When I left the States, I had planned to have some of my things shipped – but I was trying to keep it to a minimum.  I was excited about the prospect of literally cleaning house and getting rid of things for my big move.  I am bit embarrassed to admit this now, but on some level, I felt a tad superior to those poor hoarders and packrats.  I remember thinking that I don’t need material things. Now that I am getting more and more settled here, boy do I miss those material things. I can’t really explain the amount…

There are so many things that I took for granted in the States. When speaking with other ex-pats, they all say the same thing.  Living here, a person goes through ups and downs.  Sometimes you like it, sometimes not so much.  I am definitely going through a not so much time right now. Overall, I love the idea that I am out in the world, meeting new people, seeing new things, experiencing a different culture and yes, smelling new smells.  But Shekou is really different than San Diego.  I know I just earned the Captain Obvious award but it’s true. …

Yesterday was a great day.  I went shopping and I was the only Westerner around for miles.  The thing that I have found about living in China is that it is very easy to stay in a bubble. The language is the main culprit.  Communication is difficult at best when both languages sound nothing like the other.  It’s challenging to get to know people outside of the bubble. Culturally, it’s like we each think the other is weird… it’s two worlds. I still get stares, especially on the bus yesterday.  This one girl could not take her eyes off of…

I was talking with this American woman while I was getting my hair done the other day, and she was really down on America in general.  I mean it was so cliché about how overindulgent Americans are, and how in the supermarkets there are 100 cereals and who needs 100 cereals? And things were just too easy in the US and this that and the other. I think I bit my tongue so hard that it was almost bleeding.  She then proceeds to talk about China and how she has lived everywhere and isn’t so lovely and she can get…

Tonight, I was sitting with some friends and we were discussing where to go for some travel this upcoming November break.  You have to keep in mind that these people have been living abroad for quite some time.  They were throwing around countries, cities, resorts that I didn’t even know how to spell, let alone know the location of.  I was such a rookie siting amongst the veterans.  As we started to zero in on our destination, I finally admitted to my lack of Asia geography skills, at which they gently laughed as they remembered what it was like to…

My first trip to Hong Kong yesterday – what an amazing city.  We went on a photo tour and I can’t wait to go back.  I got only a small taste of it but it reminded me so much of New York.  I was under the weather for a couple of days and wasn’t sure if I was even going to be able to go, but I made it!  Enjoy the photos!

This weekend marks my second weekend in a row of professional development, so I am a bit burned out.  However, this weekend’s workshop is in Guangzhou (Gwong-Joe) which is about 2 hours north (west or east) of Shenzhen. As we were heading to the conference in the school van, I realized how much I miss driving and the freedom it brings.  It made me homesick for road trips.  Sometimes, people have a tendency to not always appreciate a moment when it is happening.  It takes a hard times or some just good old reflection to understand what you had.  Well,…

For those of you that don’t know, I have a website dedicated to my photography.  My friend Aaryn of aaryn.com recently updated my site to include Asia.  Please check it out when you get a moment! http://www.butterflyonsleeve.com/index.html – enjoy!

So last weekend I went to pick up two dresses that I had made in Lowu (Low-woo).  I was really excited because I think they are super cute and I haven’t had new clothes in like, forever.  However, last weekend I was exhausted.  I almost can’t imagine being more tired than I was. The only reason I left my apartment was to pick up these dresses. The taxi ride to this place is about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic.  We get there and it’s kind of a nightmare.  It’s hot and busy; the people I am with want…

There have been the craziest thunderstorms around here lately.  There was a major one the other night.  The God of Thunder must have been sitting on top of my building because it was just booming.  Think windows shaking and car alarms ringing in the street below.  As for the lightning, I liken it to a red carpet event, with millions of flashes going off.  The sky was blazing, like someone had the sky’s light switch and was moving it up and down very quickly.  CNN reported that there were approximately 20,000 bolts of lightning that night.  It was relentless and…