It's been a month since I posted a blog entry. It's been a mix of reasons that include actually being busy, pure laziness, and poor internet connections. I posted a blog earlier about China's Nowism: the idea that it's ok to tell someone last minute about changes in schedules. So two weeks ago, I learned 5 minutes before class that I didn't have class for two days because of midterms. I also learned that I got the next week off because the students had military training. So I had an 11 day vacation. Even though this vacation was longer than my National Holiday (9 days), I was unable to plan anything because I was told last minute. I still have failed to post my Hong Kong (HK) blog, but I have managed to go to HK ... read more

I worked in a restaurant for almost 6 years, and during which I was pestered by the impatience and annoying tendencies of foreigners, in particular the Chinese. Well now the tables have turned, and in many ways I have become one of them. In little less than a month, I have adapted to their culture and to their restaurant etiquette. I have learned the ways of street vendors, fast food clerks, and even had lunch at a five star restaurant with a nine course meal. So to all my serving friends, this is for you. I am going to reveal to you what typical service is like in China. 1) SEAT YOURSELF: Upon entrance into a restaurant, and this is true for most restaurants, the customer chooses the seating. You walk in and sit wherever you ... read more

Like I said, I will be hopping back and forth between my experiences weeks ago and my experiences now, just until I get all caught up. So bear with me. SHENZHEN: When I think of a futuristic city, I think of Shenzhen. It obviously doesn't have flying cars or teleporters, but I don't know if any other city on Earth except maybe Dubai that can say it wasn't here 35 years ago. In 1979, the Chinese government proclaimed Shenzhen to be the first special economic zone. This means cheaper labor, an easier ability to export goods, and an exemption from the federal taxes. This allowed Shenzhen's meager fishing village to transform into a city of offically 11,000,000 but actually 20,000,000 million people. Amidst the cities high-rises rests KK Tower, the 8th tallest in the world. High ... read more

Regrettably due to my busy schedule and a lack of internet connection, I was unable to blog. It took a while, but I am finally settling down in Shenzhen. This means that I finally get to start posting relatively more often, especially with my plethra of office hours. So where do I begin to talk about my new China adventure. How about at... DAY 01: THE START OF CLASSES The night before classes start, relatively 9pm, I was finally given my class schedule. I will be teaching 2 classes a day. One week I will teacher Junior 1, and the next week, I will teach Junior 2. This will make for some easy lesson plans. The school has 8 forty minute periods a day, which means my school wants me to be at my desk for ... read more

After a trip, people always ask, "How was your trip? Did you have fun? What did you do?" The general reply is, "Good, yes, and I did (insert short phrase here)." The purpose of this blog entry is not to ramble on about my personal three day adventure in the American Southwest desert oasis but to emphasize the modern marvel that is LAS VEGAS. I traveled from green temperate Oregon with its indecisive weather patterns to brown/orange Nevada with its incessant sunshine and dry air. Yet amidst this dessert's barren wasteland thrives the city of sin. When planning this trip, I opted out of going to shows, paying cover charges for nightclubs, and gambling copious amounts of money. Why? One: I did not have much money to spend. Two: I knew there were loads to do ... read more