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Well it's safe to say that I am awful at this whole blogging thing. Meh, I guess there are worse things in life. ANYways I'm in month number 4 of Spain. Tengo mejores espanol pero necesito practicar mucho despues seré feliz. I need lots and LOTS of practice. The good news is that I've gotten less afraid to try. Other than that life is normal. It's interesting that people expect that just because you are in another country everything is amazing and different and crazy, in some ways it is, but in many ways people are the same and life is the same. You still have a hard time meeting people while you work and getting comfortable in a new place (maybe not you, maybe just me...). So here's the flashy stuff: San Sebastian - Absolutely stunning. I can't recommend it enough. I was lucky to meet a wonderful group of people there through David and his cousin Matt and I had a freaking blast living the (absolutely insane) study abroad life for a short time. It's no wonder people come back and get depressed because it's basically an excuse to hang out (and drink of course) with a bunch of other young interesting people in a beautiful place where you are all transplanted and only have each other. A huge group of instant friends. It's amazing and lovely and sucks when you have to leave. I would recommend going to a tiny Church outside of Bilbao called San Juan de Ga...something something (google magic my friends). It took us forever to get there but it is a stone church on a tiny island in the ocean. People traditionally ring the bell three times so the soothing sound is melodic in it's consistency. Now, here's the thing, we didn't actually make it to the church because we ran out of time BUT we did make it to a spot on the cliff overlooking both the church and the coastline while the sun was setting. It was incredible. To add to it, a bit of personal history: My ancestor, Sir Francis Drake, murdered a hermit at that exact church 420 years before I was there. He pushed the man off of the cliff. David was very disappointed in me for not having a repeat performance and many pirate jokes were to be had. To be honest I am sure there are lots of sites to visit but other than the big giant statue of Jesus (fantastic for sunsets) on the maze of a hill (a great place to wander at night) basically all I did was eat, drink, lie around (on the beach or otherwise), and drink some more. Wandering the streets is enough to get a sense of peace. I loved it. So that's the list of my Spanish cities to date #brokelife For Christmas and New Years I did visit Caleb and Febi in Ihringen and a bit of Freiburg followed by a week in Berlin. So here's.... Berlin - If you think you have time to relax you are wrong. I made this mistake when Caleb told me the same thing and then I consulted the internet and commenced racing the clock from spot to spot. Some tips - 1) if you do the Reichstag building it is worth it to wait in line (or reserve ahead if you're adulting) and get a free time slot to go inside the glass dome. It was pretty cool and the top is open to the sky so although it was freezing I still took a moment to lie back and have a moment with the stars. 2) The Jewish Museum is definitely worth the money (only 3 euros if you have ANY student ID). The painting shown above is from an exhibition entitled "A Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew". Playing off of the classic joke opener these paintings displayed three virtually identical characters experiencing different life events. It was simple, profound, humorous, and one of my favorite parts of my trip. 3) The Topography of Terror is also very interesting (free) but be prepared to need a bit of cake after visiting the old headquarters of the SS and the Gestapo. Lucky for you there's awesome cake everywhere. 4) Get currywurst! The stands on the street (there's one near the Topography of Terror) are so so yummy. 5) Get Doner Kebab. So yummy and Berlin is where it originated..6) Go to the Soviet War Memorial and then tell me how it was because I didn't make it but every Berliner said it's fantastic. You can also check out a local brewery that my dad is very upset at me for not going to. 7) If you are ok with being a bit out of the way go to The Jetpak Eco Lodge. It's in the middle of a tiny forest on the edge of the main city and I'm not going to lie, it sucks getting to but it's so relaxing and comfortable with free breakfast and absolutely fantastic people. I was a bit skeptical when I got there (the middle of the night in a forest, come on) but I would love to go back. I'd recommend summer but cozying up to the fireplace in a nearly empty hostel was still really fun for me. One cool thing that I got to do in Berlin was to go to the famous club Berghain. It's infamous for being impossible to get into so I decided to join the culture of waiting in line. Much to my surprise I wasn't rejected but was let in! They don't let you take pictures and to say this club is alternative or a bit insane would be mild but I had an absolute blast. People are just having fun in the most open and unabashed way, plus there was a swinging platform to sit on (or fall asleep on if you want)! Alright there's my travels. As always I have so much to catch up on but that will have to wait for another day. Tschüss! Hasta Luego!

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Spain: A new frontier for a giantess I'm so very far behind but there's no need to continue that trend when I can always catch up later (since right now there's only part 1 of China and I should probably at least have a part 2) Anyways here's a couple moments in time from my current location in the world, Valladolid, Spain First full day in my new city and it's been fun! Got a room in an apartment? Check. Friendly roommates? Check. Gloomy and rainy? Check. Bought a blanket and umbrella? Check. Now I just need to conquer Spanish because mi Español es muy malo, abysmal in fact. I also need to figure out how to start work because when your visa takes FOR-EHH-VER and you miss orientation and everything, you end up a bit out of the loop. Wish me luck! Now it's the morning of day 4. I had some really articulate and lovely things I thought of last night that I told myself, in the most ardent way, to remember but, in the traditional way of night-time thoughts, I forgot them all completely. So here's, less fanciful, morning me. I've aquired a room in a shared apartment now with an Italian and Peruvian. I've confirmed my belief that my Spanish is abysmal but have also found comfort in the idea that I want to improve it and that progress should not be compared to anyone else. In my greatest moment of confidence I smashed face first into an automatic glass door that failed to automatically open, for which my nose paid the price. I'm poor and slowly becoming more so but I'm in Spain and for the first time I feel I am truly embracing living the way that I want. No more pandering or panicking about other people's inconsistent emotions that I have zero control over... at least that's the goal. Anyways, personal growth tedious verbiage aside, Valladolid is a medium sized city with stunning architecture (like just about everywhere in Europe), incredible parks (see wandering peacocks above), and tasty treats. I've been mostly aimlessly walking on my own and avoiding (successfully, for now) spending all my money on food and drink. I did have what was called a Bombón (I believe) that was condensed milk with espresso and, to my unrefined senses, tasted deliciously like coffee combined with vanilla pudding. One thing I have noticed, and was forewarned of, is how late people do things here! My roommate eats dinner after 10pm and then goes out and comes home at 4am at the earliest! I don't mind at all (my jet lag is destroying me this time around) but I'm concerned for my own survival. That should be enough blabbing for now. Ta-ta! Talk to you later P.s. no rain since I got my umbrella

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That’s so China Part 1 - What is China Like?

If you ask me what China is like you need to prepare yourself for “It’s difficult to describe, a country of contrasts.” if you want more than that, then sit your butt down, grab some water and a snack and don’t be an ass when it takes me longer than 2 minutes to describe one of the oldest civilizations that is on the other side of the world and is entirely different from Western life.

What people want to hear about is the dirt and the spitting and the sexism that does, actually, still happen in China. What they don’t want to hear is about the natural beauty, the extreme friendliness of the people and the honest fact that, no, some people can’t hack it in China because they just can’t get away from their own culture enough to accept something entirely different. Was I perfectly comfortable all the time? Definitely not. Getting my picture taken at the gym when I’m a sweaty mess (see above) or having people constantly shouting hello can grate at your patience on a bad (or even good) day. However, what it really comes down to is that Chinese people are ridiculously excited to meet foreigners. Does this mean that you’ll feel a bit like a celebrity/zoo animal? Yes. But that does not give you the right to be an ass or to judge them for their excitement. They have sometimes NEVER seen someone who isn’t Chinese before in their life and right now their entertainment culture is full of foreigners so it’s fantastic for them to see someone in the flesh who looks similar to the people in the movies, magazines, and advertisements that they see all the time. 

Understanding isn’t about accepting that someone is right and you are wrong. It’s taking a moment to truly realize WHY they do what they do. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but understanding is in the ears. You shut your ears and you will never have the ability to see something that you once considered ugly to be be beautiful. 

After the first two months in China I was excited to go home. I couldn’t wait. I was tired of people talking to me all the time, making me feel guilty for not remembering their names or not being able to constantly be a socialite at 4 dinners at once. I hated the spitting and the way they seemed to be yelling all the time. I would never have left, I didn’t feel like I wanted to but I also didn’t want to be there. I was alone a lot and talked very little (conversation is extremely limited). I wasn’t miserable, I was learning. Learning is a rough process though.

Something about going away and coming back to a place can make it seem so much brighter.

After missing my flight out of New Zealand I pulled myself away from the potential breakdown, bought a $5 bottle of wine with the the last $20 I had, took a paper coffee cup from the cafe in the grocery store, and plopped myself down on the lawn of the soon to be surprised Raphael, Pedja, and Matt. In the short moments I had with my wine and my complete sense of failure I decided to stop and change my frame of mind. So when I left for China the second time (to teasing comments from the boys about actually leaving this time) I was ready to accept what I had previously rejected.

When I got to China things were entirely different. Riding the bus back I felt comfortable and calm. This was MY crazy part of the world that so many people could not understand but I could see the reality of it and the beauty along with that reality. I will always remember how refreshed I felt on that bus and the pure feeling of “making it” in a place that was once so terrifying.

There were still plenty of frustrating moments and things that I didn’t enjoy but everything was through a different looking glass now. I didn’t care if people yelled “Hello” at me all the time or stared at me or wanted to talk, I actually started to find it funny and enjoyed my own forms of entertainment when it came to that. And if someone wanted to take a picture with me, well it took 5 seconds of my life to give someone else a little bit of happiness, so who really cares? I started to spend more time with my students, I went to the gym, I had beers with a Spaniard and a Dutchman every week, I found my own routine and made my own life and my own friends and it was amazing.... and then of course I had to leave.

We are so wrapped up in our own ideas of what is right and wrong that we never think about why something else might be worthwhile. In China they have firewalls blocking the internet, students who’d tell me that “In China you can’t say anything you want”, leftover women who are considered undesirable because they are too old to marry, and children who had no life outside of school. BUT they also have parents and students that care about their future, people that gave their friends the shirt off their backs, students who wrote me so many notes and gave me so many little presents that I couldn’t keep track of them all, a woman who paid for a water because I didn’t have cash and told me “don’t be stupid” when I tried to say I didn’t need it. 

In the west, we have the big freedoms but in China no one cares where you park, what your front lawn looks like, if you spit on the street, or any of the little silly things that people get so angry about. They live in a daily freedom that we do not have in a society full of rules and regulations. Is one better than the other? No, just different.

If you hung onto reading this blog until now then you either really like me, are extremely bored, or are possibly moving to China and find yourself in a desperate need for information. So I will finish with this:

Some people are not cut out for China. That’s ok. It is a culture that is so different from the West and to be surrounded by a way of life that is contrasting to what the rest of your life has been like can be impossible to accept. They are loud and pushy, eat family style with little rules about where they should sit or clink their glass depending on their position of power, have a hurry up and wait mentality, are isolated when it comes to the rest of the world (in a similar way to America), have relationship dynamics that I can’t even begin to write down in this blog without it being an additional 2000 words, and their food is the craziest and most delicious food I have ever had in my life.

A country of contrasts.

Beauty and filth, wealth and squalor, delicious and unimaginable. Every sense was on a constant roller coaster ride.

I love and miss it so very much.

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Brisbane, Australia The place of animals!

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I also ate the most amazing pizza of my life while drinking mojitos for hours. Oh, and all the banana milkshakes were had during my stay.

Bali, Indonesia

Tumblr hates me and deletes my posts instead of, I dunno, posting them. So there’s my lame excuse as to why I suck at this so hard.

Aaaaannyways, Bali was extreme relaxed. I spent most of my time reading on the little patio at the hotel and watching the crazy rain. A bit of me regrets not getting out more but I think it’s that American side of me that only sees a vacation as a success if you busily did as much as possible so you can have the pictures and stories to prove it. Instead I let the French heritage come out and I choose to enjoy myself without pressure of accomplishment. I’m not Italian so french mentality will have to work. Dolce far niente. Because of that I made some great new friends-two Australians and a Brit- I introduced the Aussies to Cold Stone (you’re welcome) where the lovely lady Brit and I failed at renting a moped because neither of us were close to capable drivers- I almost crashed it into a wall. Bali was also apparently the place of injury for me because the bottom of my foot was cut open by a rock in the only 5 minutes I spent swimming in the Indian Ocean (I think it took blood payment for the perfect shell I took off the beach earlier) and later at the Monkey forest I was bitten by a big greedy monkey (no rabies… yet). I spent most of my time in Kuta, which I have to say, Ubud is nicer and I’d go back there. Bali is cheap, the people are pushy but friendly, the food is good, comfort culture is rampant, it’s definitely touristy but I was enjoying it after the isolation of China. I did a fairly disappointing and cold (even the Swedish guy felt chilly) sunrise volcano hike (starting at 2am. Yuck.) That was made worthwhile by the fun people and the coffee tasting at the end. This is where they have the famous “Luwak coffee” which is where weasel-like animals eat and crap out coffee beans and they clean them up and turn them into my favorite addictive subsidence. You bet I tried it! Not the best but it got better as you drank it. Had an earthy flavor. Bali was lovely and if you want to lose yourself somewhere for a year on a cheap budget, this is the place. I loved it.

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Guilin/Yangshuo and Hong Kong

Even though I don’t have that many pictures Guilin was a really awesome city. Tim and I walked all over the thing and saw the market area, Seven Scenic Park (something like that)-a giant park with strange statues and monkeys that terrified us and beautiful ssshruubary, a courtyard covered in a huge map of the world, a man that told Tim that I couldn’t be from America because my nose clearly indicates that I’m British, and tons and tons of intense card games. The river in Guilin is gorgeous and lit up in all different colors at night. There are also two really cool Pagodas, the sun and moon pagoda that are in the middle of the water. It was relaxed but a lot of fun. We went on “bamboo boat” that was actually made of pvc pipe down the Li river to XingPing (sp?). It was freezing but beautiful and it gave us the chance to see some old friends in Yangshuo at The Lounge bar.

I’ve been to Hong Kong three times now and it’s nothing like Mainland China. There’s no honking horns or spitting and the ability to eat Mexican food makes it another world. There’s lots of cool hiking around Hong Kong and the best one I found so far (see picture above) is Dragon’s Back Trail. It’s about a 2 hour hike along a stunning ridge and even though it was incredibly windy it was still amazing. One of the prettiest hikes I’ve done. The Big Buddha (pictures on Facebook) is also extremely awesome and worthwhile to go to. If you want a party/bar crowd go to LFK near the Central area and it's packed with all kinds of people. I had a great people watching session with Kirsten one night. There’s also the longest escalator in the world there, that you ride in shorter sections for ages and then get a work out running back down the stairs. It’s a pretty cool city.

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Today I turn 26. The back end of 20 but I always thought that was my good side anyways. This year has been crazy and wonderful, it’s hurt in many different ways and sometimes it still does. I’ve got a couple of scars and a bunch of ridiculous stories to prove it. I miss the people I’ve lost forever and also the ones that are far away at the moment. Someday they’ll finally invent teleportation (get on it scientists! Slackers.) The people that I’ve met this year have made a huge impact even if they don’t realize it. I’m the type that gets connected and doesn’t let go, like a leech except a tad better looking, so thanks for giving me support. Anyways this is supposed to be about me, it is my birthday after all, but really that’s not who I am, or at least not who I wanna be. I care so much about people and when I love it’s with all my heart. Leech mode. However, I’m going to do a better job, at 26, to show that and to disallow my stubbornness from making things difficult for others and myself. I’m going to be stubborn about being stubborn, if you will. This year has brought about so so much change and I want to continue to make progress (especially if I get to pet more kitties along the way). Thanks so much for being on the ride so far.

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I'm on my third month in China now and it's definitely a rollar coaster ride. Three months is a strange place because the novelty of being somewhere new is wearing off but it's not comfortable yet. I want to try and get into a routine while also making sure I'm getting out and traveling and having fun. I will say that full conversations with English speakers is the most incredible thing ever. I'm looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone even more and exploring as much of this part of the world as I can. The pictures are of a couple foreign teacher group gatherings, a school ceremony parade that Adam and I got to walk in, and a picture of the amazing fireworks competition that Adam and I attended - story time!: on the way back from the fireworks we rode down the river in a smoking speed boat with 13 Chinese people (literally sitting on each others laps) and at one point pared under a bridge so low that the driver had to duck. #thatssochina. Here's to more memories to come!

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Changsha, Hunan and Xi'an, Shaanxi Very far apart but I had a great time in both while also managing to avoid pretty much anything touristy. I've spent a total of two nights in Changsha and of the 3 nights I've been very drunk in China those were two of them. Changsha is actually probably my favorite city so far. There's a lot of things to do and random hidden beauties. The hostel we've stayed at is on the coolest street and every bar or coffee shop I've gone to has been really relaxed and the people are lovely. It's got all the extra things a big city has and it can be crazy but it's comfortable at the same time. I still haven't been to any of the sights so I'll have to get around to that at some point, thank goodness Changsha is only an hour away. I did meet Irish people and people from all over Africa and Americans and ANOTHER HELENA (it's true she was British). I celebrated Halloween and ate real bagels with cream cheese and braved the worst part about Changsha-getting a taxi. It's really good fun though and I'm excited to create some more escapades and also probably see the giant statue of Mao eventually. Xi'an was much larger and there were definitely parts of the city that were insane. The Muslim District behind the Bell Tower was packed to the extreme while we were there and the streets were full of crazy cell phone advertisers with giant speakers blasting your ears with sound. But we still had hot pot, squid on a stick, fried bananas, spent too much money on drinks and hooka, played truth or dare with dice in a bar (I had to skip and do cartwheels and hug the bouncer), and my favorite was riding bicycles all the way around the old city wall. I didn't make it to the Terracotta Warriors (don't worry I'm gonna go back) and the only touristy thing I did was see a Chinese dance show with a dumpling dinner (actually pretty disappointing for me). I really enjoy traveling without site seeing. It's nice to be able to do whatever you want and to get the chance to experience random things like dancing with an elderly man in a suit at the park, feeling peace in a Taoist Temple to the 8 immortals, being out until 6am because you wanted to and also because you can't find your hostel, and yelling at the boys for letting some girl take all their best costume contest stickers (I leave them alone for 1 minute!). Traveling without expectations means you're never really disappointed as long as you go with it. It's been rewarding so far for me.

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Students: Chinese students are in school from 6am until 10pm everyday with only Sunday afternoons off. They have exams every month where they are compared to their classmates and the pressure is extreme. They have no free time and are allowed no source for their own interests or imagination. Every second of their life is regimented and controlled.... and yet they are still absolutely incredible. Their passion and kindness are always present. They are excited just to have a chance to talk and the smallest thing can brighten their day. They work so unbelievably hard and they still keep going. I have been astounded by the beauty of spirit I see in each of them. These pictures are my students, of which my favorite is the middle picture where Adam and I performed a mini rebellion by bringing some of our favorite girls green tea sundaes at 11pm. My only wish for all of these kids is that I can bring a little extra joy into their lives.

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China is frustrating and isolating and a constant sensory overload but it is also a beautiful and generous and astounding place. Today alone I went from being completely disheartened about inconsistent and negative feedback on my lessons to having a wonderful night teaching 11 year-olds "head, shoulders, knees, and toes", then drinking beers with a bunch of middle-aged men on a street corner infront of my school, and finally sitting on the ground infront of my apartment chatting for an hour with 5 lovely girls from the high school who stopped by to visit us. No matter how difficult it can be here I am so happy I took this leap across the ocean to a place where people care more about friendship than worrying about who owes money for coffee or dinner, where the children are so excited to learn and explore the world, and where I'm finally getting an appreciation for spicy food! China is overwhelming but in both good and bad ways. It surprises you and amazes you and I can't wait to explore this amazing country more and more. The Invasion Continues. P.s. this is the third time I've written this blog... Internet is also on the frustrating end of the spectrum.

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1 month in China. It's crazy to think it's already been a month. It feels so much shorter and so much longer at the same time. I am enjoying my new city of Liuyang where I teach at Liuyang No.1 High School. Liuyang is near the city of Changsha in the mountains and is a smaller city of only 1.3 million people. My apartment is fairly small but it's the first that's just mine so I'm excited to have it. I just need to find time to clean it because it seems like Adam and I are constantly getting requests to give English lessons or have dinner with people. In getting busier and busier but I'm going to do my best to get out and travel. I miss my family and friends at home and shoes that fit my feet but for the most part I'm having a blast. Picture time! 1. This is of Adam and I with a friend of ours, Patrick. Patrick is mostly retired but works at the school setting up an exchange program between here and the UK. He's been crazy helpful and spoiled us by taking us out to delicious dinners with his friends (none of whom speak English). 2. Another teacher at my school took me too a yoga class where I sucked and nearly died from sweating so hard but had fun. The Yoga teacher is from India and he insisted on taking a bunch of pictures. 3. Adam and I with a little adorable troublemaker named Susan. 4. This is a picture of a little garden on my school campus. Is right near the library and it's just stunning.

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Yangshuo Continued. The city was extremely touristy and you did not want to wear your good shoes when you went out but it was beautiful and unique and a wonderful place to start a stay in China. The market/tourist area called West Street was full of crazy shops and people trying to sell you things. We went clubbing one night and danced for hours to the same beat which was a typical kind of clubbing "uncd uncd uncd uncd". There were slight variations but basically the same thing. We still had a blast wearing ourselves out, losing our hearing, making Chinese people dance with us, and spinning around the stripper pole - out of us Matt, from Seattle, was by far the best stripper. He climbed almost all the way up this 20 foot pole. We were all impressed. As you can imagine we were quite an interesting attraction and multiple times I'd catch people taking pictures from the street as they walked by. The food was amazing. Luckie, from Alabama, was the queen of finding good drinks including mint sprite that comes in a blue bottle and Adam and I are addicted to. We also went to this great place where you'd pick different meats and vegetables out of a cooler/fridge and they'd cook it up with broth. It was amazing. We did a lot of drinking at this local western bar called The Lounge. They had a trivia night that my group won (!!!!) and a really cool stock market based night where the prices of drinks would change depending on how many people were buying them. It was really brilliant and we got some cheap tequila shots out of both events. The Trivia night Adam and I got so drunk playing bus driver that we stumbled back saying "you're the best" "no you're the best!", I left half of my cards at the bar, and in the morning slept through every alarm possible and missed one of other group's lessons (it wasn't a big deal because I'd already done mine). Picture time! The first picture is the view from TV tower. It's a panoramic of most of the gorgeous view, which (of course) pictures cannot express. I nearly died climbing up all the stairs (this body doesn't understand humidity) but it was worth it 100 times over. The second picture is of an awesome little coffee shop that we'd go to that had doughnuts and tasty iced coffee. I went there 3 times in 8 days and always had good conversations. Third is a view of some of the fireworks they had all over the place for their new national holiday "Victory Over Japan Day". They were exploding fireworks everywhere along the steet and scared the crap out of me more than once. Lastly is this pond on the edge of the park in Yangshuo. It was covered in these giant leaves and was stunning. The boys (Tim, Roman, Adam, and Alex) and I went on a stroll through the park and saw people playing cards and getting cup massages. Later, Alex, Roman, and Adam had to head back so Tim and I wandered around, found a couple guys playing beautiful music, and decided to improvise some interpretive dance so the locals could know exactly how weird westerners are. It was great fun. After that Matt joined us and we walked up a smaller hill, passed a hole/cave that someone was clearly living in, to get a nice view of the park.

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In Yangshuo I met so many amazing people that were so kind and so wonderful. I loved the people I met and would gladly go back to Yangshuo. 1. I played with one of the office lady’s daughters. Jennifer (the Buckland lady and this adorable girl’s mother) kept saying her daughter, Kassie I think, was crazy and she was definitely a little ball of energy but she was so much fun. She was so happy when I put her on my shoulders and she kept squealing when I would tip her over. 2. My Buckland friend, Tim, and I got painting lessons from the owner of our hotel who is an artist in China, Sanquan (sp?). Sanquan taught us traditional Chinese painting and showed us his amazing skill when he painted a sketch of Tim. He taught us to paint a crab and a fish. It was an incredible experience. 3. Sanquan and his daughter took a couple pictures with me. I asked to take this picture because I gave Sanquan a necklace of mine that he thought was beautiful. He gave the necklace to his daughter (she is wearing it in the picture) and then gave me a necklace with a Chinese coin that is from 200 years ago. I was speechless and so grateful. Their family was truly amazing and I already miss them. 4. This is my first Chinese friend, Alisa. She taught us our Chinese class and was our guide in Yangshuo. We danced at a club and ate amazing food and I am so happy I met her because she was so sweet and wonderful. I also miss her already.

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Welcome to the Invasion. I'm going to do my best to chronicle my attempts to introduce the world to an Amazon (me!). I've done a lot of amazing traveling this last year but currently my conquering has taken me to the amazing and stunning country of China. I stayed in Yangshuo which is a part of the City of Guilin in the southern province of Guangxi. I was there for about 8 days while we all went through our orientation from Buckland (the company I went through to arrange my teaching). Now I'm in Liuyang in the Hunan Province. This will be my home for the next year as I teach these Chinese whippersnappers some English conversational skills. I'll go into more details about some of the things I've done in later blogs but for now I just wanted to do a little introduction to my new Chinese life. The pictures above are: 1. My family (minus mum who had work) seeing me off at the airport in Reno. 2. My first friend in China and partner teacher in Liuyang, my Brit, Adam! 3. A group of Buckland teachers, our mentors/guides when we arrived in China, and a group of students we did a practice lesson with. We had a big BBQ party at the end of orientation and I got a bunch of the kids to show me their dance moves. It was a great time. 4. The view at night of the Yangshuo mountains from the front of my Hostel. As Adam would say, Cheers! Amazon Out.