Edits, Corrections, Forgiveness?

So this will probably be the shortest and also most random blog I have ever posted. In my last post about Thanksgiving and be happy and blah blah blah, I made a comment something along the lines of:

"and Brad brought oreos (yes, I did just call you out for bringing oreos)"

This here is my public plea for forgiveness for ever so brazenly calling you out on my blog.

I in fact told Brad to "just bring oreos".

In my defense, I said that because I knew he would just bring oreos.

But nonetheless, my sincerest apology for calling you out.

Please refer to the rest of the blog though in which I give glowing reviews of all my wonderful friends and how so much of my happiness is due to them.

ahem.

That is all.

Gratitude = Happiness

So at the beginning of the semester, I taught my students about the saying "the best ever" and I've kind of realized in the last few days I have been saying that phrase...a lot. I mean, how often do we call a day "the best day ever"? Or say that we couldn't possibly picture feeling happier or more alive? Well, I gonna say it again and I'm sure it won't be the last time, but I'm pretty sure I just had the best two days of my life. And I firmly believe that my happiness is directly linked to the spirit of Thanksgiving. You can't have true happiness unless you fully appreciate and be grateful for the things you've been blessed with. And man have I been truly blessed. 

For starters, I'm in China. Never in a million years did I think I would even go to China for vacation. I always thought my life would lead me to one grand traveling adventure and that adventure was always going to take me to Europe. But then life threw me a curve ball and said "hey Ashley, why don't you check out China?" and so I did. And I fell in love. And then I got to see parts of the world I didn't even think to dream about seeing. Windows and doors and gates and heck, alleys have opened up to me that I just honestly couldn't even imagined to be part of my life. And here I am, living out this adventure, and I really can't even aptly name it an adventure because it is just my life. I am so incredibly grateful that China has become a part of my story. And I don't even know how to express how blessed I feel to be here, doing what I'm doing, meeting the people I'm meeting. 

And to back it up a little bit, I absolutely love Thanksgiving. I'm pretty sure it's my favorite food. It just screams to me family and food and football. I mean, those are the three most important F's I guess...oh I forgot friends. Friends are important too. The four most important F's, and that's way more appropriate since four also starts with F. But I was kinda dreading Thanksgiving because I was sure it would bring on an incurable bout of homesickness. And I'm not gonna sit here and say that I didn't miss home on Thursday because I did. I felt like I should have been peeling potatoes at the table while my dad smothered a naked turkey with butter and we blasted classic rock. Or I should have been sitting on the couch with my sister and aunts and uncles and cousins watching football and stealing deviled eggs from the fridge in the garage while Nanny wasn't looking. 

But instead, I taught 6 classes and ate a rather mediocre school lunch and a not so thrilling dinner. That may sound gloomy, but it wasn't. I love my students. I love seeing their enthusiasm and excitement planning a skit that they really shouldn't be excited about. I love introducing my elective course students to country music and seeing them bop their heads up and down while doing their homework and listening to a Tim McGraw song. And my anticipation for the next two days didn't really allow me to feel sad anyway. Sure, again I wish I could have been home to celebrate with my family and stuff my face with delicious food. But I probably wouldn't have fully realized what all I'm grateful for if that was what my day had been. I wouldn't have been able to reflect on all the past years and realize how good I've had it and how good my life will likely continue to be. And just knowing I have people back home loving me and missing me (and let's face it, missing my cooking) was enough. I just hope they all realize how much I love and miss them too. 

But as I said, I was anxiously anticipating the next two days. I managed to rope myself into planning a Thanksgiving type dinner for a group of Chinese friends. And I mean I definitely don't exactly know what I was thinking when I offered it, really I wasn't thinking. I just love to cook and hated knowing that they wouldn't be able to participate in the Thanksgiving meal we would be having on Saturday and I wanted a chance to give something to my friends that I could. Was I able to truly prepare a Thanksgiving meal? No. But the food you eat doesn't really matter when it comes to Thanksgiving. Its the people you're with and the friendship and love you share with those people. Its the gratitude you feel for getting to have those people be part of your life. And that is what I constantly reminded myself as I endlessly stressed about this dinner I planned.

When I plan a dinner party, I usually don't think about the logistics, I just feel the need to outdo whatever it was I did last. I always have to be better than myself. I also am somewhat a freak about planning. I think I usually hide that side of myself pretty well, but if you saw my notebook in the days leading up to this dinner, it would have made your head spin. It had various menus planned out, potential bedroom rearrangement to accommodate guests, budgets, time tables...I had it all mapped out and planned out and for once, things actually mostly followed my plan.  So anyway, I decided I would make BBQ chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, deviled eggs, a veggie salad, and rosemary bread. And I managed to successfully pull that all off on two hot plates and a rice cooker. Not gonna lie, I was pretty impressed with myself. My only short coming (because of course I have to criticize myself) is that I decided I wouldn't make a dessert and left that up to Brad and he brought Oreos (yes, I did just call you out, but I mean it in the nicest way possible). And I discovered that mango flavored oreos are actually good. So there you go. 

The dinner was wonderful. The food came out better than I could have hoped for, I didn't run out of food which is always a fear when feeding 12 (...I don't actually remember how many people there were now?). People seemed to truly enjoy themselves. Old friends got to catch up. New friends were made. Skip-Bo was played. Christmas music was listened to. I mean, you can't call the combination of all that anything but a success.  So there is day one of the two days of pure awesomeness. 

Day Two was something that I had really been looking forward to for a while. I had been invited to a Thanksgiving meal with real turkey and everything. There was also the "turkey bowl" in the morning...meaning I got to play football. It was practically like being in America for Thanksgiving. And from start to finish, Saturday was purely an amazing day. It started with dragging Clara to go play football with me. And though she was hesitant as she had never played football and was convinced it would be boring and awful, I'm pretty sure she had just as much a blast as I did. Except for the fact that my team totally kicked her team's butt. And I scored a touchdown. And I did a victory dance. So ya, I was flying on cloud nine and it was only 10am. I then had to rush home and get ready for the meal that was at 2pm. I had to finish baking my cake that was my contribution to the pot luck style meal. Because I couldn't quite make an pumpkin pie in my rice cooker (and I really don't like pumpkin pie anyway) I decided to attempt a caramel apple cake (which I also don't like baked apples, but I mean I figured that was more festive than a plain ol' cake). Clara also made a German potato salad to bring and we set off for the meal. 

Of course we were running late which I absolutely hated but there was nothing I could do about it. And to be honest, I was letting that fact weigh me down and I was letting other annoyances bring me down too. And as we walked from the metro to where the meal was, I pretty much came to the conclusion that my day was shot and I'd be in a bad mood and blah blah blah. But apparently the world had something else in store for me because even if I tried to have a bad time at the meal, I don't think I could have. I was surrounded by friends and food (and I had already played football that day). Three of my F's were fulfilled. And let's face it, sometimes friends are family. Every role was being fulfilled by someone in that large room. There were the old ladies who just screamed (not literally) of being the best grandma ever. There were the dad's embarrassing teenage daughters. There were little kids running around being adorable. I was 7000 miles away form home but there at the same time. The food was stellar, the entertaining talent show was just that, entertaining. It was great. And when I left, my cake container was empty so clearly I did something right in that department as well. I have to say again though how lucky and blessed I am for all I have. If it hadn't been for my amazing friends inviting me to that dinner, I wouldn't have found another piece of home in China. Some people are just so giving and kind and accepting. I was welcomed with open arms into a group of people that didn't know me. And for that I am grateful. I'm grateful that good people still exist in this world. I grateful that I am able to surround myself with such amazing and uplifting people. 

Now, if we really want to get down to why these two days were the best two days ever, anyone who knows anything about me and my life in China has to know how those two days ended. That's right KTV. And I am beyond thrilled because I am now the proud owner of my very own KTV VIP card. A new KTV place is opening up at the end of December and they currently are having a trial period special offer.  If you purchase their VIP card for 50 rmb, you get a voucher for 2 hours of free KTV. So basically you pay 50 rmb for two hours of KTV which is incredibly awesome. Now I've been to 4 or 5 different KTV places and each place has its own perks ranging from favorable price to song selection to cleanliness etc. This place had quite a good thing going for it. I'm not sure what the real prices are going to be when it opens for real, but this trial price deal definitely gives it an A+ for the time being. Its brand new so obviously it was clean and pretty and smelled good. Another A+. The room was small and cozy for our party size, in fact it was a perfect size for us, another A+. The room also had a tambourine and two maracas and a standing microphone that had free circular motion. This got it an A+++. Finally the song selection. I didn't really go to far in the depths of the song selection because we only had two hours. But they had my one staple song, "Chiquitita" and it had a song that I have been desperately searching for at KTV since I first came to China. So again, A+. For two hours I jumped around and sang my heart out until I had the raspiest voice and a slight headache. It was more than amazing. The only feeling occupying my mind, body, and soul was pure bliss. 

So yes, I had the two best days ever. And most of that is thanks to the people I spent those two days with. I don't think I could ever fully express my gratitude to those who make this life such a beautiful thing, but I'm going to keep trying. And as I said at the beginning, my happiness is so closely tied to the fact I can recognize how grateful I am. When I take the time to remember all I have to be grateful for, I also realize just how happy I am. Saying "thank you" or recognizing gratitude really is just a reflection on what you've been given, and how can you think about what you've been given without feeling happy for receiving it?  So yes. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This world has made me one happy girl. 

Tiny Humans

So I picked up an extra teaching gig here in China at a kindergarten recently. I've been there almost two months now and I can't help but proclaim my love for tiny humans. Now, I have nothing against babies and toddlers and kids in general back home, but I seriously believe that Chinese children are ten million times cuter than American (white) children; there, I said it and I mean it.  Chinese babies have the cutest chubby cheeks, pants with no butts, the best looks of curiosity towards foreigners.  I'm full on obsessed with Chinese babies.

Now, my kindergarten here is more what we would consider a preschool at home. I have four different classes, Pre-Nursery (2-3 years old), Nursery (3-4 years old), Kindergarten 1 (4-5 years old), and Kindergarten 2 (5-6 years old). Primary schools here start with first grade and most students start there at the age of six. I teach at the school three days a week and the classes range from 15-30 minutes based on the age group.


And if I haven't yet mentioned yet that these kids are darling and adorable and hilarious and just precious beyond belief, well I'm telling you now. Sometimes I dread having to teach there because I no longer have my four day weekend (ya I know, I was way too spoiled before) but every time I leave the kindergarten, I am usually ready to burst from love for these kids. They make me laugh and smile the entire time I'm there.

Do I get to teach them the most thrilling material? Heavens no. Am I able to command the attention of 20+ munchkins? Hardly. But that is more than okay. Each class has its own special quirks and perks. Each class has a stack of flash cards that we go through, a CD of songs, and the two kindergarten classes have books to learn letters, sounds, and words.

Pre Nursery is usually just a chaotic mess, but it is also my favorite class (no surprise there). There is one boy who squeals with delight when I walk into the room and just starts squeal shouting "Teacher! Teacher! Teacher!" and his giggle is something you wouldn't believe until you hear it. When I first started, there was one little girl in the class who just burst into tears at the sight of me, she was terrified of the scary weird looking teacher. But now she rushes up to me and says hello and actually participates in the class instead of hiding from me. Most of this class is spent singing and dancing with the kids and I'm pretty impressed with their ability to regurgitate English words (most of the time I don't think they know what they are saying, but its impressive nonetheless).

The Nursery class is probably the most difficult. There are over 30 children in this class and it seems like it grows every week. It is completely impossible to keep all of the kids entertained and focused on the class and at times it can be frustrating, but it is really impossible to actually get frustrated at them. They are just so young and cute and tiny and I can't help but love them. There is one boy in the class who is probably the most adorable child I have ever seen and I named him after my brother Matthew (I've given many of the kids English names). One time I saw Matthew at a little fruit market and he just start jumping up and down and opening his mouth like he wanted to say something and just didn't know what to say and he was so excited to see me outside of school he couldn't control himself. He blurted out "ni hao!!!" and his mom finally looked up and saw me and just started beaming. And then I said hello to him and he just repeated "hello hello hello" endlessly for several minutes before we both left. He is just beyond cute.

K1 is another great class. They are probably the best behaved and some of the students already have a great grasp of English. They can answer questions about the weather, their favorite season, animals, colors, activities...more than what some of my students in Guiyang could do. This class is also very big, with almost 30 students. One thing that I do in all of the classes is make sure they are up and moving and active usually every 5 minutes. It really is difficult for them to sit so long and pay attention and learn so I break the classes up into several small sections. We do some flashcards and then stand and move around. We do some flashcards then sing a song. We do some flashcards and then do some role play or acting. The K1 class loves being active. They recently learned words like such as jump rope, ride a bike, play the guitar/piano etc.  They favorite thing to do now is a game called "teacher says, student does" so I'll tell them jump rope and they have to pretend to jump rope. We've had some near fatalities with a few students getting a little too into the guitar. And seeing them "ride a bike" is a sight to behold.

K2 is obviously the best at English. They are all preparing to enter primary school and many of them do have great English skills. There is one student from Serbia in the class and she speaks Serbian, Chinese, and English at 6 years old. Some of these kids are way too smart for their age. Its easy to tell that a large chunk of their English comes straight from memorization and I'm pretty certain none of them can truly read or write, but you can't deny how impressive it is.

So, all in all, I love it. I love these kids. I love the chorus of "hello" and "goodbye" I get whenever they see me. I love that in PN, one little boy always helps me walk out of the classroom by pushing on my butt. I love their smiles and laughter and even when they cry. The world is a much better place because of tiny humans.

Some Things Never Change

So, I realize I have been massively failing at writing in my blog since I left Guiyang. Especially since I've been in Nanjing, I just have had a lull in writing. Mostly because I feel like I don't have anything to say. And partially because I feel like I'm not really doing anything exciting. I mean, I'm not visiting all these cool places every weekend like I did in Guiyang. I'm really just kind of working and living. I'm eating and sleeping.Walking places and watching TV and playing card games and just doing a bunch of boring things. Basically, its like living at home, except I'm doing it all in China.

Even though I am in this completely different world and everything is so Chinese, its nice to knew that somethings just don't change. For example:

I am still just as accident prone as ever. And basically bad luck just follows me around wherever I go. I can be walking normally one second and then be flat on my behind the next because apparently gravity and I just don't get along. I managed to be involved in a minor motorbike "accident" and a bicycle "accident" in the same week. That's something really only I could pull off.

Then, I managed to break not only my bicycle but someone else's too in one week time. On my bicycle, I managed to kick the kickstand right off. Then, the next week as I was riding my bike home, one of the pedals just magically fell off. When I borrowed a friends bike the next week, I managed to make one of her pedals fall off. Again, something only I could pull off.

There are also some good things that don't change or are at least the same no matter where I go.

Example: The smell of Starbucks.  I love that I can walk into a Starbucks in China and feel like I am back at the Square making lattes (and making a mess) and just having a fun time. I love that the music you hear in Chinese Starbucks is the same music you would hear in a US Starbucks.

I love when  I can hear a sound or smell a smell and it reminds me of a very specific moment or time in life. When life gives you this deja vu moment and you could just swear that you've lived this exact moment already.

I love that I can watch a Youtube video for the millionth time and still laugh like its the first time I've ever seen it.

Honestly, I think so much of people's unhappiness can so easily be avoided. And today was a day that I really noticed that. I mean, I've been struggling lately. I don't know if I've been missing home or what, but China has been extra challenging. And trust me, I know some days can be WAY harder than others. You always have to deal with a language and culture barrier and sometimes you just wish you could read a street sign or be able to say "excuse me" on the metro and not have to push your way through. But, you really can choose what you allow to bring you down. So many problems have a simple solution. If you're cold, put on a coat. If you're lonely, go outside and walk for two minutes and just smile at a stranger. If you're sad, watch "David After Dentist" and I guarantee you will be laughing in three minutes. And sure, some problems are bigger than that. And I don't get why people always feel the need to face their problems alone. That's just so dumb.

And now I have truly proved that some things never change. Because I totally just meant to post this tiny little blurb about really nothing and then I got off on like three different tangents and I don't even remember what I originally wanted to say.

Oh well.

The Scent of Happiness

China is a land of confusion. Sometimes things work out perfectly and exactly how you could expect them to.  Other times, China throws you every single curveball imaginable.  But you know what? That's okay. 

Sometimes you gotta take the bad with the good. There are times I want to throw China in a ditch and there are times I want to hug it for being so joyfully wonderful.

Like right now, autumn is upon us here in Nanjing. And everywhere, literally EVERYWHERE I go, there is this beautiful sweet fragrance filling the air. Some little flower is in full bloom and just making the air smell heavenly.  I didn't know a random smell could fill me with such hope and leave such a promising expectation for good things coming my way. 

So here is a shout out to you, weird but glorious smell that is taking over Nanjing.  I salute you for lifting the spirits of all those lucky enough to smell your sweet scent and be enveloped in the happy-go-lucky feeling you bring. 

((I was going to end my blog right there, but I just had to add this crazy little part. I'm listening to some random song and the lyrics said something about the scent of the foreign flower...life is full of too many coincidences for them to be coincidences.))

What Home Is.

I've now been back in China for 29 days. That may not sound like long, but a lot can happen in 29 days; that's also 3 days more than my time back home. But, if we're getting technical here, those 26 days were split up into a ton of different places: Vegas, San Diego, Arizona, Seal Beach.... So what exactly is home?  I mean, being in the US made me miss China. Being in Nanjing makes me miss Guiyang. Every single day I think about at least one thing that makes me miss the US. So where is home?

This is something I've been struggling with ever since I left my family behind at security at LAX.  Leaving for China was significantly harder this time around for several reasons, some of which I'm still discovering. Maybe that's why (actually that's exactly why) I've taken 29 days to write about my time at "home".  Thinking about and talking about things at home makes me sad. There is so much that I am missing out on: weddings, births, deaths, celebrations, birthdays, holidays...the list can continue forever. There are all the little things too: playing monopoly with friends, driving down PCH with the windows down and my music turned up, car bars, laughter, jokes, home cooked meals, walks along the beach, the release of all pain when someone you love and who loves you hugs you. These are all the things that make a home, mixed in all together, the good and the bad. That's why Seal Beach, San Diego, Vegas, Arizona, Guiyang, and now Nanjing are all home to me. That's why six places can hold a place in my heart and be part of who I am.

I'm not going to be a this cliché and say "home is not a place, its a feeling" because I don't think I fully believe that. Home is a place that makes us feel, gives us those feelings.  Home is where we feel welcome, safe, and loved.  Home is where we may feel alone, sad, and scared. It is a place where memories live forever, memories brought back through smells, sounds, and sights.  You can never really leave home or runaway because it follows you everywhere you go.  So I guess I wasted 29 days worrying about what would happen when I thought about and consequently wrote about home.

So what did I do during my 26 whirlwind days stateside?  I lived. I drove my car, fought with my family, shared secrets with my friends, stayed up too late, cried happy tears and sad.  I went to doctors appointments, ran errands, did laundry.  I did what I've always done but everything felt different. Maybe the real reason I've avoided talking about home is because at least at first, going home didn't feel right.  Now that I've finally admitted that, I can actually explain myself. Living in China changed me.  The people I met (Chinese, travelers, fellow teachers) changed me. My perspective shifted and I grew up a little bit. I saw the world and held it in the palm of my hands.  Going back to your own world after life-altering experiences changes your old world and I don't think I was expecting to feel so out of place when I returned. Home was the same and different in so many ways. The pace of life was faster, I was connected to the entire world everywhere I went thanks to my fully functioning iPhone. I could suddenly drink tap water, read signs, and be understood every time I ordered food, asked for directions, or talked to a stranger.  These are all things that I've basically lived with for 22 years and I had to readjust to live that way again. So coming home was also somewhat of a re-self-discovery.

But what I really should be getting to are the many adventures I had while home.  I managed to squeeze in three Angels games and one Galaxy game.  At my first Angels game, I was surprised with a "welcome home Ashley" sign on the jumbo tron (not a proposal, but close enough so I can mark that off the bucket list) and I was surrounded by family and friends.  I got to support my teams and I had a blast being crazy and just being me.  And I don't think anyone would disagree when I say a live game is incomparable to watching animated play-by-plays online. 

I also went to Vegas to visit family. Its hard when you see the people you care for so infrequently, but reconnecting and spending those 4 short days together was amazing. And I am proud to say that in those four days of gambling, I broke completely even.  Didn't lose or win a cent.  I guess you can call me a safe bet.  

I made the voyage down to San Diego which was probably the most bittersweet part of this journey.  My time there was so short and I didn't get to see everyone or eat all my favorite foods.  But, I am beyond grateful for the friends I did get to see.  Saying goodbye to them was difficult, but I have to believe that life will bring us together again.  And if it doesn't, well at least we'll always have the memories. My 4+ years in SD were some of the best in my life and I'm lucky to have been able to call it home. 

Another bucket list item can be checked off because after San Diego, I went to Arizona and finally saw the Grand Canyon.  It is just as magnificent and unbelievable as I always imagined.  I also spent a few days in Scottsdale where I finally got some time to relax and reconnect with old "family".  I had a blast.

Now if I were to break down the 26 days, I ended spending more time away from home (Seal Beach) then at it.  But I wouldn't change a thing. Thought at times it was hectic, crazy, and stressful, it was beautiful all the same.  I got to eat some of the most delicious food: tri tip, tacos, chicken and dumplings, el Burrito, Bubba's pulled pork, BBQ chicken, mac n cheese, omelets..... all these things that I love that bring back cherished memories.  I got to spend time with friends that I've known since I had a full set of baby teeth.  I got to reconnect with four years worth of co-workers at a bowling alley. I got to watch  the sun set over the Pacific Ocean from my hometown.  I got to relive childhood ecstasy at Disneyland.

But most importantly, I got to look people in the eyes and tell them that I love them. I got to reach out and hug people I cared about.  I got to feel the love and warmth surrounding me instead of reading about it through a computer.  And that is what made all the difference.  That is what makes a home a home.

What Does It Mean

I am a firm believer in the saying "everything happens for a reason"...

I truly think and feel that at the end of the day, every word we say, every action, and every feeling stems from some meaningful beginning. There is a reason the sky is blue. There is a reason girls like flowers. There's a reason chocolate makes you fat.

I think there is a reason that I found myself back in China. I believe there is a reason I chose to come to Nanjing over returning to Guiyang. I believe there is a reason I have put up with the struggle and fight and faced all the complications.

Have I faced all these struggles gracefully? Heavens no. I've complained and whined. I've shed a few (or maybe more than a few) tears. I've stomped my feet. I've been down right grumpy.

BUT

There is a reason its been so difficult.

I don't know what it is yet, but sooner or later I will learn. 

Maybe it will be one of those profound life lessons. Like you have to fight for what you want. Or maybe its not worth it if you didn't have to struggle. 

I'm ready to accept the fact that not everything goes perfectly or the way you want it to. Sometimes life just sucks and that's okay. At the end of the day, you just need to pick yourself back up, brush off your shoulders, and soldier on.

I don't know why I have faced so many problems in my first 2-3 weeks back in China.

But I do know that I love it here nonetheless. 
I do know that I am already building new friendships and relationships with students and teachers.
I'm discovering a new city and falling in love with a new China, different from before, but still just your typical China.

I don't know what it all means.

But I have the faith and trust to know that sometimes you have to let go of the control you so desperately want to cling to. Sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith and know that even if everything goes wrong, you'll be okay.

I'm also learning how to accept help. I don't always have to be my own super hero. Its okay to ask for help. It's okay to just accept it when others are so willing to give it.

I have such a wonderful support system: back home and here in China.

It's about time I learn to lean on others. 

Sooooo

Thank you.

You know who you are.

Thank you for being my rock. Thank you for being that guiding light. Thank you for taking the wheel when I can't seem to stay in the lane. Thank you for always making me smile, even when I seem completely inconsolable. Thank you for seeing past the facade and being there, even when I try my best to convince you I'm fine.






and on a side note....


I meant for this to be short and all, but in typical Ashley fashion I just kept going and going and going....



also,

in the very near future, I'll post about my time at home and the beginnings of Nanjing.

All in due time.

<3

Late is Better Than Never, Right?

Okay, so it has been what, one, two months...approximately, since I've written on my blog. You can chastise me all you want, but I have nothing to apologize for. I have been out and about living my life and making the most of this precious life. Now that I'm back in China and starting school, things are actually starting to slow down and I can reflect back on what exactly happened in the last two months. Will you get to hear every single story? No. But maybe now that I've done it all and seen it all and thought about it all....I don't know, maybe it will enhance my story telling capabilities.

So my last post was about Cambodia, specifically Phnom Pehn. I'm pretty sure I never wrote about Siem Reap because that's where my laptop charger exploded and I was suddenly slightly less connected with the world than before. What can I say about Siem Reap other than Angkor Wat is the most amazing place I have ever been. To have the opportunity to walk through hallways and passages and on walls that were built so long ago with such beauty was just an unbelievable experience. You get this feeling of pure awe at the intricate detail put into every single inch of the place. And yes I know the actual temple complex that is Angkor Wat is supposed to be the biggest and best, but I by far had a better time strolling around and through some of the older more obscure temples. I found that those were even more amazing to look at because most of them haven't been restored in any way (unlike Angkor Wat which has been restored/remodeled in some places). It was all amazing and cool and yeah. I don't know. I guess you can talk about it all you want but I don't think anyone can truly appreciate the epicness of Angkor Wat without going themselves.

Next stop on the whirlwind adventure of 5 Southeast Asia countries in 26 days was Thailand!!! Now I have wanted to go to Thailand forever; out of all the countries I visited this summer, Thailand is the only one that I thought I would ever actually go to.  Bangkok, in my honest opinion, is overrated and not what its cracked up to be.  But I absolutely fell in love with the people of Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. Especially the two owners of our hostel, they were just so warm and welcoming. They made a point to make sure they introduced new comers to the hostel to whoever was around; they took us out to a free cabaret show; they went above and beyond to help when we needed it.

But talking about Chiang Mai would not be complete without a quick elephant blurb. Yes I rode an elephant like everyone who goes to Chiang Mai does. Yes, I tried to make sure it was a camp that treated their animals well. Yes, in typical Ashley fashion...I fell off my elephant. I maintain to this day that it wasn't my fault, it was the elephant's. I swear, he had it out for me. He was all like "eh uh. get off me girl" Of course right after the elephant blatantly embarrasses me in front of everyone, I have to hop right back on for a ride to the bathing hole where I precede to get in the mud pool with the elephant and bathe it. Best experience of my life? I'm not sure, but it is definitely in the top ten.

Moving down south, I mean, who doesn't love even just the idea of the beaches of Thailand?! Yes it was beautiful and amazing and relaxing and blah blah blah. Do I want to go back? Of course I do! Will I go to Krabi again? Maybe not. I do think it is highly underrated as a good place to go. Maybe the party scene isn't as good as it could be (especially compared to Koh Tai or Koh Lanta or any of the other millions of islands that are famous for their parties. But, anyone who knows me knows that crazy party scenes aren't really my scene. So I enjoyed myself and still got to see some of the coolest places (like Railay Beach!)

I feel for the most part I could skip Kuala Lumpur. I had been so excited to go there and see things. But in the end, it was more of a letdown. A lot of the city was under construction which made navigating the streets incredibly difficult. I often felt like I was forced to use a taxi because of the street confusion and then most of the taxi drivers were a rip off. The only cool thin was that I faced my fear of birds and went to the KL bird park. As much as I really dislike birds and they freak me out, it was pretty cool to be right up and in it all with the birds and so many of them were just so beautiful.

Finally I get to talk back the Philippines. My oh my was Boracay awesome. I mean, it was truly paradise. White sand beaches, palms trees, and a cool tropical breeze blowing. Sipping on cocktails while lounging in the low surf. I mean, I don't think I can paint the picture well with my words.  All I really have to say is close your eyes and think of one word: Paradise. Everyone has their own idea of what that is. Mine is Boracay. I'm sure many people picture a similar tropical paradise. I think it was the best possible place to spend my birthday.  I think I'm a pretty lucky girl.

I never thought I'd get to do the things I've done and see the places I've seen. Many people would call me lucky (heck, I just called myself lucky). But I constantly have to remind myself that I'm not lucky at all. I worked hard and carefully budgeted my money for a long time to be able to afford a trip like this. And when you aren't too picky, a trip like this doesn't have to be some huge expensive ordeal. You can stay in budget accommodations, eat like the locals do instead of eating Western food every night. Walk or discover the metro systems instead of taking taxis. I mean honestly, anyone can do it.  I mean, come on. If you really want something that badly, you can practice the self reserve and not go shopping every single day or eat out every other day or whatever it is you waste your money on. Just stop doing that and make a travel piggy bank.  You won't regret it.

Angkor Wat

Tomb Raider Temple

PETRONAS Towers in KL

Pretty Birdie

Boracay!

Sunset over White Beach

Found a starfish in Philippines :)

fabulous cabaret in Chiang Mai

Butterfly fly away

My new bestie.

we have a lot in common. we both love bananas

on our way to Railay Beach in Thailand

Thailand-tastic.

Surf. Sand. Sun. Love.

Opening My Eyes

With the hectic life that comes from trying to visit 5 southeast Asia countries in less than one month (yeah I know...crazy) comes an inability to write in my blog as often as I would like. Every single day I experience or see something that I can't wait to share. But because I  am experiencing and seeing all of these magnificent places for such a short period of time, I find it difficult to squeeze in downtime to write. Usually downtime means sleep time. And trust me, that sleep is usually much needed and deserved. Anywho...introduction is now over and time to get down to business. 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 

PP is the capitol of this beautiful country. I'm not gonna lie, my knowledge of cambodia was pretty slim a year ago...heck even one week ago I was learning new things about this country that I feel like I definitely should have known about. Hopefully some of you already know some of the history. If not, let me fill you in. 

We left Ho Chi Minh in the morning and took a bus to PP. It was actually incredibly comfortable and quite a good experience (wish I could say the same for all these other bus rides!). The further we got from HCMC, the more beautiful the landscape got. Especially once we hit the cambodia side, it was all green and open sky and honestly the most beautiful clouds I've ever seen. Traveling to SEA (southeast Asia) during the wet season obviously has its drawbacks...but it is so easy to entertain yourself on a long bus ride when you find pictures in the clouds. So after 7-8 hours of sitting on a bus, going through the border, sitting on a bus...we arrived in PP. At the bus stop we share a taxi with a guy from Germany named Andi who ended up staying at our hostel was well. PP wasn't what I was expecting...but then again I didn't really know what to expect. It seemed kind of hard to find local foods because everythig just seemed very western. Which in a way is nice after being in china for 4+ months without as much western contact (western food and stores yes, people no). That first night we walked around one of the wats and had dinner on the river walk. The whole night I was trying to mentally prepare myself for the next day. 

Phnom Penh is well known for its history during te Khmer Rogue ruling following the civil war in Cambodia. Happening roughly 30 years ago, this is all such current history that just hasn't been talked about back home. Millions of people died during the time, the goal was to start over at year zero by eliminating all intellectuals, religiuous figures, past government officials, and any family members or people who posed a threat. If you spoke a foreign language, you were a target. If you had higher education, a target. And where were these people sent? To prisons where they were ruthlessly interrogated, lived in dire conditions, and then sent for execution. The most famous of these prisons is in PP and it had been turned into a museum of remembrance. Not far from the prison is a killing field where they were all sent for death. It is the largest killing field in Cambodia. On the second day, I visited both places. 

We started at the prison, known as S21. It's location was a former high school, classrooms were turned into torture rooms, libraries into prison cells. One thing that is somewhat unique of this genocide are the records kept of all the prisoners. Each prisoner was photographed, hand written confessions of their "crimes" were found. And the prison was kept mostly the same when it was converted into the museum. The interrogations rooms still hold some of the devices and beds used for torture. The wooden and brick cells are still in place. Countless boards displaying tr pictures of the victims line room after room. Here you can see the faces of men and women, the young and the old. The grounds also contain the graves of the last 14 victims to die at the prison as we as the skulls and bones of some of the victims. 

Regardless of how much you prepare yourself to go to a place like that, there will always be something that makes you stop in your tracks. When you see a woman holding her newborn baby awaiting certain death, a little bit of your inner light fades. When you learn about the foreign victims of at S21 (from India, Australia, France, the US...) you have to shudder because you had no idea. When you read the autobiographies of the victims that were required upon entry to the prison, your heart just kinda stops. I wasn't prepared when I read the testimony of an American victim and saw the words Anaheim, San Diego, UCSB. How could something so tragic be so close to home and not mentioned in our schools? It really does make you take a step back and wonder about this world we live in. How there can be this capacity of hatred in a person, how one can justify the most ruthful actions. 

After visiting the prison we started the short journey to the killing fields. The location isn't all that large and you are given an audio tour device at the entrance. I went through alone, going from place to place and just listened to the haunting story of what happened there not so long ago. Many of the original buildings were torn down shortly after the overthrow of the Khmer rogue so many places we're just marked off by signs. This is the type of thing I feel I can't go into much detail about. Walking through the killing fields is more of an emotion that you have to feel yourself. It's nearly impossible to describe how I felt as I walked past mass graves of 600+ people and how you could find bones sticking out in some areas still...brought closer to the surface after recent rain. It's hard to describe the sensation of losing all feeling as you stand before a tree that was used to smash infants into so that they could easily be discarded into the pit right next to it. The whole time you feel angry, sad, confused and scared. And then when you go into the stupa and see row after row of skulls you just feel defeated. 

I don't regret going to these places. I do regret that things like this exist in our world. My eyes have been opened onto the harsh realities of what happens all over the world. It is a truth that you can't take back and a stripping of innocence. But I think it's something that everyone should do and go see. It's something that you won't fully understand unless you see it for yourself. It may be painful, but open your eyes. 

And So It Begins: Vietnam

After a one day delay, the month long adventure through Southeast Asia began in Vietnam. After spending the last 3 days in Haoi we are getting ready to depart for Cambodia via Ho Chi Minh City.    I'm not gonna lie, I have absolutely loved every single second of my time in Hanoi...except maybe the 2+ hours it took to get through immigration and customs.

The hostel we are staying at, Central Backpackers Hostel, is incredibly awesome. It is extremely budget friendly but not a stinkhole either. For 5 bucks a night I've had a comfortable bed to sleep in, a hot shower, free beer, and a very accomodating staff taking care of me. We are right in the heart of everything that is great about Hanoi. The Old French Quarter is only a couple blocks away as is Hoan Kiem Lake.

One major positive of Vietnam is everything is SOO CHEAP! I don't think I ever spent more than $3 for a meal, $2 for a beer, or $5 for an activity. I really don't understand how everything back home is so expensive. I swear, I can live for a year in Asia for the same cost of living at home for a month. And I can probably live just as comfortably and healthier here also. That is what I call "winning".

So I'm going to give a hole lump sum of my time in Hanoi in this one post.

The first day we got here around noon. We checked into the hostel and relaxed for a couple hours because it had been a long night of traveling and airports and we both needed a rest. We then took off to find the lake but went the wrong way and got a little lost. We did find a lake (the wrong one, and much smaller) and eventually we figured our way back to the right area and to the actual Hoan Kiem Lake. Another great thing about Hanoi is that there are cafes on practically every corner. Every couple hours we would stop somewhere to get a snack, smoothie, or coffee. Vietnamese iced coffee is one of the most delicious things I have ever had. There is also a super yummy dipping sauce that is served with most meals that is to die for.  I have also had some pretty good smoothies too. Man, I love this city for the smoothies alone.  We went out for dinner that first night with a girl staying in our dorm room. We found a street stall serving pho and it was pretty tasty. That's another great thing about traveling...there are people from all over the world here and really, everyone just becomes your friend. You can strike up a conversation with someone and sit there for 2 hours talking and at the end of it realize you might not know that person's name, but you know their story. It's been great.

The second day we had a bit of a history day.  We went to the Hoa Lo Prison (also known as the "Hanoi Hilton"). It was used first for Vietnamese prisoners who were against French colonization and then for US pilots that were captured during the Vietnamese war. It was quite eye opening for me as an American to see a different perspective on the war in Vietnam. There are so many things that I never learned in school that was talked about at the prison turned museum. It was also a rather somber event seeing how the Vietnamese revolutionaries were treated in the prison. The museum had a section all about the US pilots who were kept there. They had some items that belonged to John McCain as well as other POWs. That was pretty cool to see. We also went to the Vietnam History Museum. While that was also cool, it was also kind of a bust. Most of the exhibits were all pretty ancient stuff and there wasn't any modern history information. There was however a very cool exhibit all about lamps. That may sound weird, but there were some very intricate and beautifully made lamps. I've also always been fond of seeing all of the carving works. Whether its wood or stone, some of these works are just jaw-dropping. The minute detail put into these pieces of art are stunning.

In the evening, we went to a Water Puppet Show. These are very popular in Hanoi as they are an ancient art form of entertainment. The show is so cool. I don't know how they manage to move these marionette type puppets under water, but they do. And the music was also very beautiful. It all just felt very authentic. One very nice thing about Hanoi compared to my time in Guiyang is that there is so much English here. While watching the show, they had subtitles in English so I actually knew what was going on and what the significance was behind the different performances of the puppets.

Thursday was definitely my favorite day in Hanoi. We went out to Halong Bay to celebrate Amber's birthday. The bay was simply stunning. After a 3 hour bus ride through rain, we arrived at the coast to mostly clear skies and sunshine. The tour included a boat ride around the bay (which included a very delicious lunch!), kayaking in the bay for a short while, a tour through two different caves that are in the bay, and basically a lot of time soaking up the sun. We spent most of the day with a group of Irish folks who were part of our tour. There were also a few people from Australia and New Zealand. The day turned out to be so beautiful and the sights were just great. It was exactly what this California/beach deprived girl needed. Though we didn't get time to swim or spend much time in the water, it was great to just see the ocean. When we got dropped off at our hostel after the tour, we discovered we were actually dropped off at our hostel.  So we wandered around lost for a little while when we stumbled upon the Bubble Bar. We would have walked right on past if it weren't for the beautiful sign saying "America Day: Free Beer 8-10" so of course we had to do our patriotic duty and celebrate America Day with a free Biere Larue beer (ps, its super good beer if you haven't had it). We then had some delicious pho for dinner with a guy from Florida that we met. All-in-all, it was a successful 4th of July.

Now today we are preparing to leave Hanoi and head down south to HCMC. It will only be a short stopover in Vietnam's largest city as tomorrow morning we are making our way into Cambodia. Though my time in Vietnam has been brief, it has definitely been great. I can't wait until I have the opportunity to come back and stay for longer. I also really want an opportunity to see more of Vietnam. It has been a great place with wonderful, friendly people, delicious food and drinks, and just greatness all around.

Women's Quarters in Hoa Lo Prison

John McCain's flight suit

Water Puppets showing courting rituals

some cultural influence from India

Halong Bay and karst formations!

Kayaking in the bay.

I can see the light. 

Vietnam sunset

St. Joseph's Cathedral

Hoan Kiem Lake

Spring Rolls..yum!

Roll With The Punches

So I have officially left China. I am currently lounging in the HK airport awaiting my connecting flight to Hanoi, Vietnam. I should be sleeping (it's 3am) but its too bright and too loud and someone definitely just farted. 

Some of you may know that I was already supposed to be in Vietnam, but mother nature had other plans and our first flight was delayed causing us to miss the second leg of our three part journey. We got pushed back a full 24 hours but the airline set us up in a hotel for the night and arranged our new flight.

At first I was a little peeved. We lost a day in Hanoi and were stranded in Guangzhou and blah blah blah. But sometimes disruptions to your plans can be a blessing in disguise. This was definitely one of those times. We were able to relax for a full day, take a good and long hot shower, eat free for a day...the list goes on. Our hotel had wifi, comfy beds, AC. For being "stranded" we were pretty well taken care of. 

Most importantly, I got a day of peace, quiet, and reflection. Amber and I had separate rooms so I spent a large majority of my day resting and just thinking back on the last 4 months and looking forward to the next month. I still don't know if I can put into words how much Guiyang means to me. How much my students mean to me. How sad I was to leave behind friends and new family. Having one more day to think about all of that before being thrown into the tumultuous adventure of back packing through southeast Asia helped me come to grips with my departure from my new home. 

Guiyang will always be my China home. The experiences I had there will never be forgotten. The person I became there will never be lost. Living in Guiyang and being a teacher has given me a new perspective on life. I see things through a new and improved filter. I've come to appreciate life just a little bit more. I am more brave and confident then I have ever been before. I trust myself and my instincts. Saying goodbye to my students was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Tears were shed and hearts were breaking. Not all the kids understood that it was a final goodbye.  As sad as I was to say goodbye, I know that everything about that place will always be carried with me in my heart. I'm so grateful for being given the opportunity to experience all that I did: feeling the unconditional love of a child, walking through ancient towns, eating weird food, falling down, getting back up, waking up with a cockroach on my head....it is all part of my China story. It is all part of who I am. It is all part of why I love it and why I'm coming back. 

So was I angry when I missed my first connecting flight?  Heck yeah. But if I didn't miss it, I may not have been able to find peace in the closing of this chapter. I probably would have jumped straight into chapter two in order to avoid the feelings of sadness. But that's why you gotta roll with the punches. Getting angry or frustrated with circumstances that are beyond your control will only do harm. Expect that elusive unexpected. Prepare to not be prepared. Know that your plans may change and know that that's okay. You're out there in the world living and experiencing. And life can be messy and unpredictable. Embrace it. 

Preparing For The End.

So a new post was requested and I'm not really sure what I have to say. The last couple weeks have kind of been a blur of action and nonaction. Going from here to there and doing the same thing in an endless cycle. But then again, everything has been done with a different filter over the lens. Everytime I look at something, talk to someone, experience something...I wonder, "is this the last time?"

In four short days I will be leaving Guiyang. Though I don't plan on my goodbye to this beautiful city to be permanent, I have no idea what the future holds. I want more than anything to return here, even if its just for a visit. But still, the ever present thought of goodbye is really starting to wear me down. I walk down the hallways at school and half of my students get this little pouty face and just start saying "no" and a new wave of sadness washes over me.

I know everyone keeps saying "those kids love you. you've changed their lives" but all those people are wrong (well, maybe not wrong, but that's not the full story). I love those kids. THEY have changed MY life. Everything about this experience has made me a better person and now I am about to leave and I worry that everything will change. This person who I have become, who I love, will she go away when I leave? Over time, the memories will start to fade, the colors will all blur together, I'll forget my students names, what bus routes I rode regularly. I'll forget the silly songs I sing (I can only hope I forget some of them!) and I'll forget which doors creak, which doors don't stay closed unless locked. I'll start flushing my toilet paper again and using forks.

All of these things are going to change because of one word. "Goodbye" Its something we say all the time but rarely think about what it really means. And there is always the cliche, "It's not goodbye, it's see you later" but this time it really is a goodbye. Why is it that we only think about the truth of goodbye when it really is forever. When we have to say goodbye to someone who has passed away or is moving away. When people simply vanish from our lives it changes us.

And now I'm facing the most difficult goodbye I have ever faced. Sure goodbyes at deaths are pretty difficult, but there is always the thought and hope that that person is no longer suffering and in a better place. You aren't facing a goodbye in which you fear that person will continue on in life and eventually forget about you. The goodbye I must say to my students stings deep. I can't even really make comprehensible sentences right now because I just don't wan to think about it anymore. But it is now unavoidable.

None of this probably makes any sense. I probably shouldn't post this, but I will. The is the best I've been able to do so far at explaining how I feel about it. So yeah. In summary, goodbyes suck.

Explorations and Explanations

So two weekends ago I went to Nanjing. Yes, I have been so terrible about writing in my blog on a consistent basis if it takes this long, but whatever. All things take their due time to process in my mind and I am still trying to process all of what happened in Nanjing. And I guess I need to explain a few things as well.

There were a couple mixups here in Guiyang regarding what day we were going to finish teaching. Our original end date was June 14th...which would be the end of this week. When that was the case, Amber and I were going to travel around China a bit before heading down south to Vietnam. One of our stops was going to be Nanjing where we have a couple friends and I'll be living and teaching next school year. Well it turns out, we were supposed to be finished teaching in Guiyang until JULY 14th, which put quite a hamper in many of our plans. But a happy medium was reached and I'll be teaching in Guiyang until June 30th now. Amber and I canceled our travels in China (I mean, I'll have plenty of time for that next year anyway) but I still needed to find my way out to Nanjing to get my contract and finalize everything. So I just picked the following weekend and went. There is explanation part one.

Now on to the explorations. I was super excited to go to Nanjing. I would get to explore my new home even if it was only for a couple days and I would get to see a few friends (yay!) and I mean how is that anything but exciting. Well let me tell you how nerve racking it can be traveling in China by yourself for the first time. Actually, it wasn't nearly as bad as I feared it could be. By now I am used to taxi drivers going the wrong way on purpose and jacking up my bill, I've been in and out of the Guiyang airport enough times to be comfortable. But arriving in Nanjing was just a little...scary? I don't know. It was pretty late when I got in and it was raining. But I had no problem getting a taxi and he knew how to get me where I needed to go and he got there fast. Walking down a strange alley at midnight got my heart pumping a little bit faster...but I mean, I can hold my own. hah.

I fell asleep pretty quickly at my hostel (word to the wise...if you ever find yourself in Nanjing I would highly recommend Jasmine Youth Hostel...it was great. and that is a legit no strings attached recommendation).  I was most excited for Saturday. I was going to hang out with Sarah all day and meet people from my new school and actually see my new school. But of course the rain tried to dampen (heh) my day. And of course I didn't let the rain ruin anything. I trudged around in that rain like a soggy successful mess. I'm not quite sure if I can label what the highlight of that day was. I mean, I played ping pong...pardon me, table tennis, ate so much cheese, had a starbucks, ate Mexican food (!!) and played a new board game (shout out to ticket to ride). So yes, it was a good, long, fun day.

Now comes explanations round two.

I feel like I need to be completely honest and admit how flippin' scared I was at this point in time. How much doubt and fear was swirling around my brain and suffocating my thoughts. When I arrived in Guiyang, it was an instant love affair with zero hesitation. When I arrived in Nanjing...not so much. As I was settling in on Saturday night, I couldn't help but think "maybe I'm making a mistake. maybe I made a mistake. maybe this isn't right. maybe it isn't what I want" Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. I swear, I thought I wouldn't get any sleep for tossing and turning and the endless thoughts racing through my brain. When I first came to China, I knew that I would have a good friend with me from start to finish. I knew that I would make good friends with the other two teachers placed in my city. I knew that I would never be alone. But now I'm setting off to go to Nanjing alone. Sure, I know people in the city. But they all know people. They all have people already. I'm going in blind. Nothing is really guaranteed. It is pretty nerve racking entering a city with millions and millions of people and not knowing if you'll find a friendly face. Not knowing if you'll like it, feel at home. So I was having a royal freak out session.

Sunday rolls around and I have to say goodbye to Sarah as she was leaving to head back to the States. That was pretty hard, more so for her, but hard enough for me. Sarah was a friend I wasn't expecting to make in China. We knew each other for all of what, seven days in Hong Kong before she went to Beijing and I went to Guiyang. But through our dear friend QQ, a great friendship was born and we discovered kindred spirits within each other. I mean, we are practically the same person. I feel so grateful, not only that I met her, but that the fates lined up and allowed us to see each other before she left China.

I also was treated to a wonderful afternoon in Nanjing by a friend who lives there. I talked about Ben way back when in Hong Kong the first time around. He is the father of a student of Brad...look at how this has all come full circle. I started my China adventure with the wonderfully dubbed hostel group, and I got to see some of them again. Well Ben took me out to a park in Nanjing, what he called the most beautiful place in the city and to the Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum. The park was huge and was the first thing that I can say I truly loved about Nanjing. It was so green! There were trees everywhere! People were bike riding and walking and there were lakes and birds and kids and it was just so so great! I love seeing that side of China. Away from the tall buildings, busy people, and car horns. I love feeling like I'm part of something old and historic. I feel like I am in the real China when I am surrounded by nature and not skyscrapers.

Ben also took me to dinner which was incredibly nice and the food was so deliciously amazing I thought I had fallen in love. And I defnitely never thought I'd feel that way about fish, because I have never liked fish. The food in Nanjing definitely has a different flavor palate than Guiyang, and I can't say that I mind one little bit. After dinner we walked around the main downtown area before I headed back to my hostel. I went back to the hostel for bed that night with a fully belly and happiness in my heart.

Some of my uncertainties still remain about Nanjing. I don't regret any of the decisions I made. I don't regret signing on to live in China for another year. I don't regret making my new home Nanjing. I think maybe you can't enjoy everything to its fullest extent if it was all sunshine and daisies all the time. I've had my fair share of struggles getting to this place, getting this job, and fulfilling my newest dream to stay in China. I think my future appreciation for Nanjing will be that much greater because I've already experienced the doubt and fear.

We'll see what the future holds. I'm just as excited as you to figure it out.

Digging Deeper.

So over the past few weeks I have grown a little bit closer with China and some of my students. One of my favorite things about this whole experience has been when I'm walking home or just out on the streets somewhere and I see one of my students or hear a loud "Hellooooo Ash-a-leeey" or just get mauled by hugs from the back. It is always completely unexpected and a great treasure.

I recently started tutoring one of my students, a second grader named Nicole. One of the Chinese English teachers set it up and took me to Nicole's home for the lesson. Let my start by saying "jaw drop" because her home is B.E.A.UTIFUL. It is on the top floor (25th) of the building and is a split level apartment consisting of (I think) 3 or 4 levels. The apartment has a top notch view of dowtown Guiyang, including the signatuer Jiaxiu Tower, People's Square, and the Nanming River. I seriously couldn't believe it. She also has a pet golden retriever named Princess and an indoor swimming pool. Now, you may all appropriately let your jaws drop too.

So after I finish oggling at everything and playing with Princess I am brought drinks and snacks and fruit and they keep asking what else I would like and yada yada. And I'm all like "woah now. You've given me watermelon and yang mei (most delicious fruit ever) and crackers and yogurt and juice and water." They were so incredibly hospitable. And I was sitting on the couch next to the grandmother who didn't speak a lick of English but kept saying how beautiful I am and how nice my teeth are and my hair looks so nice and I thought I would die from cuteness overload of this grandma.

I then had a two hour session with Nicole which I'll kind of skip over because I mean really, who needs details of learning about the grocery store and labeling things in her play/study room. But I guess I should comment on some of the things in this study but really play room. The girl had a red Ferarri bike and a little motorized Harley Davidson bike. Oh, and two regular bikes too. The kid has it made. But you would never really know that because she is the sweetest thing and would rather play with the dirt then al her crazy gadgets. Only she does love to ride her bike. But only one bike. Its kinda crazy she has so many because she just rides the one. But she's super cute and I love her.

So we finish our session and I think I'm gonna go home. But no, they want to take me to their grandfather's house out in Huaxi district (very green and pretty and about 45 minutes from downtown Guiyang). So we drive out there (her parents, Nicole, Journey (my teacher friend), Journey's cousin Mason, and Nicole's sister Flower. When we get there, I'm offered even more snacks and drinks and the four "young ones" (Mason, Nicole, Flower, and myself) all get bikes and we go on a ride through this park near the house. So I finally fulfilled my dream of bike riding in China. And I was not disappointed. The bike path was along a river and every couple of yards there were wild orchids blooming sky high and trees of every shade of green. And that day was one of the most beautiful days we've had in Guiyang. Not a cloud in the sky, a nice light breeze and endless sunshine. I'm not even sure how long we rode the bikes but I wanted to freeze time and never let it continue. I was feeling so incredibly grateful and was in a state of pure bliss.

We took a short rest before heading back and you guessed it, they bought us more snacks and drinks. All over Guiyang, peope set up little stalls where they have buckets of hot coals and wire screens so they can cook little snacks. Most commonly they serve squares of tofu, sausages, and the ones near rivers have dried fish. So we got a little of everything and it was all so good. Mason also got me a local snack that he could only call "ice noodle soup" which basically describes it.  It was a bowl with huge chunks of frozen clear noodles, ice, chopped up apple, sesame seeds, and other fruits and juices. It was sooo sooo good. And the perfect refreshment for a hot day. I was a little skeptical when I first saw it but I have lived by my "try everything" motto in China; usually that motto does me no wrong.

We biked back to the house where even more snacks were waiting for us. There was rose sugar candy (yes, made from real roses), these biscuit things made from peas, sunflower seeds...you name it. Well, actually, I can't really name most of it.  And then within minutes dinner was ready.  We set up a table outside and enjoyed the setting sun, good company, and good food. There were these delicious egg roll type things (not really eggrolls, more like a taquito actually but I wanted to never stop eating them...so good), rice, veggies, lentils, chicken (which happened to be alive before we left for the bike ride...I try not to think about these things though), soup, and potatoes.  And another pleasant surprise showed up on the table. I once told myself trying it one time was enough to last the rest of my life. But when you are a guest in someone's home, you try everything at least once. So yes, I did eat pig kidney...AGAIN. I now think I have eaten enough to last a lifetime. Its not that they are even bad...I just can't seem to bypass the thought "you're eating kidney. you're eating kidney. you're eating kidney"

After dinner, I played basketball with Nicole but she got bored quickly and took off on her bike again. I then just relaxed as the evening cooled off and got to know my new friend Mason.

I am beyond grateful (I'm pretty sure I've already said that) for everything China has given to me. I seriously am in awe of how much I have gotten out of this experience. I never expected to make China a home. I never expected to fall so in love with the culture, the people, the food, the environment...with everything. I never thought I'd get the chance to become a part of a student's family. I never thought I would dig so deep into China. And I never thought it would dig so deep in to me. China has placed its everlasting roots into my heart and soul. I know I will never be the same.