Dear Ozzy, I was absolutely gutted when I heard the news of your passing. You will always be one of the greatest dogs that ever lived. I hate to think of not seeing your sweet face when I pull up to Kate’s house or feeling your nose nudge my arm in the hopes of more head scratching. I swear you could read my mind and always greeted me with your tail wagging at full speed. Don’t tell the Freemans but when I came to visit, I really just wanted to rub your tummy and have you put your head on…
Rings of Familiarity
There are moments of true uncomfortableness when moving to a new country. The journey itself can be challenging. I can’t think of anyone who enjoys long lines at passport control or waiting by the baggage carousal hoping their bags pop out after about 20 hours of travel. So when I woke up early the other morning, I was a tad disoriented when I realized the electricity was off. Who should I call? How does the phone work? How long do I wait? Is this normal or should I be worried? Where do I go if there is an emergency? Why…
Friendships
There is nothing that quite beats hanging out with someone you feel you can completely be yourself around. The idea that you can just say whatever, eat whatever, and wear whatever and they would be like, awesome. I was informed when I first started teaching internationally that no one back home will really care about my experiences overseas. That person was so right. I was hanging out with some people I went to high school with last night. Some I knew better than others. Then one guy asked me a few questions and just seemed amazed that I could pack…
Beijing photos
Below are some of my photos from Beijing. I still can’t believe I walked on The Great Wall and strolled through the Forbidden City. Enjoy!
Big Buddha
Here are some photos from my trip to see the Big Buddha… enjoy!
Photos from Tai-O
I haven’t posted photos for some time… thanks to the PRC firewall… but not for long! June 1oth! Below are my photos from Tai-O which is in Hong Kong – great place. Next is the Big Buddha! Enjoy!
A Painting and a Buddha
When I got to China, I kept hearing about Da Fen, The Artist’s Village. Essentially, the story goes that they (the artists working there) can copy any painting for super cheap and it’s usually excellent work. Flash to a year and a half later with me stumbling around Da Fen trying to find someone, anyone to copy a post card I bought in Istanbul. I wanted a large painting, something really bold. So my friends Robyn, Frank, Cody, and I randomly picked this hole in the wall place where it looked like they did good work… but who really knew?…
If This is the Future…
I keep hearing reports about China being the future. There are many reasons that sends chills to my very core, but chief among them is the pollution. It’s brutal. I am attaching two photos below. One is a comparison picture taken from my balcony and the other is on my way to school. Now, the smog is particularly bad today but I have to say that it’s rarely like the blue sky shot. But what the photos don’t capture is the smell. It’s really like living in an exhaust pipe. I simply don’t know how people manage in this yuck…
The Story of The Toilet Whisperer
China has really bad plumbing. Even the Chinese will tell you. It’s why the bathrooms stink – bad pipes. I am going to warn you now, that the rest of this blog is probably not suitable for work or small children. Not kidding. Lately, I have been working out. I am really focused on a summer at the beach and let’s be honest, the real Turkish Delight in August. Additionally, I have been eating healthy with lots of oatmeal, fruit, and some veggies (a work in progress). In China, many Westerners have Ayes which is essentially a maid in any…
A Little Over One Hundred Days
Not that I am counting. I mean; it’s not like I am looking up maps of Turkey, or calling packing companies, or making plans for the summer… Vegas anyone? Well, I would look at the maps more if the PRC didn’t block just about everything here. Plus, I will have to post this blog at school since my VPN doesn’t work anymore… No, I am not counting at all. I must tell you a story about why Jen is my BFF Asia. I know I have written a lot about that particular friendship lately, but if you saw us together,…
traveling with claire 