It Makes Me Happy

Lately I've posted mostly photos of my travels, but little of my daily life in China. I'm packing up to leave on summer holiday, so I wanted to leave you with 31 days of posts that paint a picture of what it's like to live in China and what my current life is like. If you want to join in the sharing I'd love it if you would place a link in the comments back to your post. I hope you enjoy and have a great summer!

This is one of my favorite vacation photos. Just looking at it reminds me of the hot sun, beaches and clear blue water. I can't wait to get back there!

Favorite Shoes

Lately I've posted mostly photos of my travels, but little of my daily life in China. I'm packing up to leave on summer holiday, so I wanted to leave you with 31 days of posts that paint a picture of what it's like to live in China and what my current life is like. If you want to join in the sharing I'd love it if you would place a link in the comments back to your post. I hope you enjoy and have a great summer!

*This post has affiliate links.

I am a big fan of accessories. Shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry are things that I can never get enough of. I typically wear black or neutral colors so I love having vibrant accessories to bring my outfit to life. I also love to eat and I don't obsess about my weight, which means it fluctuates (and I'm totally okay with that!). So, accessories are worth the splurge for me because I can wear them no matter what size I am.

Favorite Things To Do: China Edition

Lately I've posted mostly photos of my travels, but little of my daily life in China. I'm packing up to leave on summer holiday, so I wanted to leave you with 31 days of posts that paint a picture of what it's like to live in China and what my current life is like. If you want to join in the sharing I'd love it if you would place a link in the comments back to your post. I hope you enjoy and have a great summer!

Photos of LangFang

Lately I've posted mostly photos of my travels, but little of my daily life in China. I'm packing up to leave on summer holiday, so I wanted to leave you with 31 days of posts that paint a picture of what it's like to live in China and what my current life is like. If you want to join in the sharing I'd love it if you would place a link in the comments back to your post. I hope you enjoy and have a great summer!

I'm living in Langfang, which is basically a suburb of Beijing. Although the selection is growing, it is difficult to find international brands or products here. The city is growing and changing, but there is limited foreign influence. Walking down the street or shopping in the main plaza I am still stared at constantly, people take photos of me and treat me as though I am a VIP. 

31 Days Of Getting To Know Me: Day 1

Lately I've posted mostly photos of my travels, but little of my daily life in China. I'm packing up to leave on summer holiday, so I wanted to leave you with 31 days of posts that paint a picture of what it's like to live in China and what my current life is like. If you want to join in the sharing I'd love it if you would place a link in the comments back to your post. I hope you enjoy and have a great summer!

Welcome everyone! 

Love Myself: 21 Things

This is the first Valentine's Day I will be spending alone in quite sometime. So instead of focusing on someone's love for me, I thought I'd focus on loving myself. One of the items on my 101 in 1001 days list is to identify 21 things I like about myself so here goes, in no particular order.

I Love...

1.  My positive attitude
2.  My tenacity
3.  My propensity for kindness toward others
4.  My sense of generosity
5.  My love of history
6.  My interest in books
7.  My fondness for singing anytime, anywhere
8.  My long, toned legs
9.  My firm backside
10.  My passion for travel
11.  That I'm passionate about life
12.  That I'm fun loving
13.  That I'm adaptable and can handle various situations
14.  My adventurous spirit, willing to try anything once
15.  That I make people feel good about themselves
16. My passion for art and architecture
17. That I can make my home anywhere
18.  I love that I enjoy food and take pleasure in eating
19.  My love for languages
20.  My cooking skills
21.  That I'm living my dream

What do you love most about yourself?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! 

How I Survived 2014

I am pretty certain that 2014 was the most difficult year of my adult life. I've made some huge life changes and I am ending the year 2014 in a way that I never would have imagined back in January. I wanted to do a recap of sorts of my life this year, but to be honest, the first four months are a complete blur. I looked back at my blog posts from the beginning of the year and I found that I didn't share any of the chaos that was my life. I don't think I was ready then, but now...now I own my story and I'm ready to tell it. Spoiler Alert: It all ends on a good note!

January - mid May
Like I mentioned, the first few months of this year are a complete blur. I don't really recall any of it. I was desperately trying to finish out the last semester of my master's degree and pass my comprehensive exams. My marriage had been on the rocks for quite some time, we'd been in counseling and finally decided to separate in February. My husband moved out of our house the first of March. Anyone who has ever experienced divorce before probably knows that you experience every single emotion possible, often all in the same day. Sometimes even more than once a day. Some days are good, some bad and some awful. The desire to find happiness again, the sadness at what is lost and the anxiety over what's to come usually roll together into one big knot and are difficult to handle at times. I'm not entirely sure how I got through grad school, but I'm pretty sure my brain was on auto pilot.

May
With all of the stress and anxiety I had over my divorce, I can honestly say I didn't put my best effort into my degree. I did the best I could under the circumstances I had, but I know I'm capable of much more. That I didn't struggle and find a way to do better is one of my biggest regrets. Fortunately though, I passed my exams and final classes and received my diploma. Other than meeting one of my very best friends in grad school and working with one of the best professors I've ever had, I'd much rather forget my time there. 

Graduation Day

Yes, my husband was with me on my graduation day. Part of me thinks that we are the weirdest divorcing couple ever, the other part of me is glad we are able to remain friends on some level. We both had sacrificed so much for my diploma that he wouldn't miss seeing me walk across the stage to accept it.

After graduation I needed to find a full time job. As ridiculous as it sounds I was feeling incredibly insecure about my ability to find a well paying job that I loved. I had also dreamed of studying abroad or living abroad some day, but those dreams would never have come true if I stayed in my marriage. So I enrolled in an Oxford Seminars course to earn an ESL Teaching Certificate to help me find a job teaching abroad and explore my options. This was a six week course that cost $1200 but the selling point for me was that they helped you find a job in your country of choice through their many contacts. To me it felt safer knowing they were all schools that had been vetted for me. 

I really wanted to teach in Oman because of my love of Middle Eastern history and the country is relatively safe, but there were no open positions at that time. Due to my level of education I received dozens of interviews and offers all over China and some in South Korea as well. I considered Japan, but the application process was longer and I wasn't sure it would fit my time frame. Plus I had a lot of other offers at my feet. Ultimately I chose a job teaching at a university because it aligned more closely with my recent goals and I thought it would provide good experience for my future. You can read more on my big announcement here. 

June-July
As I prepared to leave for China in August I needed to tie up loose ends and I wanted to visit as many local sites over the summer as possible before I left the area I lived in, possibly forever. You can read more about my summer adventures here, here and here. My husband and I spent several weekends checking places off my list. I know, we were separated and still spending time together, weird right? It was often difficult and sometimes tense, but I think we both wanted to have a few good memories together before our marriage finally ended. Here is a brief look at the places we visited:

Volo Bog

 

Volo Auto Museum

  

Chicago

Black Pointe Estate, Lake Geneva, WI

Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio, Oak Park, IL

August

And if that still wasn't enough...I ended up having surgery at the beginning of August. A mere three weeks before I moved to China. I had an outpatient surgery to remove my tonsils which can easily be called the most horrifying five hours of my entire adult life! The nurses and staff were so condescending and just plain rude. They treated me like I wasn't even a person and my requests or concerns didn't matter. They had their own agenda and they were sticking to it regardless of what I wanted. I was in physical pain and they told me to deal with it (exact words, in a mean tone) and I was often told 'no one likes being here'. As if that were permission for them to treat me heartlessly. Here's a tip, if you treated people like actual human beings maybe they wouldn't hate it so much! Just a thought. As if I hadn't had a rough enough year, I had to suffer that indignity as well. The rest of the month was spent recovering from my surgery and a final round of packing before I left Illinois for good.

September-December

When I arrived in China I had an initial feeling of buyers remorse. You can read more about my first experiences here. Thankfully, all I needed was to allow myself time to adjust and settle into my new life. I've had some amazing new experiences that I wouldn't have had if I stayed back home. I need to give myself credit for refusing to accept less than the best for myself and forcing myself to open up to new possibilities. As terrifying as it is to make such a huge move while still processing the end of my marriage, the end of my graduate degree and determining my life's direction, I still would have struggled with each of these steps. Instead of settling and taking an easier route, I forced myself to imagine a different life by living out one of my dreams. In the end, it was completely worth it.  

Since arriving in China I've visited several cities:

LangFang

Grand Epoch City

Beijing

Tianjin

Shanghai

Nanjing

Qingdao

Wawuxinzhuang

 

I still have moments of loneliness and insecurity, I wouldn't be human if I didn't. Overall though, my experience in China has been wonderful. There are good and bad things about living here, just like anywhere else, but I have experienced such kindness and compassion from new friends and complete strangers. It really reaffirms all of the decisions I made this year. If I hadn't experienced the awful things I did, I wouldn't be here now. And this place that I'm in is pretty good.  

It is one of my firmly held beliefs that you can not truly appreciate the good things in life without experiencing the bad things that come your way. Having suffered through the pain and sadness makes us appreciate the blessings so much more. I hope that 2015 is full of blessings for each and every one of you!

  

            

  

 

 


 



     

Life In China: Three Months In

I can't believe that I've been in China for three months now. Time sure flies! This has been a transition year for me. I graduated with my master's degree, separated from my husband of five years, and moved to China. I can honestly say there have been a lot of bumps along the way, but I'm finally settling in a really good place emotionally. 

My first month here was really occupied with figuring out how everything worked and adjusting to much different living conditions that I was accustomed to. China is very dirty compared to back home and of course there are the squat toilets and smog conditions to contend with. I've learned how to depend on others, which is very difficult for me, to complete even the simplest tasks like paying my electric bill or buying food. Of course I had doubts along the way and wondered why I left everything behind for this.  As I learned my way around and adjusted to my new normal things got a bit easier.

After the first month, I was fortunate enough to have a two week holiday. So of course I set off on a solo travel adventure and visited Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao and Beijing. It was an amazing trip that I had the opportunity to take all because of my decision to live in China and have the adventure of a lifetime. I experienced the kindness of strangers in each city who helped me along the way even when they spoke no English at all. I really had a chance to experience China that most tourists miss out on. There is a rich complexity to the culture and customs here that is often missed by those who travel only to the well known sites and dine in the international restaurants because they are comfortable there. I feel very blessed for the opportunity to experience this other side of China.  

Following my trip I experienced two bouts of illness, one from bad food and the other from a nasty cold. Normally I'm a tough person, but being so sick and weak that I'm stuck in bed for a few days is enough to let the self doubt creep in. I started questioning the direction of my life and felt really alone being in a foreign country away from close friends and family. 

Although when I started to question my decisions and wondered how I was going to survive again on my own, it dawned on me. I've already done it. I took this tiny little apartment and made it feel like home. I've made new friends and I've found ways to enjoy some of my favorite hobbies. I learned how to adapt my cooking to the products available to me so I can still enjoy some of my favorite dishes while sampling the new cuisine China has to offer. I've found new people to cook for, which brings me great joy. Most of all, I've fully regained my self confidence and independence. I never really lost either, but being in a marriage that isn't working can take a toll on your self esteem. 

I finally feel like I am in a place I want to be both physically and emotionally. Living in another country isn't always glory and adventure. Some days are good, some days are great but you also experience the bad and the awful. Everywhere you go there are advantages and disadvantages. Not to mention that going through a divorce isn't easy no matter who or where you are. That experience alone is enough to set me on an emotional roller-coaster. My life wouldn't be anymore perfect if I'd stayed where I was and my life here in China isn't perfect either. However I'm enjoying exactly where I am right now.  Two of my all time favorite movies are: Eat, Pray Love and Under The Tuscan Sun. I feel that my experience mimics each of these, which are actually based on real life stories. Perhaps one day I will publish my story, the Chinese edition.

I know I won't live in China forever, but I want to experience as much as possible while I'm here. And so far, I'm enjoying the ride.


  

           

About Me: Interview Feature

Just a quick note to let you know I'm featured over at Treats and Travels today. Go on over and check out my interview to get to know a little more about me and my blog. 

Click Here

About Me: Interview Feature

Hello! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. This post will be short and sweet.

I am currently sponsoring Belinda from Found Love, Now What? and she has an interview feature with me up on her blog. Click here to check it out and learn a little more about me.

 

Getting To Know Me!

In case you wanted to learn a little more about who I am, I've put together a short list of things I love.

I Love...

1.  Rocking out to the radio while I'm driving in my car. Think Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, flipping stations until I find the right tune, then belting it out as I drive along.

2.  Eating soup. I love to slurp my soup! Frankly, it just tastes better that way. It may seem rude, but I doubt I'll ever stop. #sorrynotsorry

3. Being outdoors all summer long. Some of my favorite things to do outside are: enjoying meals/cocktails at an outdoor restaurant patio, hiking, rollerblading, soaking up the sun, reading, sightseeing, walking along the beach, photography...And the list goes on...

4. Learning. I never, ever want to stop learning something new. That's one of the reasons I love traveling so much. And school, can't get enough of that either!

5. Picture books. I love photo books and photo albums. I always create digital scrapbooks with my travel pictures and order a copy so I can easily revisit those memories anytime. I also have a large collection of coffee table photo books that I love to peruse for inspiration. As much as I love Pinterest, I'll never get bored browsing through a physical book that I can hold in my hands.

6.  Walking barefoot in the grass.

7.  Picnics. I love eating outdoors in the summer. Rolling out a blanket in the park, eating, drinking and napping or reading the afternoon away, sounds like a great summer day to me!          


What are some of your favorite things?

What Would You Choose To Do With Your Life If You Could Do Anything?

A friend once asked me what I would choose to do with my life if I could do anything (and I'm adding without the fear of failure or financial worry). This is an easy question for me to answer and I hope I am on my way to achieving at least some version of it, someday.  

Statue of William Tecumseh Sherman at the entrance to Central Park in NYC

My dream is to travel the world and to experience other cultures and history through food, photography and writing. 

I would love to financially support my lifestyle by contributing articles to publications as a freelance writer, selling photographs, teaching courses or seminars, and even giving a lecture series or presentations. In addition to working (for income), traveling at leisure and enjoying the spontaneity of life as a nomad, I would also dedicate some of my time to philanthropic causes. Nearest and dearest to my heart are causes that support women and children and promote their well-being, education and lively hood. I believe that everyone has something to give back to society whether it is time or money or something else altogether.

I would love the freedom of being my own boss, taking any assignments that come my way and following my true bliss. This might mean living in one place for six months or a year or even as little as a few days to a week. I would love the opportunity to experience so many different places and then return to the ones that truly captivate me. I would hope to accomplish all of this by documenting my experiences and sharing them with the world to inspire others and to help people achieve their own dreams. 
  

So tell me, What's your dream?

I was inspired to write this after reading Latitude Adjustment's post, Question of the Day: Dream Job. Be sure to stop by and check it out. 

Ten Things You Didn't Know About Me

I am new to blogging so I thought I'd share a few things 
about myself so you can get to know me a little better.

Ten Things I Love:

1. Cupcakes
2. Long Candlelit Bubble Baths
3. Chips & Salsa
4. Eating Hotel Room Service in Bed
5. The Sun...80 degrees year round is OK by me
6. Sleeping-In on Saturdays and Sundays
7. Looking at Other Peoples Vacation Photos
8. Traveling...Anytime, Any place
9. Curling up with a book next to a fire on cold rainy days
10. Small acts of kindness to make a strangers day