The Year in Review...

---

January: I moved to Henderson, TN to live with my friend Beth. I moved without a job prospect other than Beth telling me that Cracker Barrel would probably hire me. I searched and searched for a job to no avail. Luckily I wasn't dirt poor and had some saved up. I ate pretty cheaply (thanks to a Sonic gift card and happy hour, among other things and people). I stayed at home mostly with the exception of going all over Jackson and Henderson filling out job applications. Turns out Cracker Barrel wouldn't hire me.. though that may have been February. Either way, it was a pretty upsetting moment when I received the "We're looking for someone with more experience as a waitress" phone call.

February: Lectureships at Freed - definitely the cool place to be. I went to chapel Monday because one of my most trusted friends was speaking. I was moseying (or sauntering according to one of my students) across the commons when the fateful moment occurred. I ran into D Sprad (that's not really his name, but that's what I like to call him). Guess who pointed out I didn't have a job? That'd be him. Guess who pointed out that I like to travel? Again, it'd have to be him. Guess who pointed out that I apparently have a good personality for China (because I can laugh with the best of them at awkward situations)? Yep, you guessed it.. D Sprad. Guess who didn't want to go? (If you're thinking me, you're right.) He gave me one last reason, and I ended up being convinced.. not immediately, but it did just kind of happen after that. I was also introduced to my love for Dave Barnes here. I got a free ticket from my pal Tony to go see Dave perform in Loyd.

March: I got a phone call and an interview followed immediately by a job at Jason's Deli. It was kind of a dream like situation. I expected to go and interview and then wait for them to call me. I ended up staying there for hours interviewing, and then I was immediately offered the job. Dream come true? Yep. I was running low on funds. They were almost nonexistent. It turned out to be a really fun job for the most part.. I liked the people who worked there with the exception of one or two. (the number changed with whatever day it was). I received info about China all the time. This is probably the month that kind of made it official declaring me as a "go" for teaching.

April: I can't really think of much in April except going to Makin' Music and, of course, working. I'm sure I made several trips to Dairy Queen for blizzards with Beth and Jeremy.. and probably Cracker Barrel.. even though I wasn't good enough to work there.. and of course, more information. This also may have been the month that I received the information about where I would be placed. I remember reading it and thinking, "Great. This doesn't help. I can't tell anyone where I'm going to be because I can't pronounce the city name!"

May: I moved back home to the Ridge to spend time with the fam before my crazy journey began. I moved back on a certain date just so I could go to Sundown in the City with my sister to see Gavin Rossdale. We went again two weeks after that to see Dave Barnes. I received more and more information about China. I'm 99%!s(MISSING)ure that's when I received the contract to sign. It was a little scary, I'm not going to lie.. but I did it, obviously.

June: What happened in June? I went to the scariest and most overwhelming orientation of my life. I sat with other girls and boys going to teach, and they all talked about how they were so ready and confident about going. I sat silently because I was absolutely scared to death. I remember sending text messages to my dear friend (the word "dear" makes me think of my students.. so many of them begin texts with "my dear teacher") Gabe telling him just how scared I was. He seemed to think I would be okay, but I still wasn't convinced. I'm not joking, it was definitely the most scared I'd been about this whole teaching deal. I'm pretty sure this is when I had to purchase my plane ticket. I had to overnight it, and then it didn't get there. I got my overnight money back, but it didn't console me.

July: My birthday happened. Is it terrible that I have no idea what I did for it? I think so. I was too preoccupied with other things, I guess. I actually just remembered that I spent it getting shots. I babysat one of the cutest kids ever, too. I drove to the Knoxville health department, but on the way I got lost and freaked out because I didn't want to get the shots or get lost. It's all coming back to me... I went to my sister's and then went to Oliver Springs and then Shoneys. They sang "happy birthday" to me, but I didn't get a dessert.. I remember being pretty bummed. July also consisted of a last minute decision to go to Nashville for a concert by myself. I'm really glad I went because I got to see Trey Lockerbie perform, and I also was introduced to the sweet sounds of Andrew Ripp. And yes, that's the night I got to meet Dave Barnes. I was so nervous, but I was on a high from it for a good two weeks or more. (when I calmed down, I realized how ridiculous I sounded talking to him, but oh well.)

August: It was a month of goodbyes and new beginnings. Let's split it up.. not in those two categories though.
Beginning to mid-month: I had so many people to see. I went to Henderson and met up with some girls for a goodbye girls weekend. I got to hang out with several people before the weekend began. I made sure to say goodbye to some folks at Freed. We drove to Missouri. It was the longest trip of my life, but I kept them entertained most of the trip with funny stories. It was a pretty good weekend.. Have you ever had those moments where you just break down and cry for no apparent reason? That happened that weekend.. but I do actually know why I cried.. I just didn't want to admit it to them then. We were laughing hysterically, and my laughter turned into sobbing. I made some pit stops after the weekend and got to say goodbye to some more people. I also got to have a super awesome sleepover with some of my closest friends in the Ridge. We went to Knoxville and ate at the Mellow Mushroom and then got Maggie Moo's ice cream. It was good.. we had a lot of fun. We even got to play Bingo at the MM. (I just realized both of those places' initials are MM.)
End of the month: I left on August 21.. otherwise known as my mom and nephew's birthday. I was able to have most of the fam there to see me off, and some super sweet friends. It was nice. I didn't even panic. At some point in August, I realized that everything was going to be okay, and that there was no need for me to be afraid of this endeavor. It was at the LA airport that I about died though. Don't worry, not literally. I hadn't slept much, and I was exhausted. I had to walk over by myself and cry a little bit because I was so tired and irritable. (I was a grump). I slept a majority of the flight. When I got to China, my first impression was, "Whoa! It's really dirty here." Then it all began to get funny. Modern Bosom Friends was my first Chinglish sign. "Veal" was my first mistaken word. Adjusting to China wasn't hard at all really. I'm pretty good at adjusting to my environment.. which is sometimes a bad thing, but in this situation, it was nothing but good.

September: I met Kyle for the first time. It was incredibly awesome to see another foreigner. It was even better that the foreigner knew some Chinese and knew what was good to eat. I taught my first classes. They were disastrous.. especially the first week or so. We all know I'm not necessarily a person who wants to be the center of attention, ("Why go to China, then?" you ask.. Ask D Sprad for the answer.) so 40 students staring at me wasn't my ideal situation. It did seem to get easier the more I got into it, and it helped a lot to have Kyle here.

October: This is the month of the mouse, if I remember correctly. Remember? Yeah, I do, all too well. This was also the month that I went to Wudang Mountain and stayed with complete strangers and sat close to babies (okay, a baby) throwing up on the bus.. included in that trip were outside bathrooms. And of course, I also went up and down about a million stairs. The month of midterms and realizing teaching isn't too bad.. the grading is. It's also the month I met Jessi and went to Xiangfan and Shiyan for the first time. Wal Mart, McDonalds, KFC, and Donkey Hot Pot happened in those cities. And of course, it was the month of a Halloween spent dressed up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle teaching classes and handing out apple pumpkin muffins to the local businesses.

November: I experienced fish hot pot this month. It might have been one of the grossest things I've eaten. At least there weren't heads or anything in it though. I gave freshmen midterms this month, I think. I was also lucky enough to receive Thanksgiving off which turns out to be on a Thursday which just so happens to be my busiest day of teaching. Thanksgiving was a fun time holiday. We ate improvised American food with chopsticks.

December: This may have been the busiest and fastest passing month yet. We saw dinosaur exhibits and ate KFC in Shiyan with Foreign Affairs. One of the Japanese teachers was convinced my name was actually Blenda. I was called James by the Dean of the English Department. I received three packages. Melody came to visit. We had 2 days off for Christmas - both jammed full of activities - followed by a full weekend. My month ended really pretty calmly, though.. except for discovering that some of my students think I'm scary.
Let me explain. Kyle, Jessi and I were eating dinner when Kyle got a phone call from one of my students. She asked him if he would help her with something, so she began to explain. She had a train ticket to Wuhan that she had already bought and because of that, she was going to miss the final. She was afraid to talk to me about it because I seem so serious. (This is the class who keeps their heads down the whole time and comes in late.) He told her he'd send her a message later, and asked me what I thought. I told him I didn't care... that she could do her final the next week. So he told her to call and explain the situation, and it would be okay. She spent a good 5 minutes telling me she was sorry and explaining. I finally got in what I needed to say, and she thanked me. Kyle received a message from her that said, "Good News! I have done it! She doesn't mind my absence... Thank you again for your advice" I can't remember any more of it. I thought about it, and it's not the first time I've had students say that to me. In fact, it had happened earlier in the day. I find it funny because I'm about the least scariest person I know.
We actually ended December by having a bunch of girls over (and Kyle) to Jessi's. They all spent the night (except Kyle). We had snacks and played games and watched The Dark Knight on HBO. Then we counted down to the New Year and set off little party poppers. It was a good night/morning. I ended up going down to my apartment around 3:30 am after spending at least an hour cracking up with Jessi, Kyle and Melody. We had so much fun.

I've learned a lot this year.. and I think I've grown a lot.. in several different ways. At least, I hope I have. I hope that this year will be one that I always remember. I'm sure it will be.. at least the big highlights. I know I'll never forget my suicidal mouse. I may not remember specific details of every day, but I'll know that it was one of the best years of my life.. spent with some amazing people who inspire me in ways that I can't explain.

So, Happy 2010 (or 2012 according to one of Kyle's students)! 😊

---