Cheers To 2021

Cheers to this new year ….. 2021

Excited to have a few new followers …. enjoy this expat journey with me!

What at time to be alive, right? I am sure you have heard more than one person say that in the recent weeks. 2020 was one helluva year and I spent it all in China – minus the three and a half weeks I was in America for my Chinese New Year holiday.

The best thing I know to do is to be positive. I know that we are still in a pandemic that is taking lives of people all over the world. I know things are changing day by day, there are travel restrictions in different countries, health issues all around us, individuals have lost their jobs, school is virtual all over the world -along with so many jobs – everything is just different. With so much being different I have been so thankful to experience this pandemic in China. Somewhere around April I felt like life was pretty much back to normal. We still had lots of health precautions around the city and travel restrictions, but the city was open and we could “do life” again. 

The start of the year was tough. Though I didn’t experience quarantine like many of my friends in China did I was still in a quarantine of sorts. The city was pretty much empty and closed. MOST – not all- restaurants and businesses were closed, and I was in my tiny Chinese apartment all by myself. I spent a lot of time on my phone, ipad, and laptop staying connected with the friends locally and around the world – nothing about 2020 was easy, but it slowly started to get better. 

If I look back on the year that was one of the highlights for me was making it to the top of Yellow Mountain! I still can barely believe I did that – it took six hours to hike to the top and I absolutely loved bringing in the new year with friends at a NYE Celebration at The Westin on The Bund here in Shanghai. 

In 2021 I encourage everyone to write their goals – be realistic with them and make a plan to reach them. If you’re reading this you survived one crazy year. Make 2021 a great one to remember. CHEERS to this new year! May your year be filled with great health, financial gains, and prosperity. 

I plan on instituting #SelfCareSundays – my hope is to be consistent with it. 

On a lovely and positive note. If you wonder how I made it through this year….I had my friend Deatra by my side. Being an expat looks very glam over social media and if I’m honest some days it really is GLAM but it has its moments – and this expat life hit hard today when we realized we were ‘stuck’ (a good place to be stuck) here in China and couldn’t’ travel home – and at some moments couldn’t travel in China. I am so thankful for good friends. 

Proverbs 27:9 says – A sweet friendship refreshes the soul – and my soul is refreshed! 

Karla&Deatra– Shanghai’s #BlackGirlMagic

What do you do for self care? I would love some new ideas! I came across this blog post – https://www.leannebaker.com/blogs/hints-tips/self-care-ideas – you know while on the internets. You may find it helpful!

#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*

And BE ON THE LOOK OUT for a post coming from MS.K soon! We’ve done some fun things in my classroom and I am excited to share them with you all.