China- The Good, the Bad and the Stinky!

Well I have survived my second week living in China! I wanted to write sooner, to jot down my first impressions and such, but I have been so busy with work, that I haven’t gotten a chance until now. China is an interesting place. Guangzhou has many foreigners, and the bars and clubs are filled with friendly Canadians, Europeans, and people from all around the world. I did a lot of reading about China before I came here, to try and lessen the culture shock. One thing that really rang true is the spitting. I have learned to look down when I walk, and no longer get disgusted by people hoarking anywhere- even in restaurants. To be fair, they are not to blame. The air quality here is so bad. There are definitely very “interesting” unpleasant smells! We got a whiff of something nasty today in my classroom! The people here are really friendly. I enjoy walking to work and being greeted with a friendly, “Nihao!” from shop owners and passer-byers. I don’t think I have experienced a huge culture shock...at least not yet. The worst thing about it was my apartment and its lack of heat and hot water, but it is warmer now, hot water is back, and it is actually becoming quite cozy.

Things I have learned so far:

How to say rice, thank you, the bill, takeout, hello, turn right and go straight in Mandarin

How to climb over 30 flights of stairs per day without passing out!

How to ignore gross sounds and smells

That what you expect when you order is not necessarily what you are going to get. In fact, most of the time it is not.

Not to take a bus without other foreigners unless you want to get stared at ogled.

How to find pizza, pasta, and other Western food; also, the quickest way to get to McDonalds!

Appreciate the good things, accept what I cannot change, and enjoy the experience here and now.

I do miss my family and friends dearly, but between work, sightseeing, and eating, I barely even have time to sleep. Even though I am so busy, and so far from home, I feel so healthy! I think about my friends and fam. everyday though.

I haven’t managed to find all the great shopping places everyone always talks about. But I plan to go exploring later on in the week, so hopefully I will come across something.

Until next time! MUAH XOXOXOXO

Embarking on my Exciting Journey

I leave for China in 10 days!! 10 DAYS!!! There are so many emotions running through me right now. Nervousness, excitement, anxiety, stress, fear, hope; each one just as strong as the next. I decided to create this blog to share my journey with you- my family and friends.

Those of you who know me well were most likely surprised to discover my plans to move to halfway across the world. I am a true homebody, very close to my wonderful parents and (sometimes) wonderful brothers. I love my friends, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. They mean the world to me. So the question is, WHY? Why did I just decide to pick up and move to China? Well the honest answer is, I didn't really think about it all all. Up to the time it came to give my employer an answer, I gave this prospect no though whatsoever. When I got the phone call to discuss teaching positions at the school, I was really surprised, since I had no recollection of applying to teach in China! I went along and had a conversation discussing the need of an English teacher to move to China in February, and the whole time was thinking, "Yeah right. I will NEVER mover to China!" However, I did agree to an interview for later that week. I went to the interview unprepared, thinking, "I am probably going to get this job, but I don't even want it." I even considered not going. After discussing the position, I started to think that maybe I would consider it. I got the offer, agonized over it for a while, then declined. Finally, I accepted the position, only after negotiating a shorter contract (one semester as opposed to a year). So that really long explanation still does not answer the question WHY? Well..... I really don't know!

I can tell you what I am hoping to gain from this journey though. I am hoping to experience a new culture, and become more open minded. I think experiencing a new lifestyle will open my eyes to the world around me. I am not going to "find myself," but I am sure I will learn more about myself than ever before. I am also very excited to do some traveling, and take in some beautiful sights. I guess I just needed a change, a chance to grow and a chance to heal. For those of you who have the patience to read my posts, I look forward to sharing my journey with you. However, if you are looking to hear stories about adventure, excitement and fun, I can't promise you anything. But I can share my personal thoughts with you and hopefully inspire, entertain, or simply give you something to do when you're bored!