Author: kmarietakeshanghai

….everyday is a day closer ….

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#IBelieveICanSoIAm

WOW! I am looking at my ‘Final Countdown’ APP and I like what I see –

1 Day and 19 Hours until STAAR

5 Days and 4 Hours until M.ED Graduation 

18 Days and 17 Hours until the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

95 Days until I leave for SHANGHAI

its been a little over a month since my first blog-my plan is to blog twice a month while away…….. life is good! really good and i am so thankful for it. i accepted that i can’t compare my chapter 5 to some else’s chapter 17. we all have to live our lives and have our own experiences. i know that this is just the beginning for me and so much goodness awaits me.

Not sure if you know but it is my ‘YEAR OF YES’ – I read Shonda Rhimes’ book ‘Year of Yes’ and it gave me some great perspective on life-joy-happiness. YES! SI! OUI! I am saying yes to life and living.

my story is great. my story is beautiful. my story is strength. my story is mine.

I am wrapping up my second year teaching! 4th Grade has been quite the adventure this past year, with everything that I added to my life (GRAD School, Applying to teach abroad, Teacher Certification Courses, TEFL-C courses, and nanny life)– but through it all I have persevered!

I graduate next week yall!!!! Okay … I’m just EXCITED!!!

I am so excited about traveling to CHINA – to work and live. The world is huge and I can’t wait to see ‘The Great Wall of China’ – hop over to Korea – Relax in Bali – have a delicious meal in Thailand-  meet other Expats-and maybe even see a pyramid or two in Egypt!??! Okay —So I have BIG plans while I am in Shanghai- I would like to get to France too – seriously I am just excited for NEW! The opportunity to be immersed in a new culture, learn a new language, try new foods, and live somewhere wonderful and amazing and nothing like the Oak Cliff that I know (Yall know I love Oak Cliff– but there is more to this world than Oak Cliff).

I have completed all Texas Teachers Coursework- I will wait until my return from China for next steps with Texas Teachers and Certification Test.

I have 10 TEFL-C courses remaining

Currently: Working on my last assignment for my Masters Program

Planning … a fun-filled summer before the BIG move.

THIS: I am so thankful for my roommate BROOKE! Yall just don’t know how great it is to have a friendly American face travel with you. Brookie I wish you all the best as you leave this month for Shanghai and I will see you in a couple of months. Thank you for listening to me, applying for this adventure and most importantly saying YES! This is going to be so wonderful for us both. Safe travels to you B. as you leave soon.

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

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

*I choose ADVENTURE* 
…..until next time yall….
PAZ!
i think i will have to upgrade my blog site to add pictures and such for you all so you can experience my travels with me. i will figure that out before i leave for shanghai. i will still have access to instagram/facebook/twitter/email to share my life while away. yes i know about privacy settings and vpn while away. t
thanks for reading my blog!  

….so it begins….

kmarietakeshanghai2 Comments
JOURNEY
jour·ney
noun: an act of traveling from one place to another
example: “she went on a long journey”
MY KMG jOuRnEy awaits me: 
   Spring 2017. State Testing. Graduate School. Masters Graduation. Packing. Moving. Online Courses. Summer Fun. Travels. Adventures. 
     It is a busy season! I am preparing to graduate from The University of Texas at Arlington with my Masters of Education in Leadership and Policy Studies (May 2017). I am moments away from finishing all of my Texas Teacher Certification Coursework and about 10 courses away from completing my TEFL-C (Teaching English as a Foreign Language to Children Course). Can you believe I am doing all of that while teaching 4th grade (Self-Contained) full-time and working as an overnight nanny 4 nights a week? Summer can’t get here fast enough! In the midst of all of this I am completely humbled and grateful for every single moment.
(i think i need an NAP- seriously)HA! 
      Hopefully if you are following this blog you know that I am off to Shanghai in a matter of days! Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good countdown and I have 134 days until my China arrival.  I am looking forward to adding more stamps to my passport, enjoying the culture, learning a new language, and the many experiences that await me. 
     This adventure, this journey, this experience that is coming my way is a HUGE answer to prayer. I know that I will be stretched BEYOND what I know now and challenged in many ways. A little pruning is not so bad – it just adds to the Psalms 139/1 Peter 2:9 Masterpiece that the Father is daily creating with me. 
     My ‘long journey’ is officially 14 months. As of today, I plan to return to the states in October of 2018. -But- Who knows? I may love my time in China and renew my contract, I may apply to another city or country, or I may move back to the United States and try a new state out, I may hate it and make my way back to Oak Cliff (because I HELLA LOVE living in Oak Cliff).
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.
“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all”  – Hellen Keller
*I choose ADVENTURE* 
…..until next time yall….
PAZ!