Bus 619

Life in China....Sometimes things like this happen:
Two days ago my friend, Natalie, and I went to get her a bus pass and we were told that to do this we would just need to get on a bus and take it to the end of its route. So, we hoped on bus 619 and away we went. About an hour later we decided that we probably shouldn't be leaving Tianjin, which we were, so we got off the bus and took a 45 minute taxi ride back to our campuses. The next day we attempted again and found the end of a route within 15 minutes....guess next time we'll ask which route is the best to take!
I start teaching on Monday so I'm sure I'll have more stories then.
Zai Jian! :)

Settling In...

First of all, I want to apologize in the delay of the postings...I know many of you think I fell off the side of China - nope, I'm still kickin! :)
The first week in Tianjin has been busy busy - we opened bank accounts and got cell phones - each of which took an entire afternoon!! Since I'm teaching at a university that is somewhat far away from the orientation meetings, I've gotten very familiar with the local taxis...and can even tell them where I want to go (although they usually get a good chuckle out of my incompetence!)
My apt was a sight for sore eyes at the beginning of the week but after lots of cleaning, LOTS of bleach and a new couch and rug, it's doing much better...see pics...and just to put things into perspective for you, I paid $158 US Dollars for a brand new sectional-couch! Cheap!!! Other fun money facts...I ate an entire meal of fried rice (I couldn't even finish it) the other day for approx. 75 cents USD. And, you can ride the bus here for approx. 12 cents USD! My monthly phone bill is 50 Yuan, which equals about $6 a month. Crazy, huh???

My new rug...it's unbelievable the joy a rug can bring!!

My new couch...luxury...and yes, it's bright blue! :)
The view of my living room...

I start teaching on Sept. 3rd...WRITING for Year 2 and 3 students...not exactly what I was expecting but I'm trying to be open minded. I have every afternoon off and Fridays off...but I'm guessing I'll be using a lot of that time to grade papers. I will have about 24 students in each of my 6 classes...they said only 3-4 boys in each class, the rest are girls.
Must be naptime in China because the guy sitting next to me in Starbucks just woke up and continued eating his muffin. Ha!
Next week I should be getting internet in my apt so these posts will become more regular then...I feel like I could write so many more stories but I'll spare you and write again soon! Missing you!!!! Shannon :)

Still Rainy in Hong Kong...See For Yourself!

As promised, here are some pics from Hong Kong!

The first and second ones are from Victoria Peak...basically at the top of a mountain overlooking Hong Kong. As you can see, it was quite cloudy but it gives you an idea of how "vertical" Hong Kong really is!





For all you Bond fans out there...me and Pierce!! :)



My new friend, Natalie...she is from the U.K. and is also going to Tianjin to teach English.

More later!

Rainy in Hong Kong

I made it to Hong Kong! I arrived in the middle of a typhoon warning although I was totally unaware...I guess after the 15 hour flight, the turbulence just seemed like a dillusion! :) Now I am in Hong Kong at orientation and am really loving it! There are about 20 of us here and 8 of them are traveling on to Tianjin with me. We are adjusting to the jet lag, learning a ton about each other and China, having lots of laughs, and generally really enjoying it! Many of the people here are from the U.K. so we have had several "debates" over language. For example, we had Jello one day and they were insistent that it is called "jelly." Of course I had to argue and say, "No this is definitley a Jello jiggler," which started a whole new topic on explaining what Jello jigglers are! Luckily, it didn't get to the point where I had to act out the commercials! :)
I am going to keep this short and post some pictures when I can get the internet on my laptop - we are staying on the side of a mountain at a retreat center here in HK and I've taken some good shots! I hope you are all well - I think of you often!

3 Days

Well, 3 days left until I dig my hole to China! I am so excited right now - the adventurous side of me can't wait to get there! It has been sad saying "see ya later" to family and friends but I feel so fortunate that so many people are supportive as I embark on this journey...thanks to everyone who has called, written, given hugs and wished me a good and safe journey! You'll all be going with me as you are a big part of my life - so many of you have encouraged me along the way and I know that I would not be strong enough to take this leap of faith were it not for you.
So...details...I fly out of Chicago on Thursday at, hmmmm....I'll have to find out what time, with a 15 hour direct flight to Hong Kong. A pilot friend of mine told me that the route we're taking is a Polar route meaning we go up and over, rather than around the globe. He said that if it's a clear day there will be an awesome view so I'm looking forward to that! Who knows...maybe I'll spot Santa! :) I'll be in Hong Kong for 5 days of orientation, then will be traveling by train (24 hours!!) to Beijing, then onto Tianjin. For those of you who have not traveled by train in China before - I'll be sure to bring some extra dust and dirt back with me for you...trust me, there will be plenty. :)
I'm going to hopefully be posting on here at least once a week while I'm gone and will add my address/phone number in China as soon as I get it...feel free to check anytime and leave comments! I'll try to include more pics after I get there so you won't have to read my ramblings like you are right now!!
I will miss you this next year - please keep in touch and know that you are always welcome at my new home in China!!!
Shannon :)