An Open Letter to My Mom

Will you make me a sandwich?’ I always know my mom will.  Even if she is busy with something else, I know in my heart my mom will take the time and make me a delicious sandwich, exactly how I like it.  On top of that, she will usually add a little extra something on the plate, like a homemade brownie or some chips.  That’s the kind of mom she is.  Then she’ll ask if I want something to drink with that.  And she will say, ‘Don’t get up’ and mean it as she brings in a refreshing beverage. That’s…

Big Girl Pants

Sleep in or go to my photography class in Hong Kong?  Believe it or not, this was a difficult choice to make last Sunday morning as I laid in my warm bed on a chilly morning. The night before, I had this great foot rub at a place called Medu. I have heard raves about it, but never went.  I ended up going with a couple of friends of mine and it was completely relaxing.  So getting up in the morning just wasn’t ideal.  As I boarded the 7:45am ferry though, my motivation began to quickly rise. For me, there…

It’s Not You, It’s Me

I would like to take a moment to share with my friends and family a sad break up of a beautiful relationship. This particular relationship was with a soul mate that has been with me since I arrived in China.  You could say that he got me through some tough times.  I mean, he offered me sweetness and comfort when I was new to this unfamiliar place.  He went with me to school and shopping trips.  He was even with me on several death defying cab rides.  I can’t tell you what how much I depended upon him.  We were…

Location, Location, Location

Last week in Bangkok was one of the annual job fairs for international teaching.  I did not go as I already have a two-year contract, but it’s been fun to hear where other people are going.  It got me thinking about where I want to go next. One of my teaching partners got a job at a school in India.  It made me think about the job fair last year in Boston. It was bitterly cold.  I had no idea the temperature on Earth could drop that low and on top of that, I had absolutely no idea what I was…

Monopoly Money

The banknote for a hundred RMB is pink.  There are coins, but there is also a piece of paper that represents half an RMB (think fifty cents).  It’s still like Monopoly money to me and I have been spending like I own Broadway. Today, I went to the ATM and pulled out 1,000RMB. 100RMB is about $15US, so I have about a hundred and fifty bucks in my wallet.   That’s a lot of cash to me.  And it is soooo easy to spend here. What surprised me about Shekou is that the cost of living is actually higher here than…