My Year In Review

(yup long*ish post alert)

hey yall!!! I have been in Shanghai for a year…. 2018 is almost over too but lets look back at my year …. and the goals I set in January …

January Goals – Update on the goals I set in January:

Here are the goals I posted/shared in January-

1. Complete a 5K: Run in Blue in June!!! √
2. Read 2 books for pleasure: I have read 6 books and I am in the middle of two right now… and someone just shared another one with me! Ay Dios Mio what is a girl to do??? Read them all? Yep! √
3. Visit 4 new countries – 3 down and 1 more to go. √ – I will see my 4th country in December … but I did go to Seoul again!
4. Pay down some US Debt : Yea  – I have paid down some … totally need to pay down more – but it gets a check mark too, lol √
5. Play in a waterfall – √ finally this one gets a check – yesss! Waterfall in Ningbo … wonderful
6. 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! √ – Everyday Yall …. these #BlackExpatDays don’t come without theier moments and challenges but I am managing my way through them with more grace daily! √√√

SO I set 6 very realistic goals I and only have one more to hit! Not a bad year.

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Lets Look Back …

Q1: October 2017 – January 2018 -were gonna mash together – I just arrived. I was cold. Tired. Jet Lagged. Having on-boarding and training at work. Adjusting to a life in a new country. SO many things.

Q2: February 2018-April 2018

During CNY (Chinese New Year) I took my first international trip since leaving America. Yes, I know I have traveled internationally, but it was my first trip since moving to Shanghai. Two friends joined me on a trip to Bangkok and we had a blast. When we returned from Bangkok, the city was like a ghost town – quiet- and cold. Having time off from work was nice.

Spring came around – the sun started shining and I was ready to hit the friendly skies. I took a trip to Seoul in April and I had #SeoulMuchFun. This trip was nice because it was just random and fun. I did a TON of research before leaving for South Korea and when I arrived I threw all of my research out of the window an decided to just have fun. I asked locals what I should do and where I should eat and I did that my entire trip. I had a blast.

Work had its moments. I was really just getting a good rhythm going at my job and getting use to my students and having so many classes. IT was definitely an adjustment coming from teaching in America where classrooms are teacher centered and not learner centered.

Q3: May 2018-July 2018

My life never seems to slow down. May -July was busy, but great at the same time. I continued to travel, see China, make friends, and enjoy Shanghai.

I went to Disneyland a lot!

I enjoyed my time with #DoubleDutchSquad – a group of us who got together every other week to jump rope.

I ran a lot. A lot. – I set a goal at the beginning of the year to run 650KM!!!

Went to Sanya (there’s a post about it) with my girl Jessi and even to the Filipino ballet.

I realized for sure that I wasn’t happy at work … even though I wasn’t happy at work I did my best to work hard at work. If I am honest, I didn’t always work as hard as I should have- but that’s a lot of us, right?

Q4: August 2018-October 2018

WHOA!!! Hey Yall – Q4 means it has been a full year in Shanghai. A full 365 days living in another country. I am so hype that I did it. Somewhere around May I wanted to throw it all in and just go back to Texas – but – if you know me – you know that I am not a quitter. I have worked hard to be happy here, to get adjusted, to make friends, and have a nice life in another country. If I am honest with you… That – Is – Not- Easy – but I have managed to do it. Doing this has been one of the best things ever. I have showed myself and so many others what I am made of. I have pushed through some really tough days and wiped a whole lot of tears living here in China and in the words of Antwone Fisher – “I’m still standing – I’m still strong” – I have made a great community of friends here and I have even managed to find time to have Bible Study via Skype with my girl Kim from home. That has been a blessing.

I planned a great event during September for #MBFF (Monthly Black Folks Function). We had a great meet up at Zapata’s in Shanghai! I was thrilled that so many melanated folks came out for a good time of hanging out and making connections. Living overseas is all about being brave and making new connections.

One of the best parts of Q4 was going back to Seoul, South Korea to see PJ Morton in concert. I like to think I am his biggest fan!!! I bought my ticket to his Seoul show in May and I have been looking forward to that show ever since then. The show was amazing. I had a blast and I was ecstatic to meet him, The Amours, and the band after the show. What a great experience.

What Can I Say? Life is like a roller coaster and it keeps going and going. Sometimes the ride stops and you get a break, but with life, it starts back up again, you just need to buckle up and get ready for the adventure … There are about 2 more months left in this year. I plan to live each day left in this year on purpose. I hope you do too!

 

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What an awesome look back over my first full year in Shanghai – and this calendar year is almost finished too! Just 58 days until Christmas and 63 until the end of the year. Any of you have any fun holiday plans? I would love to know about them.

I hope I have done a good job of keeping you up to date with my life while abroad. I’m doing it yall! I’m really here…and its not so bad. There are many things that I don’t like about China, but I am working of keeping a positive perspective on my life while here.

As always thanks for following the blog. When I started the blog a year ago I told you that there were 3 ways you can support me:

1. Subscribe and follow my blog – Clearly if you are reading this you are already subscribed, but feel free to share my blog on your social media outlets and with friends!
2. Pray for me – The prayers of the righteous avialeth much! Thanks for your prayers and support.
3. Financial via PayPal – godschile7@yahoo.com – someone asked if they can still do this, I am going to say- of course you can! You can always support financially if you so choose!
   

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   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

   …as always thanks for following my adventures abroad ….

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Halloween was fun and meaningful – Tommie Smith and an African Queen! Couldn’t be any better