hey yall …. were a few days into July- well 8 days in …
here’s a catch up of the past two months (May and June) …….
yup! long post …. enjoy! thanks for following the blog…. and feel free to share it!
A while ago I posted what a day in my life is like and that post was so interesting to me because every day is so completely different.
Today is a work day. It’s my weekend since its Monday and I am off on Tuesdays and Wednesdays … I started the day with a run – 4.25KM and laundry (yeah i know #adulting) I am home working on my blog, while waiting for a package – hoping it arrives before I leave for work. I will leave for work about noon – and it takes about 30-35 minutes to get to work on the metro. I take two trains to work, one train has two stops – I transfer- and my second train has 5 stops. Then its a quick walk into the mall where my job is. My center is inside Hongkou Plaza Mall – its a language training center where kids come after school for English class. I have two classes today- finishing work at 8:30- then who knows???
Nice Day ….it got warm quick! 7/08/18 Sanhe Garden
May 2018 Month 7
May was busy – but what month isn’t busy???
Highlights of this month
Friends Cafe – I love the show FRIENDS … so when I heard that there was a FRIENDS Cafe here I had to check it out. Super fun and small and the street that its on has a NY vibe. Fun!
Disneyland twice!
Of course I went to Disneyland… I went once with my friends daughter and another time for a work event.
Disney VoluntEARS– Disney has opportunities to volunteer – if you choose- not mandatory with work- I volunteered at a local children’s hospital. We did simple coloring activities with the kids and just hung out. The kids couldn’t be out of their rooms long, but I was so glad to help!
June 2018 Month 8
Highlights of this month
Running Goal – I set a goal to run 100KM in June and I SMASHED that goal. I ran/logged 141km/87.6 miles. I think I am still tired from this … and its July 8, 2018 … lol!
nah …i know im still tired!!!! so i am only doing 35 km this month along with some other workout routines….
Almost hit my year running goal and SMASHED my June goal!
Fake 5K – Yo! I was so hype that I could finally do a 5K. It was on a Saturday morning, at 8:30 and I dont go to work until 12:15 … I just knew I could run 5 kilometers in a hour or less – get home to shower and chanMge and get to work on time. Only the 5K didnt start at 8:30 it started when they wanted it to. None of the volunteers could tell me why it wasn’t starting on time- and the distance was only 3.2K when I got to the finish. Yall I was HOT! I was hoping to PR – so that didn’t happen and it started to rain during the run… but I did it and I got a medal and a certificate so theres that!!!
Fellas– OMG! If you are ever in Shanghai you need to go to FELLAS.
My sisters friend was coming to Shanghai with her PhD cohort – and I was determined with my random schedule to meet up with them. They had a full – packed-tight schedule but we were able to meet up for dinner. It was fantastic. I had eggplant parmesan and calamari but the highlight was Malikah’s lamb! It was amazing! The view of The Bund/Pearl Tower and Shanghai Skyline was amazing.
We had good conversation with some ‘Shanghai’nese’ folks sitting next to us which I will share about in another post.
Hiking – Went on a hike with a friend to Seshan National Forest – just off of Metro Line 9 here in Shanghai. The hike was a 5.2 on the tough meter if were measuring it 1-10 and 10 being super tough. It was nice to get outside of the city, away from all the people, and all the second hand smoke (smoking is serious here in China) and just enjoy!
Pictures from hiking …
Whew Yall … I am in my 9th month of living in Shanghai … and of course nothing is perfect or always sweet peach cobbler and red kool-aid (on the real some red kool aid sounds really good right now) but …. ya know … I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.
Nope!
Not……
……A
Thing.
How yall doing with your goals you set at the beginning of the year …. here are the goals I set and how I am doing with them … we are in the second 1/2 of the year … let’s crush our goals!
Here are the goals I posted/shared in January-
- Because of my work schedule it is hard to sign up athletic events like 5K/10K/Stair Climb type events I would do at home. I want to do 1 event this year. If I can work that in my schedule that would be great. (oh – Christmas week I did Jingle Bell Run 5K with coworkers- it was cold – I don’t like being cold) I did a 5K- well Fake 5K – but whatever in June!
- Read 2 books for pleasure. Yo! I am on my 4th book. This is great. I will share what I have been reading soon.
- Visit 4 new countries – I have my list ready so I can’t wait to share with you all as it happens about my adventures abroad. Thailand/Hong Kong/ South Korea… one more to go!
- Pay down some US Debt – lets see how that goes! Yep I have done this
- Play in a waterfall – I didn’t get to do this last year and I’m still mad about it!!! – so clearly some things carry over from 2017 and that’s okay I have been trying to do this for a long time … I have to do some research on waterfalls in China … I may have to make a weekend trip out of it.
- BE!!! Just BE. Enjoy each day as it comes. Live. Love. Laugh. Smile. Live a life rooted and established in JOY! #EverdayJOY Yup! Everyday Joy is a thing! Its real Yall!
#ItMustBeTheMelanin 
exploring ancient water towns 
jump! 
Shopping
….. and im super excited about the fall ….
^my mood already^
i have friends from America coming to visit!!!
I am excited about life! I am filled with Hope. I am overwhelmed with JOY! I am going to do my best to live by the ‘Glad Texts’
#FearlessinShanghai #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #BlackInChina #BlackAmericanInChina #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla #KarlaGirlJoy #BlackGirlInShanghai #eatsleeppartyrepeat #givingisgood #givingisfun #WakandaForever #ShuriAndNakiaAndOkoye #MelaninMagic #Blessed #FaithfulIsMyGod
“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” – Hellen Keller
*I choose ADVENTURE
FEARLESS in SHANGHAI 