Today I Choose to be Calm

   

      Life is a balancing act. Everything is a process. Once one is complete, another will surface, whether you were aware of it or not. I have been here for three months and this was the week I realized that I had SO MUCH FUCKING FREE TIME when I first arrived. I think it went very unappreciated and unnoticed. This week especially has been a mental marathon. I have not appreciated a quiet Saturday spent drinking coffee and writing in a long time. My next scheduled nothing day: right now.

      I joined a yoga studio. I probably have talked about it on here before but I don't really care, I'll beat the dead horse.Yoga is actually what is taking up a large chunk of my free time. I sprung for the year unlimited because the USD equivalent was cheaper than 2 months unlimited at my old studio (impulsive).  The Chinese are very concerned about health, at times I think it is taken to extremes (which I will discuss another day). Their concern for physical health definitely shows in my yoga classes. I have never received so much personal attention and help during a class. Poses I never thought I could be doing wrong I was, and poses I never thought I could do I am capable of. It is a yin and yang. I am improving by leaps and bounds, and at the same time I feel better because I am not hurting myself doing things wrong.

     Now keep in mind I can hardly speak Chinese. I learned the word for inhale,exhale,left and right. I am lucky the use a lot of the original Sanskrit names for the poses. Slowly but surely I am learning the names of the poses in Chinese.

    The yin and yang ignited by my yoga classes has pushed me in other aspects of my life here.  I decided to give tutoring a whirl. It is going very well and is really rewarding to have a group that doesn't ever play musical desks, throw paper airplanes, and act defiant when I take their comic books. However, that is an extra hour and a half lesson to plan each week. Kind of a challenge when I have other things to attend to.

    Before I left I had a few goals in mind to achieve:
1. Get back into shape.
2. Read more.
3. Focus on improving at yoga. specifically to do headstands, to eventually take instructor training.
4. Keep current with the digital marketing world. Maybe do some freelancing.

   I am proud to say I am working on all of these. It is easy to get caught up in the thrill of a new place and put things on the back burner. I was initially just reading a lot, but it wasn't enough to keep me busy. I see myself in a way reverting back to how I was in university, testing my limits for how much I can handle.  I realize that I enjoy taking on extra responsibilities, testing myself, that is what was at the core of my mental and physical extracurricular overexertion.  However, this time I see the purpose in everything. Nobody is hounding me to plan club events. Everything is of my choosing. Which makes the stress, lost sleep, and lack of free time completely worth it.

Happy Valley Halloween party. NSFW . Not for children.

      I visited another Chinese amusement park. This time the tickets were a gift from a mutual teacher friend. She bought for me and another teacher in my company to see the Halloween event at Happy Valley. We had a great time, but without a doubt will say that this event is in no way for children. Some of the things I saw in the haunted houses could only be described as bizarre, disturbing, and grotesque.


         This was at the entrance to the park. It set the wrong tone. This image speaks of a playful and nostalgic Halloween experience. Perhaps a trip to a pumpkin farm with a corn maze where you warmed up to some apple cider and ate honey sticks. Throw that mental image away and enjoy the following pictures.

Have I mentioned the lack of copyright laws? They can rip off Jack Skellington anytime they please. And nothing will happen.

This creature was standing around scaring people on the path, but let us take our picture with him.

She could have qualified for a demented Candy Land character. She chased me around the bridge with the creepiest stare I have ever met with.

No words.

Even less words.

WHAT

THE 

FUCK?

This was part of one of many haunted houses. Here in Asia it is perfectly acceptable to grab people and chase them with fake knives and chainsaws. 

A naked man with a wolf head, partially disemboweled, being eaten by a scrawny woodland creature. Happy Halloween folks!

Needless to say this was an EXPERIENCE. By the end our adrenaline was spent so we went on a few rides. This one in particular was one of the most ridiculous I have ever been on. Imagine a carny- fest scrambler ride that goes up in the air, tilts on its side, and all the carts spin. 

We took a before and after shot to confirm we rode it.

Terror.

All over!

I read too much Elite Daily

            After graduating university I was not ready to enter the so-called "real world". So I spent seven months in Florida gallivanting around Disney World, which in hindsight was an extension of college life. I found myself after a few weeks on a very similar drinking and sleep schedule, despite my 60 hour work weeks. When my program ended I was still not ready to be a full fledged adult, and I struggled to enter this world.
             I tried many jobs and wondered why I still had not landed a great one. It truly perplexed me that with my credentials I was somehow no further than I was before. I did not feel entitled to that perfect job, but I felt that I would at least see a posting for it to know it existed. I continued to tread water until I was too weary to go on. Now in hindsight, I will be forever grateful that it didn't happen. I truly believe that timing is essential to every chapter and perhaps every event in your life.  You can't take the cafeteria approach and only accept what appeals to you in the present moment, because every moment leading up to the present had a purpose in the chapters of your life. I used to think back on things that failed and wonder what could have been, and not focusing "what is,"
          I recently gave a lot of thought to the reason I left Florida. It was such a dream living there even if I did not continue to work for Disney. I found the tropical weather ideal and the culture of the South suited me. I went through a terrible break-up, terrible is a light term in this case, I was spun out of my normal train of thought. I really felt like I had to go home.Shortly after getting home I was kicking myself for leaving. What the hell was I thinking ? I realize that is what was meant to be. At this moment, on this page, I was not supposed to be there. I would not be writing about living in China had I stayed. Furthermore, the I only hold one regret about that decision and that is this: I let something non-permanent and expired, stop me from getting what I wanted.To be truthful there have been other instances where I have put things on the back burner. I believe this to be a common mistake among 20-somethings, but nonetheless a part of personal growth. It can never be a guided tour.
             After a more recent incident I discovered that I need to be more selfish. Perhaps selfish is not the best word choice for this situation. But I do believe that in your 20s the world is yours and you need to be brave and take leaps of faith. As of lately I have been viewing these years as the last of times I can make impulsive decisions, go out on weeknights, and do as I please. All within reason of course.
          We all make promises to ourselves, some are broken, some we follow through on, and some are not our path. I recently reached this catharsis: I will no longer try to rush into this idealized "adult life." I know what I am doing right now will affect the future for the better, and being patient for once will be worth it.

Nuisance to Adaptation

        I have come to notice that upon arrival certain things about China annoyed the ever living hell out of me. I don't recommend China to strict A-type personalities. I have always identified myself with being an A-type, but with a little persuasion I can throw caution to the wind.
     
       In university I specifically remember having an over-sized desktop calendar, a white board, and post-it notes EVERYWHERE. As soon as I got my syllabi for my courses and extracurricular schedules I would have my semester mapped out and color coded. I didn't like things being sprung on me at the last minute, or distractions when I was focused on something. I've since become much more relaxed, but still a plan ahead freak.
   
       I had to remove every notion of planning ahead, distractions, and last minute plans shortly after moving here. I got moved into my dormitory and didn't have wifi for three days. My phone data hardly worked being in a brick building so my contact with the outside world was limited. I was really fucking bored. I think I watched all the movies on my laptop about three times, got really good at spider solitaire, and read half an Ayn Rand novel. All the while I had a lot of lessons to plan. With no access to material I was in somewhat of a frenzied panic. Being a perfectionist, I did not want to let down my new school by giving half-assed and ill-prepared lessons on my first week. I eventually got wifi two days before school started and somehow managed to finish everything in a fraction of the time. Nuisance, but I got through.

      I was warned in training that things will be sprung upon you at the last minute. Things such as meetings and cancelled classes. At the time I did not realize how true this was. There have been afternoons where I had planned on doing my lesson plans, but suddenly there is a three hour meeting. Also times I go to teach a class and it is cancelled. I don't mind either, but I would prefer to know things ahead of time. Then I thought, I should do things last minute too! Do as the Chinese do, right?

      One afternoon I wanted to attend an event my company was hosting. It was the night before and I had not told my department head. Being caught in my Western mindset I assumed it was a no-go asking day of to leave early. I messaged another teacher for her opinion on me leaving early. She said it would be fine and I could TEXT the department head to ask. TEXT during her personal time to ask if I can leave work early the next day. This concept was completely beyond me. It went fine and I attended the event and was even offered a ride. So now I ask for things at the last minute. Adaptation.

      There are other instances where I wholeheartedly adapted. Their concept of professional clothes here far differs from the West. I see teachers in jeans, graphic tees, and shorts. Nothing inappropriate looking, but not what one would expect for academia. Working in sales and other professional environments I have been bred to wear blouses, cardigans, and black pants. Blazers on important days. On my first week I was instructed to dress up on Mondays for flag ceremony, fine. The rest of the week looked a whole lot like a stretched American casual Friday. I am expecting some reverse culture shock when I can't go to work in shorts and tee-shirt and still get told I look nice. Adaptation.

Staycationing, Cheers to a great holiday.

Here is the Urban Dictionary definition:

Staycation:

A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environment have to offer.

       This past week I have been off school and exploring Shenzhen. I would have loved to have gone traveling, but I have not been paid since July, so that was out. Each day was a different adventure.

       After working on a Sunday, my first day off was a Wednesday. I went with my two friends to another amusement park. Now I was somewhat skeptical after my experience at OCT East. However, this particular one was themed around world masterpieces in sculpture and architecture. The art history nerd in me was thrilled. Just like the previous park, there were very few rides, but a lot to look at.

I was very impressed they included a Venus of Willendorf in their sculpture park. 

Yes. You are reading that correctly. Drunk cabin. When I walked in I was expecting a fun house. Instead I was in a slanted room and felt like I had too much vodka.

       There was one particular experience I thought was really funny. We went on the log flume ride. While in the queue we noticed everyone was being handed a poncho and a towel. I thought "Why the hell would I wear that...I'm going on this ride for the purpose of getting wet."We all three refused the poncho and got the strangest looks from the other park goers and ride attendants. 

    We also rode a camel in the Egypt pavillion. I think the woman was so thrilled to have foreigners riding the camel she charged us a fraction of the price. It is usually 60RMB each, but she charged us 50RMB for all three of us to ride. Once again, I am going to be online.

    On Thursday I went with some friends to a flea market/ shopping center. It was underneath the metro on the opposite side of the city. It was one of the most intense shopping experiences I have ever had. The Chinese are among the pushiest, but the best of sales people. Forget about browsing. I imagine if I spoke the language better I would have walked out with a lot more clothes. It was already setup like a proper flea market;there were lots of booths crammed into a small space. But imagine stuffing thousands of people into it. I didn't walk, I shuffled to get from one booth to the next.

   Friday my friends and I made our first attempt at getting a pedicure. It was not entirely a pedicure and much more of a foot peel. The tech came in with a medieval looking toolkit and asked us if it was okay. Uhm sure, whatever you need to do. At this point I was a little nervous. He took out what looked like a long exact o knife and started doing the foot peel. I have come to terms with the fact that if other people think this is safe or acceptable, then it probably is. You just have to roll with it.

   Saturday was a girls day. Much needed. We spent the day watching New Girl and snacking on questionably healthy food. It is always lovely to have a day in with friends.

 

   Sunday has always been my favorite day of the week. When I was living in my apartment it was always the day I went home to visit my family. If I didn't do that I was with friends doing something relaxing. Detoxing out the weekends shenanigans and easing my mind into the idea of working the next day. I spent the day hiking in a national park. It was full of temples, statues, and had beautiful scenery. The girls and I rented a paddle boat and went on the lake.

  I spend the following day hiking as well. I went back to the treacherous stair climbing place with some friends. We took a different path and it was not nearly as many stairs, but more inclines. It's a double edged sword for you leg muscles. I woke up today feeling many impending charlie-horses in my calves. But I am somehow motivating myself to try out a pilates class.

 

I am a D-list celebrity here. I don't think I'll get over people wanting their picture with me for being American. I would never ask someone visiting the states for a picture because they were foreign. Literally a foreign concept to me.