Idea Land and Finding Peace in a Frenzy

              I've I let a lot of things go when I moved here. I did sincerely give up my bubble of personal space, the concept of personal questions, and even time. On certain days however it becomes too hard for me. I want to walk down the street and not be run into by ten people who are too busy on their phones to pay attention. I don't want to listen to motor bikes and their incessant honking. I don't want to be asked to tutor more kids or be told I have a meeting that I simply don't care to attend.  Usually when I feel like this I turn off my phone and watch a Netflix movie. Because a little me time is quite beneficial. I do however begin to feel antisocial after a few rounds of this activity and feel a strong sense of dread when having to reenter the real world. It took me no more than a few times to realize there were healthier ways to deal with this problem: Go somewhere that isn't crowded. Kind of difficult but indeed achievable.

          My friend and I one day took the afternoon off and she took me to this magical street called Idea Land. Idea Land is an oasis in a crowded city, and a ten minute walk from my apartment. It is a long pedestrian street filled with cute coffee shops, start ups, and anything cute/ artsy you can could want. There are trees, colorful artwork, and it is quiet. Yes this was the mental break I needed from the frenzy  of Shenzhen. We found a place with 30RMB glasses of wine and had a break from crazy China life. (30RMB is about $5).

        I always find myself suggesting this place when making plans. "Let's go walk around Idea Land, it is quiet and has anything you could want to drink." "Let's go to Idea Land and look at the artwork." "Let's go to Idea Land, the start ups have kittens we can play with." Obviously living here I feel very cat deprived. I got used to my cat sleeping next to me every night, all of my friends have cats. I come to China, no cats. The cat lady/animal lover struggle is real.


        I think my adoration for this place is related to my love of art, culture, and surrounding yourself with the simple pleasures of life. On certain week nights I used to go watch and discuss films at an art museum then go out for fancy beers with the people in charge. I loved driving  1.5  hours to the Albright Knox Gallery in Buffalo, New York, or an afternoon at Whole Foods in Cleveland, Ohio sampling wine finished off by a grilled cheese at The Melt. I loved kayaking on the peninsula on a sunny Saturday followed up by cocktails by the water while a summer breeze blew my hair into a million knots. How idealized was that life? Well those events were nothing short of wonderful, but nearly everything else was a literal hell so I had to give up the little things for a life in Asia. 

      It is not that I don't have the things I love here. I have actually found new things to fall in love with. 

1. My Job- My reason for moving 1,000's of miles across land and ocean, I really do love my job. After spending all of my life in customer service if I can never go back. Working in sales I dealt with people who were too stupid to know that phones need to be plugged in to work to people who only came in to yell at me about how I have somehow ruined their existence by selling them this phone. Then working at Panera Bread I ruined many people's day/week because I somehow personally discontinued a menu item or failed to tell them that macaroni and cheese has gluten.  Here it is quite the opposite and maybe not even anything in between. My students are my greatest joy at at the other end of the spectrum my greatest stress. 

I remember being that age and into all the "fad toys" including yo-yo's, trading cards, weave bracelets, color by number etc etc. They seem to think that the BEST POSSIBLE TIME to practice yo-yo tricks, make bracelets and fight their Pokemon is during my class. I get annoyed, but then I remember how exciting those things were to me at that age. There are days I get so pissed I crumple up and throw out the notes or pictures that are not essential to learning in my class. Then when the bell rings I have a stack of pictures with Chinese characters that the students drew just for me. One day I was giving a lesson to grade 5 and caught a girl folding paper cranes, I approached her as she finished the last one and she said "Teacher! It is for you!" I still have them, people have made me artistic things but nothing so time-consuming and complicated. It is moments like these that I really enjoy this job. 

2. My Activities- I have gotten really into anything nature. Nothing is more refreshing than a hike, even if it is an eight hour Chinese stair hike that leaves your legs trembling like jello. I  also love to lounge on my playground and read on my tablet on a sunny weekend. I am more into reading than I have ever been. I think part of the reason is because English books are harder to get. Logically we want things we can't have. The loophole is my Kindle app and Google Play Books all at your fingertips via VPN. I also spend a great deal of time exercising.

3. My lifestyle- I honestly don't know how I could leave a place where  I can spoil myself so much. But reality exists across the ocean. Call me vain but I love how I don't ever have to think twice about shopping, going out to dinner, or taking holidays. Maybe because living on your own off a low paying job in America is REALLY HARD, not being able to treat yourself without feeling guilty and second guessing constantly. I can't live with that kind of stress ever again, not happening. 

         In all honestly when I say spoil myself I am not even overly frivolous. It is things as simple as getting myself a proper outfit for a Chinese wedding I was invited to. (You'll hear about this ridiculousness soon.)

4.  Being Active- I find myself more active here than I have ever been ever. Here I am always seeking out ways to go out and enjoy nature,  I started teaching a yoga classes, and whenever  I can exploring the city. I think my old lifestyle was far too sedentary and lacking the healthy Vitamin D. 

     These new things are all wonderful actually. I want to continue my new habits. However when it came time to resign my contract I felt myself resisting. If everything remains the same then how will my life here continue to be an adventure, always discovering new things. It won't. 

    So I am pleased to announce that I signed for a job in Hanoi, Vietnam! I will be doing the same thing as I do here, teaching primary school. But this time with a change of scenery. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. It has a population of 6.5 million (only half a million less than Shenzhen) and is rich in Vietnamese history and culture. I fall in love with the place a little more every time I Google it.