After Yangshuo, I went back to Guilin and caught a flight to Shanghai. So many people had told me they loved Shanghai, and I must admit, I do as well. Next to New Orleans, of course, Shanghai was the coolest city I've been to. A large part of the population is a mix of every nationality under the sun. This, in combination with millions of Chinese, makes for an incredible place to visit. Every type of food can be found: Indian, Nepalese, Mediterranean, French, Russian, Spanish, etc. And there were even a few Mexican and South American restaurants. The strong British [View Full Entry]

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Yangshuo was wonderful. I stayed two days longer than I intended and was still reluctant to leave. Admittedly, it is set up especially for tourists. Some travelers call it a backpackers paradise, and I can see why. The town has a welcoming and laid-back atmosphere, in addition to being surrounded by stunning scenery. Almost all hostel and restaurant staff speak English, there's plenty of Western food to be found, and lots of outdoor activities. My routine didn't vary much while I was there. I'd eat a late breakfast at one of the several cafes around town, then hike around for the [View Full Entry]

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Saying good bye in Beijing was a sad affair, but my excitement to get out of the city pulled me through. My students loved their gifts: OKC "Thunder" T-shirts and Hershey's Kisses, (made in Pennsylvania, not China). They really were a big hit and I owe my parents big time for bringing them. The flight to Shenzhen, and then crossing over to Hong Kong by train, was a breeze. The city itself was pretty incredible...and incredibly expensive. I knew this ahead of time, which is why I planned only to stay for just two nights. Knowing I'd have to leave China [View Full Entry]

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Having completed my required 180 hours about two weeks ago, I've actually been getting paid to work and have been able to save some extra money for traveling. I leave for Hong Kong this Saturday and from there I have three weeks to explore other parts of China. The problem is, I can't seem to make a decision. This country is entirely too big. Every time I read about someplace new I try to fit it into my route. I finally took a break and tried to calculate how long my latest route would take, and I'd need about two months. [View Full Entry]

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China, like all countries I suppose, hates to see money cross the border to be spent in other countries. In order to prevent this from happening, the Chinese government has come up with several creative roadblocks. A foreigner cannot exchange RMB back into his native country's currency while still in China. In order to get a tourist visa extension, the foreigner must have US$100 in a Chinese bank account for each day he plans to stay in China. (This meant our program director had to gather US$3000 for each of us so that we could extend our visas.) Finally, the government [View Full Entry]

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Finally, three full days off of work. So far I've only had Friday's off of work, but I still have three hours of Mandarin classes in the morning, so it's not a full day. I have not missed one class though. I actually speak in Chinese when giving directions to a cab driver or ordering in a restaurant now, so that's progress. By the end of the three months I'll have taken about 80 hours of Mandarin. The country is celebrating what they simply call "National Holiday", remembering October 1st, 1949 and the founding of the People's Republic of China. So [View Full Entry]

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It will be three weeks tomorrow since I arrived in Beijing. Just to give a quick update: this is a fabulous city! I'm living in the Chaoyang district, in East Beijing, which is a wonderful location. My apartment is a 30min walk/ 15min subway ride from where I work. A picture of Jianwai SOHO, the office complex where I work, is pictured here. I'm somewhat familiar with the subway system and layout of the city, but I seem to spend most of my time in Chaoyang. A few times a week I teach at my students' homes in an apartment building [View Full Entry]

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