becoming accustomed to being pushed up against on all sides while on the subway. Who needs to hold onto a handle or pole when you have your trusty Chinese posse invading your personal space?

I think that I was expecting the very worst though. I expected thick orange air that you can't see through, but we've had mostly blue skies. I expected to see snake intestines and scorpions hanging from street vendors, but I've only seen a few strange organs wrapped up in an indistinguishable... pastry? I expected the Chinese to be rude, but they are actually very friendly for the most part. I expected the drivers to be nutty here, but... well, they are.

As Alicia, Kenzie, and I were crossing a busy intersection yesterday, I was reflecting on our first couple days up until now. I think I said out loud: "I'm glad my mother doesn't see the way I cross streets now. I think she'd have a heart attack." We've become experts at weaving. I remember the first time I watched someone cross six lanes of traffic one lane at a time. I was terrified for them. I didn't think I would ever do that, but lo and behold I do it almost every day now.

Just watch out for the tuk-tuks and rickshaws. They're merciless.

Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not naive to think that this is "real China" as people refer to it here. We are very fortunate to be in such an international area that has English signs and peanut butter and real hamburgers. I had the best burger on Saturday from Blue Frog; it may even beat the burgers at Cage aux Sports in Rimouski. This is saying A LOT.

The National Holiday week is coming up soon. Alicia and I will be travelling to Shanghai and staying there for four nights. An adventure off of an adventure. We're taking the bullet train and then hostelling for most of the week while we explore Shanghai. I still can't believe this sometimes, here I am in China just taking off to freaking Shanghai for a few days. No big deal.


Here are a few photos from our long weekend adventures:

Red Beans and Ribbons

We have taken to doing our adventuring on the weekends and I'm loving it. I promised that I would update my blog on my last weekend's adventure but I did not. So I will tell you about it here. We participated in our school's Amazing Race; we ran all over Beijing doing ridiculous things.

I experienced bargaining with shop vendors for the first time. My first time I bargained here in Beijing: desperately trying to get an I <3 BJ shirt for 35 kuai. BJ = Beijing by the way. I'm hoping to also find a I <3 China shirt as that will be more acceptable in Canada for public wear. I did get it for 35 kuai!

After the race, we had a staff bbq in the courtyard behind the school. The next day, I slept a lot :)

This week at school I started taking on more responsibility and leading exercises for the kids and doing some marking. I'm really enjoying the classes that I teach and I'm so fortunate to be learning from two great host teachers. I can't wait for my Base Line day that is coming up as I'll get to teach my own lessons and work more with the students. If you fellow teachers have any Base Line Day tips, pass 'em along!

 Kenzie, Alicia, and I also went on a little evening adventure to the Olympic Village. I love the Olympics and so to be in a place where they happened was such a cool experience. If only I could have been here for the excitement and energy of the real Games. 

Yesterday, we went to the Temple of Heaven for the day. Tourist websites said that it would not take longer than an hour and a half. We were there for four. We aren't your typical tourists - we like to take A LOT of photos. We also had a lot of photos taken of us. We feel like celebrities (or aliens) here. People will follow us until we take a picture with them and it is something I will never understand. If there weren't many westerners around, then sure. But there are lots here in Beijing. Back home Canadians would never do that if they saw a few Chinese people walking by. If you have insight on why they do this, please share.

At the Temple of Heaven, I had an incredible ice cream popsicle. I know this isn't a very travel-related item but it is important that I share that with you. The only bad thing about the popsicle was the little cluster of red beans in the first bite - they put beans in everything here but I never thought I'd bite into beans in my ice cream.

I also discovered my love for extreme ribbon dancing. It looks easy but I was had worked up a sweat by the end of it, but it was so fun that I had to do it more later. Little did I know that I was ribbon dancing in front of the sacrificial altar. I hope this didn't mean anything to them.

Following our Temple of Heaven excursion, we went to the Pearl Market and bargained for gifts and beautiful jewelry. I can't say much about this or I'll give away what gifts I bought for friends and family.

Next weekend excursion: the Mid-Autumn Charity Embassy of Canada Ball that CISB teachers are invited to. We're really excited about this. Wish me luck on trying to find a dress!

Warnings and Ponderings

At last, a calm evening in with a cup of coffee, some music, and writing to you people. Splendid. I will apologize in advance, I'm too lazy to attempt to keep this post organized. So here we go with my thoughts on the past week. Part 1: Tidbits on living the safe life. Part 2: International ponderings

First, Beijing air and I do not get along. Not a bit. Some of you lucky ones have already heard my Beijing cough via skype. For those who are not lucky enough to have heard this wonderful sound, I assure you: it's impressive. We've had mostly blue skies, too so I'm really dreading the city's coal-burning months; I've already been warned. Also, my skin and hair is slowly adjusting to the water here as well. If only I could boil all the yucky stuff out of all the water I use. 

If you have are thinking of travelling to Beijing, be prepared for a few weeks of transition once you get here. Eventually your skin, lungs, and hair will adjust and become immune to the toxins. Yay.

Also, hopefully you are not accident prone if you are coming to China. Walking down the street is a dangerous feat I tell you; especially when there are several trees strategically planted in the middle of the sidewalk. These trees along with the many loose bricks make for a fun obstacle course. I especially like watching the women in four inch heels maneuvering the course. Silly ladies. 

Then there's the traffic and street crossing you have to become pro at unless you would like to get flattened. But don't worry, drivers will honk incessantly at you before they consider flattening you. Fair warning. You'll be amazed at how quickly your peripheral vision will improve.

Part 2: This is the part that won't send you into a worrisome fit. I don't think anyway.

I've had my first week of classes at CISB and my first real weekend of doing things in Beijing. School life is so very different here in Beijing; students are very academically focused. I have one student in grade seven who went to Canada and the US with his parents this past summer to visit University of Toronto, McGill, Harvard, MIT, etc. I couldn't believe it. He's 13! It's just the mentality here. 

Something that I'm loving already about international teaching is how many cultures we get to experience in one class. I have one really small English lit class with only four students. Each one speaks a different first language: Russian, English, Chinese, Portuguese. It's really neat to see people connecting over their similarities and not focusing on their differences. But, they appreciate and respect the unique differences. 

My desk :) Forgive the barren state

I've been going to a big international church and a "small" group on Thursday nights. There is close to 1000 people in the entire church but often we divide and meet in smaller congregations so that people can meet and use their own language. Occasionally, all come together for a giant international service. 

That was yesterday. Two languages through the whole service but the best part was when we were told to all sing in our own language. There are no barriers. We were still saying the same words to the same God. It was the coolest thing.

In my time teaching in Quebec and now here in China, so many of my prejudices have been broken. I was told that the Chinese are not friendly. I was prepared for brazen looks, shoving, and impolite people. The Chinese I've met are the opposite. They smile and say "ni hao" when they pass you, they'll try to make conversation, and you'll find similarities while speaking in different languages. Of course there is the odd rude person but you will get that everywhere. 

(however, put them in a car and they become a different person but that is a different story)

What I'm saying is don't assume. It's hard not to make a generalization, I've been there. But try for the sake of that person you've pre-judged.

Sorry for the tangent. In my next post, I'm going to share some photos and stories from my weekend around the city. Seriously, I traipsed all around the city (okay, maybe not the whole city) on Saturday.

Exploring

Soooo, here is the first video update! Just a peek of what us girls do when we are bored. We were trying desperately hard to find a window to watch the sunset over Beijing from the 25th floor of our hotel.

A Lovely Sunday Morning

Guess who came to visit again on Sunday?

Yep. Blue skies and sunshine. My heart was happy. One of my host teachers (Geetika) and her husband (Gary) invited Alicia, Kenzie, and myself to church with them and it is just a short walk from the school and an even shorter walk from the hotel we are staying in. We arrived at church and I was so happy to be greeted with English and familiar worship music.

Me, Alicia, and Kenzie taking elevator pics before church because we're cool like that.

It was a really good service and I felt so encouraged to have found a church. You may be wondering how this kind of thing is allowed in China. Well, the church is called Beijing International Christian Fellowship and in order to attend you have to have a foreign passport and show it at the front door. Chinese cannot attend because of government regulations. Because it's an international church, there are naturally people from all over the world but the chosen language of this service is English; there are other services during the week in other foreign languages.

We are surrounded my international communities - school, church, and at home. It's fascinating to be learning about everyone's backgrounds and stories. At the grocery store yesterday we met a gentleman from Canada who was travelling through China with his Chinese daughter and gave us suggestions of their favourite places they visited.

After church, Geetika and Gary invited us back to their apartment for lunch (and internet hehe). We had a mix of Indian and Chinese food; Geetika is an incredible cook and we've actually been invited there again for supper tonight. It sure beats the peanut butter sandwiches we've been feasting on.

After we ate, we were sitting in the living room talking about where we'd like to travel and listening to Gary and Geetika's stories from their travels. They have some very interesting stories that help put our own experience in perspective. I mentioned that we hadn't had the opportunity to really experience anything authentically Chinese yet and to feel like we are actually in a Chinese city. We could easily trick ourselves into thinking that we're in a North American city.

Geetika excitedly suggested we go to Houhai and see the Hu Tongs. She said that we'd not have many beautiful days like that day so we should go before life gets even crazier and more hectic. Without hesitation, we agreed.

This story is for the next post though :)

Kettle of Worms

Kenzie, the pro photo bomber :)

I'm not going to ramble on about that kettle of worms I alluded to in my last post. In a nutshell, our apartments weren't ready yet so they put us at the hotel next door to the school. We get a nice little walk under the willow every morning on our way to work. We also get our daily dose of air toxins as well.

The first day in Beijing was hazy and so icky outside. You were covered in sweat after just being outdoors for five minutes. We met Alicia's host teacher who was a little Godsend for those first couple days. She gave us breakfast. And coffee. And tea. It was grand.

We went to the school and the head of the school gave us a tour and then we went for lunch at Subway. Our first "full" meal in China! You'd think that it would be hard to get by without much knowledge of the language but in this district people are fairly understanding and we just have to put all pride aside as we gesture frantically for what we need.

Then Pauline took us out for supper at Matsuko which is a Japanese restaurant not far from the school. I am becoming accustomed to sushi slowly, very slowly.

Front gate (on one of the icky days)

The next day I got up and went to the window, preparing myself for a wall of hazy grey. I was preparing myself for disappointment. I was ready for it. I looked out: BLUE SKIES. I was in awe. I had always heard and read that you just had to get used to not seeing blue skies or the sun in Beijing. Later we found out that this kind of day is a rarity but it definitely lifted our spirits. We went to Carrefour (groceries) and then to the largest Ikea in the world.

Here in China people don't just shop at Ikea. They treat it like home. There were families lounging around watching TV, couples fast asleep on the couches, parents changing their children. It was odd to see this. Shopping at Ikea in Beijing on one of the nicest days in August was ridiculous. I felt like at any given moment I could get tossed into a bin by a rushed shopper. It was overwhelming. We picked up a few things for our apartment-to-be and then got out of there.

That evening we went for supper at Matsuko again with a bunch of the new teachers. You'll find that I'm going to write a lot about food in the next couple posts because our down-time revolves around where we'll get food next and how to get more bottled water. We're living very simply.

On Sunday, we got up and I pulled back the curtains with trepidation. Blue skies and sunshine again. Sunday was such a good day that I want to give it the proper attention so that will have to be later in my next post.

This is the Midde/High library. There is an entire other library for Elementary. Do you think I was excited?

Will I Ever See the Moon Again?

 Where were we? Right, running through the crazy psychedelic tunnel  with blinking strobe lights in

the Detroit airport with terrifyingly epic music pounding in our ears as we try and find gate 36 in terminal C. We were still in B.

Somehow we made it and I still had time to spare to buy one of those donut pillows for the neck before boarding. My butt and tailbone were thankful.
Then came the 12-hour flight from Detroit to Tokyo. Once we were in air, an announcement came on explaining our flight path. We’d be flying over friggin’ Alaska. Because of this, I was too nervous to sleep because of my fear that I’d miss seeing the Yukon and Alaska. (the photos of this are on my phone and I haven't figured out my phone situation yet)

We didn’t see nighttime for a full 24 hours because of the many time zones that we passed through so the flight attendants had all the window screens shut so that everyone could sleep should they choose to.

(Not Alaska, obviously)

I did fall asleep and then woke up in a panic, worried that I had missed Alaska. The plane was dark but I lifted my screen and was met with a stunning view. It was Alaska. I checked the moving map (courtesy of Delta’s sweet technology) and saw that we were flying over the Alaska range. The snow-capped peaks were so breathtaking; and as tired as I was, I just could not stop staring.

I sprained my ankle a week and a half before we were set to fly so this long flight was pretty uncomfortable at times. But with a little medication, I was finally able to sleep and woke up close to Tokyo.

Finally, after 26 hours of travelling we were flying over China and we were seeing night for the first time. However, we could hardly see below through the pollution and smog. We couldn’t help but wonder why we had come to the most polluted city in the world. My feeling of relief at finally arriving with very few flying obstacles was much stronger than any other emotion at this point.

Five airports later. After about 31 hours of travel. With many nerves. We were in Beijing.

We were greeted by two things at the airport. 1. A quiet Chinese man from CISB who spoke no English. 2. A wall of humid, smelly, stale air.

Keep checking, I’ll be updating you on our past couple days really soon. Please forgive our gross state in that last picture, this is at midnight in our sad little rooms at CISB. That is a whole other kettle of worms for the next post.

Flight Craziness

I just got internet access that is good enough for me to blog but a week of sheer craziness has passed and I really have no idea where to start. So I might try and break this up into a few separate posts so that your butt doesn't get sore from sitting here reading this for so long.

First things first. Travelling to China. To use the words of a close friend of mine: What a gong show. It was Tuesday night when my parents and I got to Halifax. This is where we would be flying out the following morning at 7:25am. That night around 2am, my mom woke up worried and decided to check the flight. I woke up a little later to frazzled muffled voices. Guess what? Flight was cancelled. So several hours before I was supposed to board a plane to China, I found out that my flight was cancelled completely.

It finally got sorted out. But not until we were all standing in the airport ready to fly. So we ended up with: Halifax-Toronto-Detroit-Tokyo-Beijing. Yeah, no big deal. Clearly we are pro at flying by now.

When we got into Detroit at Terminal A, we found out that our flight to Tokyo was in Terminal C. And it was boarding. Actually, it was the final boarding call.

So, we ran.

More later. Have to go! I'll just leave you hanging.

The Biggest Ikea in the World

It's an exciting (and mildly unsettling) feeling to realize that you have no idea when you'll be returning to Canada for good. I leave in three weeks and will be in China for at least four months; however, after my orientation day in Freddy, I've realized that I could very easily be there for up to three years (gulp).

At orientation, we became familiar with teaching ELLs (English language learners), we learned about some of the logistics of living in China, and most importantly we met lots of people. Four of us drove to Fredericton and all had the chance to meet some of the other people who will be in Beijing with us. I was surprised to meet the head of CISB and the two principals.

When you think headmaster type, you think that they will be sort of uptight, uber-professional, and rigid. But not true for this guy. He started to explain one of the first places he would be taking us when we arrived. My mind when to the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, the Great Wall - you know, the historical and predictable tourist sites. Know what he said?

"The biggest Ikea in the world!"

He really put us at ease.

Throughout our conversation, I realized that I could very likely end up working full-time after my internship with just a short little trip home to PEI for Christmas. Crazy.

In case, you missed one of my other posts - click here for my school's website.

P.S. I'm still not sure when it will begin, but my video updates will begin soon.

Haircuts and Backpacks

 Today, I cut my hair. Seems like it should be a simple endeavour, nothing that should elicit crazy nerves about going to China. Not true for me at all. When I was teaching in Rimouski for the year, I got a little trim after a lot of building myself up to it. I was nervous about trying to do this in China. I only can say a few essential phrases like "Do you speak English?" in Mandarin so far. Therefore, the thought of trying to explain how to cut my hair was mildly terrifying. Just mildly.

I finally got a new backpack. My other one has served me well but is far from being in decent condition. I had been researching packs a while back and was finding that they were just too expensive for me right now and I had resigned to using my decrepit Reebok bag. But today I bought a Mountain Hardwear pack at Winners of all places; it was surprisingly cheap! I, of course, had to test it out. I think I'm going to need a little help getting fitted for it - I kind of struggled. I only put a few things in for the first test and will really need to do some re-organizing to fit everything in there that I need to take on the plane with me. Tomorrow, I plan to wear it for the better part of the day to see how it feels before I commit to it. Any packing advice?

I also had to test out whether or not my Grammie's afghan would fit into it as I so badly want to take it on the plane with me. It makes everything a little squished so I may have to swap it out for a different airplane blanket. I've been advised that if this is too difficult then a big scarf (such as a pashmina) will do the trick.

My next post will hopefully be a collection of some resources I've dug up based on what I THINK I'm teaching. It still hasn't been confirmed. If you have any good Drama lesson plans or activities, please pass them along to me. Or if you know of someone who does, have them pass it along to me. I also need some great EAL resources! 

Our orientation is in two days in Fredericton, so you'll get the DL on that as well. Probably. Most likely. 

Changing

Never assume that you know what will happen tomorrow or next year because things can change so quickly – whether you like it or not. In the past couple years I’ve gotten a travel bug. It’s a neat little bug because it makes me go places that my better judgment would never let me go to. Like Beijing. Nutty.

I remember calling my friend Emily from Rimouski last year about my weekend in Tadoussac, QC. It was a spontaneous trip to a little tourist town on the other side of the St.Lawrence to go whale-watching. It was something I’d always wanted to do and I got to do it. 

But a simple 3 ½ hour drive turned into 9 hours each way because the ferry was closed so we had to drive all the way around the River. We ended up staying in a youth hostel in a basement room that wasn’t really a room. They were overbooked so we were on mattresses on the floor in a storage room in the basement with strangers. Trust was required. If you followed my other blog while I was in Quebec for a year, you may remember this post. 

Anyway, when I called Em to tell her about it she was amazed. She said “The Becca I used to know would never have done that.” I thought it was funny because I hadn’t given the situation a second thought. I had changed in just a few months away from home in a different province. Similar to how I’d changed when I moved to Moncton for university. 

Travelling and moving changes you exponentially. I can’t even imagine how living in Beijing will change me.

On Thursday of last week, everything became so much more real for me. We booked our flights and now we leave on August 14^th. What am I thinking?! J I was sitting on a curb outside on my lunch break and made the call. Since that call, things have been spiralling into place as I make list after list (you know how much I love lists) of things I need to do. I ended up designating a notebook as my China notebook for planning.

I have also found out which subjects I’m teaching. The internet searching has begun. The curriculum perusing, the idea-jotting, the pre-planning for things I probably can’t even prepare for. I love it. I’m such a nerd but that’s okay with me if it’s okay with you (actually, even if it’s not okay with you I’m still okay with it). I’m teaching high school drama and English tentatively but I likely won’t know all the details until I’m there.

Any of you have pieces of advice? Lesson plans that you think would be good? Travel advice? OR, if you have a story about your own changes through travelling, please throw them at me!