Only a few more weeks before I leave.

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Well, today is my birthday and I'm shifting gears from Guatemala to China. I have 3 weeks until I leave.

Willy Yang on Travelblog’s Asia Forum, enters great information from a guidebook about China. He has an entry about the Chinese horoscope. I was born in the year of the horse.

“Horse People born in the Year of the Horse are popular. They are cheerful, skillful with money, and perceptive, although they sometimes talk too much. They are wise, talented, good with their hands, and sometimes have a weakness for members of the opposite sex. They are impatient and hot-blooded about everything except their daily work. They like entertainment and large crowds. They are very independent and rarely listen to advice. They are most compatible with Tigers, Dogs, and Sheep.”

For those of you who know me, does that sound like me? I think it’s fairly accurate. I have to work hard to do my daily work.

The preparations for the trip include renting my house, removing my personal possessions, forwarding my mail, canceling magazine subscriptions, closing down my DSL line, etc. I can take only two big suitcases with me and one carry-on. Packing is becoming the arena of tough decisions. Books, shoes, presents, and technical gadgets take up almost one whole suitcase.

I fly to Chicago and from there to Pudong, outside of Shanghai. It’s a 14 hour flight, but I’ll be with one of my best friends.

So how did I get the job in China? Here’s the story.
My college roommate for 3 years was Linell. We've stayed in touch. She has been in China for over 10 years as a foreign expert. She's an author on cultural communications. When I retired in January, I emailed her that I now had time to go to China. She asked if I wanted to be a tourist or to teach. I said 'teach'. Originally, I was planning to go for one semester, but it evolved into one year. I'll get paid about $400/month, get a free apartment, and a maid two days a week. (I'm not sure what all the maid does; but I hope she washes clothes and does bathrooms!) After some rough conditions in Guatemala, I really want a clean bathroom where I live, even though I know China had some primitive facilities when you're traveling.

While I was on email just now, the FedEx man came with my passport with the Chinese visa. So, it's real. I fly out of Chicago on Aug. 25. Since my son and daughter-in-law live in Chicago, I'll go there early and stay a few nights.
My pictures are of the new clothes I got—a wardrobe makeover for my birthday!

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