….three weeks in and only 60 more to go… but whose counting????!!!!?!?!?!?

Definitely Not Me!

-SHANGHAI IS SOMETHING YALL-

Every Single Day I have to remind myself that I consciously made the choice to have the ADVENTURE of a lifetime and move to Shanghai. Growing up in America can be great (and awful) at the same time. It can be great because I was exposed to so many different groups of people at such a young age that it was just normal to me. It never phased me meeting a Mexican American, Italian, Greek, Indian, Russian, Asian, or African person (yeah this list can go on). I was also raised to be kind as much as possible and to treat others the way that I want to be treated. I have come across, in my three weeks of being here, more rude people than I would like to have ever encountered. Of course, this isn’t the entire country of China or the entire city of Shanghai, but folks can be rude here.

I do not expect every one to know English. I get that I am in a new place, but the tone in which you speak to someone at your place of employment says a lot about you. People pretty much just don’t acknowledge me (totally not everywhere) and that really sucks! I walked out of one store today because I will not spend my money in a place where I am treated unkindly.

I have shopped since I have been here and worked with the language barrier. With my trusty Google Translate App, pictures, my tiny-ITTY-bitty Chinese and the employees little English I have been successful more than once. It can happen…. and yes! I plan on taking some communication classes soon.

—–

I do have recent pictures for you! I updated the last album and I made an album for

 

……

 

 

oh my gosh

 

 

…….

 

 

do you know where I went???

 

I WENT TO………………

 

DISNEYLAND

 

Yo! There really is something magical about Disneyland! I had the best day ever …. and not just because it was FREE TO GET IN! But- that was definitely a plus. We got there early. No one was at the castle so my buddy Christen and I took tons of people-less pictures. We walked around the castle. The parade was amazing. 😦 sadness the parade video wont post but I’m working on it. I met a princess and we caught up on old times and I even saw Captain America!! To top it all off I had dinner at THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY and yall know I been struggling with food so it was so nice to eat somewhere that was filling and satisfying! It was just a beautiful day all around!!!

And TRON…. the ride — so freakin’ awesome! I can’t wait to go back to get on that ride again! WHOA. So Magical.

Also I was on a search for Tiana the whole time. There was the most stunning (BELOW) mural of Tiana and her prince in the castle. Yall. I was so happy to see her. Now as far as merchandise…. Blah! I was on a search in every single store. I only found a small section with her items at a store outside of the park. And the workers didn’t even know who she was – I bought a doll! I wasn’t letting my girl go out like that.

….But this gorgeous art piece made me smile….

MISC:

-yall know im a runner- i ran around my neighborhood to help me get to know the area. I will probably start running more once I have a consistent work schedule and i’m gonna check out a local gym soon

-so excited to have made some friends during the first few weeks. my buddy Christen lives in my apartment building and on the same floor! we both work for Disney and we have been enjoying getting to know shanghai together.

-my neighbors are awesome! they are in college studying abroad. so cool!!!

-remember if there is every anything you wanna know just respond and let me know!!!! looking forward to seeing my first friend next week!!!! Donald is coming to see me. We went to GA State together and his job currently has him doing some work overseas and he has a few days in Shanghai next week. So Cool to see a friendly face from home!!!!

-next week is thanksgiving. what is im gonna do??? time to find a dinner, party, or something to go to!!!

__________________________________________________________

….. okay …. okay ….. i tried but wordpress isn’t allowing me to add anymore pictures directly in the blog ): or maybe its the wifi …. or shanghai …. or this apartment …. idk …. but here are links to more pics

https://photos.app.goo.gl/F0x5TM6q2W7WsCPF3 — Shanghai Month Number One

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hirPvacmQQVclCSt2 — Shanghai Disneyland Trip The First

Remember you will have to copy and paste the links to see the pictures! Enjoy 🙂 

 

__________________________________________________________

NOTE: PayPal is still open. You can always support financially:

godschile7@yahoo.com-Karla Gurley

__________________________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

______________________________________

 

The $47 Taco V. The $1 Taco

 

 

 

 

I am not sure what I wrote in the last blog to make you all feel that I am unsafe. I do feel very safe every day. I have never – not one day- since I have been here not felt safe.

So I do want you to know that.

I am aware of my surroundings and use discernment when I am out.

I am just getting use to a new way of life here in China where they do things differently than back in EPA or DF-Dub-Ya!!!!

I am still learning the language, the metro system, and my neighborhood — but I do feel safe- people can just be a little -well a lot rude, I don’t like the staring- but whateva-sometimes I stare back- and they don’t use manners too much. That’s All.

I do appreciate all of your concerns and prayers and I receive that!!!!

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

HEY YALL!!!!! Over 1000 hits to the blog.

Niiiiiiiiice!!!!! Yall Make me Smile 🙂 Seriously

Quick Recap – I am sure if you’re following you already know, but there are a few newbies. I am in Shanghai, China for 14 months working for Disney English teaching English to young learners. I am not on vacation, although a 14 month vacations sounds amaaaaaaaazing!

I am 2 weeks in to my time in Shanghai. I have moved into my apartment and I am getting settled nicely. I am slowly trying spicy foods as they really like spice here. Yall know I can barely handle spice, but little by little am having foods with spice in it. Its rough yall.

DISNEY!!!! I am going to Disneyland Shanghai – this is work so I am not complaining. Pretty cool, huh? As far as the teaching part???? I can’t legally teach until my resident permit has arrived. Once in China us foreigners who are in the country on a Z-Visa staying for more than 30 days have to turn in their Visa’s/Passports and you get them back with a  resident permit. This allows you to legally work and to leave the country as you please within your contracted employment time. Most tourist visas do not allow this. I am currently doing classroom observations, and trainings with the team who arrived at the same time as me.

Anything Yall Wanna know? Respond and let me know. I do plan on seeing THE GREAT WALL which some people have asked me about. I have to plan that trip as it is in Beijing and not Shanghai. There is lots to see in Shanghai and I have not even begun to see it all. I have been working on getting my apartment, settling in, learning the Metro system, and finding foods that I can eat.

For the past two weeks when I wake up, I’m like – “WHOA BABY I AM IN CHINA. I AM LIIVING IN SHANGHAI”!!!! What an experience of a lifetime. Thanks Yall for following my journey.

 

 

MISC:

-Personal space is not a thing here. They roll up on you like they know you- or don’t. Shove into you and don’t even care. Taking the Metro is an experience in and of itself. Shanghai is a huge city with so many people and their manners, for the most part= nonexistent.

-Asians – stare and gawk at us. I know were magic, but were also real! Ha. I am getting use to the staring, but does one ever get use to it? I don’t like it. It’s annoying – and I gotz to be honest that sometimes I stare back. They also sneak and take pics and videos of you (like we don’t see them). Yo! I see you. I just really wonder what are they doing with these pictures, what do these captions say, where did you post them, ugh! It’s the worst. My Non-African American friends on my team have noticed it when they are with me, and they’re like “I saw someone take a picture of you, they don’t take pictures of me. Why are they taking pictures of you?” I don’t have much of a response for that, besides “Black Folks Are Amazing”…. But really after two weeks I’m over it and it aint stopping!

-People can also be very nice. GOOGLE TRANSLATE has been my best friend while out and about. It is an app where you can translate what you are saying. You can do speech to text or text to text. Sometimes I am out and I use this app to find locations of places I am going to and even an employee in my local supermarket shopped with me the whole time as we communicated with my app. That was extremely helpful and I was able to find everything I needed. Well – just about everything, cuz this aint America and there is no Kroger or Tom Thumb near by!

-We had a Halloween Party at work. I dressed up as Polly – the once Disney character no one knew

-When you eat out here are no substitutions with your meals. Yall know I’m the Queen of ‘I want this- not with this- but please add this’ I. Am. Struggling. They over here like ‘We make it the way it is on the menu’ …. OhMyGosh!!!!

-I have started a “#PantherPrideGSU “group here in Shanghai! Would you believe there’s a bunch of GA State Alum here?!?! We are planning a get together really soon!

 

…. Its Friday morning here and Thursday evening in USA …. Pictures and videos to come next week to the album….

NOTE: PayPal is still open. You can always support financially:

godschile7@yahoo.com-Karla Gurley

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

 

 

Hey Yall….

Copy and paste this link- ENJOY FOR PICS — https://photos.app.goo.gl/F0x5TM6q2W7WsCPF3) …. videos to come….cant do them at same time… i will upload videos for you tomorrow

 

I will upload twice a month to the same album.

Jing’an Temple- in Shanghai … wow a pic worked! I hope yall can see this

Happy Viewing!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/F0x5TM6q2W7WsCPF3 — this link should work.

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

 

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

THE FIRST WEEK IN A NUTSHELL:

 

Arrival Day – Day 1

Tired and full of energy at the same time. Wait. Nope. Not full of energy, but mustered some up to make it through customs and baggage claim.  It was a super long flight- left USA on a Tuesday and arrived in China on Wednesday afternoon. Another Stamp in my passport!!! Got my bags- all those bags- and maneuvered through the exit. Brooke, and a Disney English worker met me and another DE worker (who was on my flight) outside and a driver took us to hotel.

Dinner with Brooke @ a Singaporean Restaurant

I stay in hotel for 3 weeks while apartment hunting!

Day 2- Thursday (First Full Day)

This was a busy day. Lots of work stuff to do. Medical Check. Bank Card/Bank Account. Phone store for Sim card. Afternoon off.

So sleepy. The time adjustment is serious. I was tired by 4PM.

Day 3- Friday

Orientation for work. 9:00AM-2:00 PM. Afternoon off.

Sleep. I just wanna sleep!

Napped until late. Ate at “RAMEN”  — SO good here in Asia. I like ramen!!!! Legit Ramen Yall 😊

Day 4- Saturday

Day off!!!! Yeah! Lots of fun. Went for a morning run. Walked to the mall. Walked to grocery store. Game night with new friends in Shanghai.

The UNO game was seriously intense!

I am adjusting a little better to the time now. Forcing myself to stay awake so I can sleep through the night. First two days I was waking up between 3-4 AM – then Im up all day and tired early afternoon. Its getting better.

Day 5- Sunday

Another day for exploring. Jing’an Temple (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jing%27an_Temple)

Relax at hotel. Work tomorrow.

Day 6- Monday

Disney English! Off to one of the centers today! Looking forward to this.

Training. Lots of DISNEY information. The history to present day. I learned so much about Disney that I did not know!

Day 7- Tuesday

YAY! TODAY is the day that I have been waiting for. I find out what center I will be working at. Disney English has 11 learning centers in Shanghai and today everyone who arrived in my group of new foreign language trainers will find out which specific center that will be working at.

I will visit the center that I will be working at today and get to observe two classes at the center. Funners 😊

If you go online I am working at: Hongkou – HK Disney Center- you are welcome to Google or Bing search it online. I still have training and observations before I begin teaching. I will spend time at HK and at another center preparing for teaching.

 

Can yall believe that it has been 7 days since (well 8 really) I left Dallas, Texas? I can believe it. Everyday I wake up in this hotel room (Disney has paid for 3 weeks in hotel to give us time to find an apartment in the city) I know I moved, when I go out for food, or to the store- it is real – that I am in SHANGHAI, China!

-We walk everywhere and use the subway

-I need to learn Mandarin – like for seriously

-Getting use to the food here

-I have been trying lots of new foods. Some I like and some I don’t like. This food adjustment is tough. I’m going to find pizza tomorrow. Joes Pizza is a local place here. The owner is from NY. He moved here and opened a pizzas shop. I have heard very good things about it.

-Such a big city with so many people

-Pictures and videos to come soon. I promise. It’s gonna happen. I am putting a full album together for you all and trying to figure out how to best add it to the blog with my internet controls here in China. I have shared a few on Facebook. I don’t have IG or Twitter access. I hope to have pictures and videos added by the weekend 😊

-Wow I live in another country!!!!  #whowouldathought this girl from EPA would be living in China???

 

NOTE: If you want to still support financially- you can.

PayPal- godschile7@yahoo.com- Karla Gurley

Some of you messaged me and said you still wanted to support. My Paypal still works. I appreciate your desire to support me financially.

I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE WITH ME ON THIS JOURNEY. This is just the beginning. Anything you wanna see? Know? Curious about? Reply to this post!

—-Paz and Blessings—-

 

She Believed She Could >>>So She Did …. this is me. I believe I can so I am

__________________________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #EPARockingIt

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE* 

…..until next time yall….

… so cool right? I am here in Shanghai! The flight was super long. Anyone who is my ‘friend’ on FB/IG knows I was going Nutso on that flight. I slept a little and watched a ton of movies. Thanks for commenting, staying with my journey, and even telling me some jokes. I had no issues in customs and getting my baggage. Brooke met me and another Disney English (DE) employee at the airport. Get this yall … She is from Texarkana and went to high school in Hooks! Crazyness!!!!

…. WIFI connections have been spotty for me. I have not been able to log on to FB/IG/Twitter yet. If you left me messages/comments/posts there I will see them soon.

NOTE: If you text messaged me the day I left or since I left I haven’t seen it. A few message that did go through I responded through email or through a friend. I would love to stay in touch. If download the APP WeChat… We can text/call each other for FREE! That app has been working great for me. You should be able to find me very easily- Karla Gurley, there.

…. Arrival Day and my First full day were busy. Well they probably weren’t really too busy I am just getting use to the time change. Shanghai is 13 hours ahead of Dallas so the adjustment is real!!! Im sleepy during the day and wide awake at night. I need this to turn around quick!

….Food! The food has been tasty. China likes spice. The food has also been very large portions which I did not expect.

….Shanghai is a busy city. They drive wild here. We walk everywhere. The other DE Workers that I have met have been great so far. I need to practice my Mandarin. I have dealt with language barriers before, but this is totally different.

….14 months yall. 14 months….

….again thanks for the support….for following the blog…for financial support…for praying…for encouraging me… I am here…. #adventureofalifetime

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^This empty space is where all of the cool pictures and videos would be — but — they don’t wanna load — I can’t even post a song for yall to jam too — its coming though yall— its coming^

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

 

 

ISSA TRAVEL DAY

me right now: overjoyed-thrilled-blessed-jubilant-tickled pink-ecstatic-delighted

 

If you don’t know already– here it is….TODAY IS THE DAY…. The truck is packed and I am off to DFW Airport in T-minus 9 hours and counting. The world is so big and has so much to offer and I am so thankful to have this opportunity to live, work, and experience life overseas.

 Truck. Packed. YES. All Those Bags.

 Everything is packed in storage! WooHoo

A lot of you have had a lot of questions and I have done my best to answer them. Some things I just don’t know until I arrive. It is part of the adventure that awaits me. I will definitely keep you updating here on the blog with my experiences, pictures, and videos with my time abroad.

 

 

I can’t help but express my thanks to all of you! For praying for me, encouraging me, listening to me talk about Shanghai every day, following my blog, and supporting me financially. THANK YOU! I am so glad that we are on this journey together.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK. YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 

NO. SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU! It means the world to me that you support me! 

I am really looking forward to October 25, 2017. This day I will land in Shanghai and everything will be new. And, if nothing else, I know that there is nothing wrong with NEW. I love being able to attach history to real life. There is so much history and culture to experience in Asia and the surrounding countries. I get to go a step beyond Google and have a real life exposure to the world.

 

Many of you have asked if you can still support me. My Paypal will still be active in China. Feel free to support whenever your life allows.

godschile7@yahoo.com- Karla Gurley

 

I can’t sleep. The excitement is too much! You may get a “At The Airport” blog later! Look for me on IG – @misskarlamgurley or on FB- Karla Marie …. until later — paz! 

remember you can always respond to the blog with any questions or comments – i promise it will be more interesting once i leave!

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

 

…joie de vivre…..

QUICK UPDATE …….

YALL! We are at the 2 Week Mark! This is so exciting. Things are going well. I am packed. I have my Passport and my Z-Visa! Just a few things left to check off my>>>Gotta do this in TX/The U.S. list … and then I’m outta here!

 

STAY TUNED…. AMAZINGNGESS IS COMING!

PELASURE-JUBILATION-TRIUMPH-EXUBERANCE-GLADNESS

 

We have to embrace the obstacles to reach our next stage of JOY!

Joy- DEFINED- a feeling of great pleasure and happiness – I really do feel JOY as I prepare to leave for Shanghai. There is nothing like having the FREEDOM to live life! I am single. I am healthy. I am childless. Not if I was not those things I couldn’t do this, but everything is set before me to GO. My life is wonderful. My family is beautiful. My friends are the best. Now—I get to experience NEW. There is nothing like New!

May you find Joy in your everyday moments. I have decided to choose Joy every single day of my life. Not to say that there are not other moments that are not with joy because sure I have those, but I focus on the Joy.

 

Countdown is on!!!!

__________________________________________

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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE*

 

 

 

 

 

#ISSAProcess Cont….

Sometime ago I wrote to you all about the process and the journey that I have been on. If I timeline-d it out it would look something like this:

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

December 2016

Dec 5, 2016 – Apply to work for Disney English in China (online Interview) — eeek! What am I thinking?

Dec +/- 12, 2016 – (It was about a week later) Skype Interview — my first SKYPE interview!

December 21, 2016 – 3^rd Interview (Skpe) —– they want me they really want me!!! A 3^rd interview is a good thing. Right?!?!?!

December 27, 2016 – Merry Christmas To Me 😊 Accepted the offer to work for Disney English in China

January 2017- The process begins. I have written out a lot of it before but now it begins.

1. I begin my TEFLC Courses- All online.
2. I begin the initial paperwork process
3. Digital Photo – Sent this right away – Come on now?!?!? This is KMG. Yall know sending a photo was easy.
4. CV/Resume – Sent this right away
5. Copy of Passport Bio/Photo Page – Sent this right away
6. Copy of Bachelor’s Degree – that became a journey in itself – so I used my Masters – once I finished my program 5 months later
7. Employment Verification Letter(s) – Sent this right away
8. TEFL Certificate- Began working on this immediately. Finished the entire course in June.

Lots to do and this is only the beginning.

3. By January 31, 2017 I have finished Unit 1 of TEFLC. This was a must with the application process. I now have until I leave for China to complete the 20 units. I decided I wanted this done by June (which I did) so that I would not have to worry about it during the summer.
4. I also began the process of the following:
5. Degree Legalization
6. Police Clearance
7. Medical Check

February 2017:

1. Medical Check done – Later had to have this form authenticated
2. Police Clearance done- Easy Sneezy- Used Downtown Dallas Police Station – Later had to have this form authenticated

February-June 2017:

1. TEFLC – Work on 20 unit course. TEFLC – Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Children. Completed in June

 

March 2017– Started Degree Legalization Process – This process is in an earlier post.

APRIL 2017– Still need this degree legalized. Jenkies! About to graduate- Yeah!

MAY 2017 – Graduated from UTA – Maters in Education, Leadership, and Policy Studies

Degree Legalization process-  not complete

June 2017- Ready for it all to be over and to leave for China. Why is it so hard to get documents authenticated? Sheesh!

June/July 2017– Continue Degree Legalization Process/Authentication of documents- Police Check/Degree/Medical Form (This form did not have to be authenticated but it needed a stamp/seal from my doctors office)

July 2017 Still working on getting these documents authenticated. Lots of travel between: Dallas-Austin-Houston

1. Medical Check – Authenticated
2. Degree- Legalized/Authenticated
3. Police Clearance Form – Authenticated

July 2017– Sit around tired, exhausted, and mad wondering if its all gonna work out.

August 2017– Send documents to China. Original documents. Degree, Medical form, Police Clearance Form – ALL Authenticated documents

WAIT. I have now been told it’s a 30 day process to get your Invitation Letter/Work Permit.

So I wait.

….. wait

Wait……

And I

……WAIT……

August-September 2017– Wait for Invitation Letter/Work Permit to arrive from China

September 2017– Invitation Letter/Work Permit arrives. Apply for Visa. This Invitation Letter/Work Permit allows you to apply for your Visa.

September 20, 2017– Visa is ready.

September 25, 2017 Aunt picks up Visa in Downtown Houston.

September 27, 2017 Aunt drops Visa off to me in Dallas

September 27, 2017 KMG filled with immense amount of excitement and JOY

September 27, 2017 – #ISSAVisaInMyHand

My beautiful aunt finished up this process for me. A couple weeks ago she dropped off my passport, invitation letter, and work permit to the Chinese Consulate/Visa Office in downtown Houston. This office is quite, well, inconvenient to say the least. But- family is amazing. She did it anyway. Well- the first time she went the office was closed (Been There- Done That- So Annoying -aaaargh), she went a second time, dropped it off, went back when her scheduled allowed and picked it up, and brought it to me here in Dallas. Whoa BABY. She didn’t have one issue with her part of the process. That is a blessing.

Ise- Hype- Yall.

I think I covered it all … whew!

It has been almost a year long journey for me. This is month 10 since I started the process. When I leave it will be month 11. I will say this- every journey towards living/working overseas is different. I had a lot going on and a very busy year when I started this process. I was teaching full time, I was in Graduate school full time, I was an overnight nanny, I was working on my Teachers Certification program (an online course for Texas Teachers to be certified), and I was working on my TEFLC. All of that – with working on moving overseas. Some of the things I had to during this 10month process meant traveling to Austin and Houston and I needed to schedule those travel dates around school holidays or take off work. Your schedule may allow for easier travel. You probably will not be in 3 academic programs at the same time. I am sure that you are probably not an overnight nanny. So your TIME will be different than my TIME.

What I can say is that it is all done! I did not do it on my own. Without the help of amazing family members and fantastic friends I would not have gotten half it all done.

BUT GOD— I prayed a lot. God has been with me on this journey. My church family has been praying for me. My ministry partners have been praying for me. This wouldn’t be if God did not want it to be.  I am so thankful to God and His Word. (Psalm 119:11)

Althea has listened to me babble and babble on and on about going to Shanghai. She even took a trip to Austin and Houston with me.

Aunt Annie and Cousin Ashley listen to me blahblahblah about Shanghai. I stayed with them on more than one occasion in Houston and they even finished up the last steps of my Visa process for me.

I could not have completed this process without Althea, Annie, and Ashley and many others who have helped me along the way.

 

If you ever decide to move overseas, travel overseas, or work overseas in a country that requires a visa never compare someone else’s experience to what yours will be like. You can use it as a starting place to know what to expect, it can help you by informing you of what someone else went through, but it doesn’t mean your experience will be the same step by step nor does it mean that your journey will take as long. I had a friend leave for China months before me and her journey was quicker and nothing like mine. She did not have the hold-ups that I had nor the delays. This was my JOURNEY. I am happy to share it.

What I will say is this- GO FOR IT! If you wanna do it or ever thought of it- Just go for it. If you are healthy and able to do it, take the LEAP and go for the experience of a lifetime. A week overseas may be all you need to come back home with a renewed mind and fresh perspective. Working with people from another culture may humble you and move to being more grateful than you ever were for the life you live. Living abroad may just jump start your life so that you are fearless and open to everything the world has to offer you. BE: SANGUINE – just-BE!

Let Us: Fill our lives with adventures and not things. Lets: have stories to tell and not just stuff to show.

I absolutely love who I am. I love being Karla Marie. Someone asked yesterday at Life on Life Women’s Bible Study (@OCBF) what are you most PASSIONATE about??? I did not get the chance to answer out loud but I will tell all of you. I am most passionate about bringing JOY to others. That is not as easy as you may think. Some people don’t want your JOY. Some people are happy living their non-joyful existent lives. One day I realized how living a life of JOY really changed my life. This is not to say that things are not unpeachy for me or that everything goes just perfect all the time. Tis False. My life is not perfect. I am more than anything passionate about being a woman who believes in the truth of God’s Word and living a life that shows I am HIS CHILD. Phillipians 4:8 has always been a great place for me to start. Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. I want people to know who HE is because of the life that I live. And I want HIM to be glorified through my life, words, and actions.

I am thankful to be a daughter of the King.

 

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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’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4) — Did you know that there are over 800 Glad Texts in the Bible?!?! More than one for each day of the year for me to live by.

 

#FearlessinShanghai #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJOy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #LookOutWorldHereComesKarla  #KarlaGirlJoy

“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller

*I choose ADVENTURE* 

…..until next time yall….

PAZ!