Hey Yall! I was hoping for a few more responses for this post, but I am excited to share what my fellow expats are thinking. If you ever wondering what China is like and what living in China is like here are some thoughts from a few folks who have been living here for awhile…happy reading.
This post is just a look into the experiences of some of my fellow expats! I asked them to answer the 4 questions below…. Enjoy!
China is Like …
1. China is like …
2. The best part about living in China…
3. The most difficult part about living in China
4. Your Favorite thing you’ve done in China ….
…. Angelique
1: China is like an exotic fish you hear about and doubt if you should try or not, but once you do you find it’s not that bad. But after a while, you notice it has a bit of an aftertaste, so you rework the old recipe to make it work for you/your taste.
2: The best part about living in China is experiencing a different culture and learning/ practicing the different dialects of Chinese.
3: The most difficult part about living in China being “different” and people occasionally going out of their way to show/tell you how different you are. It can be exhausting trying to explain who you are, and that you really are no different ( wash my hair in the shower, yes, I get darker in the sun, etc) than the person asking 21 questions.
4: Your favorite thing you’ve done in China that you haven’t done anywhere else! That’s a hard one. The Great Wall Concert séries a few years ago with all of my closest friends. Some who have now passed on, and others who were just passing through China.
…Ru
1: China is like a song you don’t particularly like but keep playing it because it grew on you and the beat is nice.
2: The best part about living in China is being able to pursue dreams, save money and live lavishly. Oh, let’s not forget traveling.
3: a- The most difficult part is the racial tension, blurs, and lines.
b- The most difficult thing about China is time. I’m convinced that 24 hours here are different than 24 hours in other parts of the world. I sometimes never seem to have enough time.
4: My favorite thing I’ve done in China hmmmm –this is a hard one. I’ve done a lot of things in other parts of the world, but nothing in China really stands out. Well maybe I’d have to say unlocking my creative genius.
…Erica
1. China is like…a formerly “sleeping giant” that’s wide awake and a major global player.
2. The best part about living in China… Shanghai. It’s a 24/7 city with endless energy, possibilities and opportunities. You can put in the effort and make impactful connections.
3. The most difficult part about living in China…homesickness. I’m grateful that there’s a pretty solid Black expat community that’s very supportive, communicative and understanding.
4. Your Favorite thing you’ve done in China…personal growth. Living and working here is radically different from life back home in the States. I’m grateful for the opportunities I have had to move closer to my dreams and make some of them real.
…Shinnel
1. Most days, living in China is like … preparing to walk out into torrential rain storm only to cross the threshold of your doorway and have the sun come creeping out 2 minutes later. You prepare for a day not knowing what to expect only to end up having a good day in the end.
2. The best part about living in China…is connecting with the large expat community and becoming friends with people from all around the world…even more exciting is having weekly brunches with said group of people.
3. The most difficult part about living in China is the ideal that no matter how much of the customs you pick up, or how much of the language you learn, you will always be seen as a foreigner.
4. Your Favorite thing you’ve done in China … live with a farm family in rural China. The days were warm and peaceful and I would come home to fresh cut watermelon everyday by the grandpa. Every day all my favorite dishes were cooked with fresh ingredients, eggs included by the grandmother. And after dinner I would join the ayis dancing my heart away. I felt so honored and welcomed in the rural village.
Hope you enjoyed this read. My monthly update is coming soon and a few other fun posts!
I hope that you are enjoying the spring spotlights and interviews. I greatly enjoy sharing about my expat adventures, but during the month of May I will share about the experiences of some fellow expats I have met during my time in China.
Dante: Thanks so much for joining me on my blog. More importantly, thanks for sharing with us about your experience in China.
Let’s do a quick introduction:
What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been in China?
My name is Brandon. Many people out here in China refer to me as Dante (my middle name) because when I first arrived to China, I brought my photography/videography freelance business “Dante Be Multimedia” over with me. I would introduce myself as Brandon but then in the middle of projects people would forget my name and just call me Dante. It stuck (laughing).
But yea, I’m from the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) area. I’ve been here for almost 2 years.
Are you single, married, have any children? If you are married how has married life been for you in China – as a black couple abroad?
I’m not married but I do have a lovely girlfriend. We met back in college at Bowie State University. She’s also from the DC area and she came out about three months after me. It’s been a great experience being able to see the world with someone that you love and care about.
If you do have child(ren) how has life been for them growing up in China?
(laughing) no children yet. Slow down!
Would you and your family ever consider moving back to America or to another country?
We do plan on going back home. We have been looking to move back during the summer of 2020.
What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?
I actually have an aunt that was living here (in Shanghai) for three years (between 2014-2017). I came here to visit her for 11 days. Within those 11 days, I saw great opportunities to travel, learn another language/culture, and save a great deal of money. So I told myself I would come back. Within 10 months of me leaving China, I worked on receiving my TEFL certification and I was back as a temporary resident.
Now we have a little background information about you let’s dig a little deeper!
Breaking and Crushing:
In your opinion – what do you think are some of the biggest stereotypes we (generally speaking – though I know you don’t speak for everyone) face as people of color living abroad – here in China?
Wow, it’s so many (laughing). I would say that the two biggest ones though is that many of them believe that we all like basketball and hip-hop. Though many of us do at least like one of the two, you and I both know we have some friends or family members that don’t like either of those things (laughing). Now, in my case, I don’t help with this stereotype because I enjoy both. However, I still make it a point to educate the Chinese that not all people of darker complexions are entertained by these two things.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?
One of the biggest challenges that I’ve experienced is the colorism. They have this mentality that white is the representation of handsome or beautiful.
I remember around the time that I first arrived to Shanghai during the summer of 2017, I was teaching one of our summer school classes at my previous school. For our warm-up, I had the students play, “Two Truths, One Lie”. One of my students (8 years old) came to the board and wrote on the board “Teacher Brandon is ugly”. I’m thinking it’s probably a joke and the students will find out that it’s a lie. Come to find out, it was his truth. Most of the other students disagreed and didn’t even take it seriously and initially I just laughed it off. I don’t take stuff like that seriously and I always make jokes out of it. Then a few students later, a little girl came to the board and listed her things, one of which were “Teacher Brandon is handsome”. Her turn concluded with that being one of her truths but the first boy responded back by saying, “No, he’s ugly!”
So, I asked the boy why he thought I was ugly. His response was “Because you’re black.” I was so shocked about how blunt and unapologetic his answer was. Then I asked him, “So what is beautiful to you?” Without hesitation, he said “White is beautiful”. Of course the first thought that came to my mind was that he’s not white. So I told him, “You’re not white, so are you ugly?” There was silence.
At that point, I couldn’t allow the rest of my day to continue without addressing this issue with the class. It’s actually a mental issue that seems to plague the minds of many Chinese people. I decided right then that I would set aside my original morning lesson plan to have an impromptu lesson about colorism and self love with my age 7-11 students. (I won’t go into full detail about how I went about teaching this lesson but just know that we never had an issue like this again in this class.) I developed some pretty “woke” students. Though I hate this word, I’ll use it because of its relevance to this topic I guess (laughing).
How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?
After the situation that I just mentioned, I always strived to create opportunities for my students and other Chinese people to learn more about black culture. I want them to know that we are different than we they see on the news. I want to understand that we are also intelligent. No, we are not all criminals. I want them to understand that we are not only musicians and athletes. We can also be doctors, inventors, presidents, etc.
We are crushing stereotypes in this country every time we confront ignorance instead of bypassing it.
Knowing what you know now- about life in China and being here as long as you have been here, would you still have moved here knowing what you know now?
Absolutely! I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world. I still feel like it’s probably one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made.
#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.
What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).
Being able to travel around Asia for reasonable prices, being able to learn a new language, and being able to meet so many people from all over the world!
What do you do for fun with your free time?
In my free time, I like to hang out with my girlfriend and other friends, read books, travel, and anything else life randomly throws at me! I’m very spontaneous.
Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?
Not at all! Once you get here and start joining WeChat groups and going out to events you’ll quickly learn how small the communities are here. It’s not difficult at all to make friends.
What do you do for work here in China?
Currently I’m a Leadership and Public Speaking Teacher for a company that has contracts with different public schools around Shanghai.
Food- Food makes the world go round!
How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?
I will say, I thought the food here in Shanghai would’ve been similar to the carryouts back home in the states. (laughing). But I arrived and learned that the food from back home is actually Hong Kong style Chinese food (laughing). Nevertheless, I have no problem with the Shanghainese food. You can find things here that you will enjoy!
Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?Hmmm…. maybe dan bing, vegetable baozi (don’t like the meat ones), and xiao long bao. The dumplings here are also amazing!
Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?
I tried Durian (stinky fruit) and I would never try that again! I’m also not a fan of red dates or red bean. And they frequently like to use these in different foods and desserts here in China. Kill me. (laughing) Just kidding.
How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?
So I’ve been mostly eating out since I’ve been in China because groceries for foreign meals are more expensive here than at home. However, lately I’ve been considering trying to cook a little more so that when I go back to the states, I would’ve developed the habit of cooking more.
Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!
China is huge!!! Have you been to any places in China? Are there any places in China you would like to visit?
Yes, actually I’ve been to quite a few places in China. The places I’ve been are: Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong (not considered Mainland but you catch my drift). I think my favorite place so far out of all of these places would have to be Guangzhou. They have awesome seafood and it’s always warm! The cost of living is also cheaper there than in Shanghai. Some places I would absolutely have to visit before I leave China would to be Chengdu, Yunnan, and Guizhou. There are other places that I would like to go but these are the main three.
Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?
Yes! I’ve been to Jeju Island in Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. All beautiful countries with unique cultures.
What cities/countries are on your travel list?
In terms of Asia, my travel list consists of: The Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia. I would also like to visit Australia and New Zealand. There are so many other places in Africa and Europe that I would like to visit but I will keep the answers within Asia and Oceania (laughing)
What is your dream trip? Have you been there yet?
I want to go to so many places but I think my #1 trip that I MUST make before leaving this earth is to Egypt. I have always had a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture. I haven’t been there yet but I’m sure the universe will make it happen in its proper time.
One Last thing-
If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.
I would just like to encourage everyone to live the life that they envision for themselves and not the life others envision for you. The last thing that you want is to reach old age and look back with regrets. Take advantage of the one life you have and inspire others to do the same.
What am I listening to?
I’m listening and watching the music video for the song “Call it Home” by Foreign Exchange. One of my favorite songs.
Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings.
Here are a few pictures of Dante and his life abroad:
just your reminder to find something to be thankful for in this day!
Hey Yall! I hope that you are having a good month so far and that you closed out Q1 on a positive note. We are halfway into May and I am working towards the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the year.
Work is going well.My students are doing well.Shanghai is – not so bad – it’s pretty cool living here. I am healthy.Life is swell!
I just wanted to share a friend’s blog post about being grateful. Blessings to you all!
We have more interviews and another spotlight coming soon too!
I hope that you are enjoying the spring spotlights and interviews. I greatly enjoy sharing about my expat adventures, but during the month of May I will share about the experiences of some fellow expats I have met during my time in China.
Eric: Thanks so much for joining me on my blog. More importantly, thanks for sharing with us about your experience in China.
Let’s do a quick introduction:
1. What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been in China?
My name is Eric Sharps. I’m from Baltimore, MD but I came to China from Augusta, Ga. Ive been living here for almost 5 years now.
2. Are you single, married, have any children?
Soon to be married! – that’s exciting! Congratulations friend.
3. If you are married how has married life been for you in China – as a black couple abroad?
Ummm, she’s Chinese haha, but it’s the same as being in a relationship anywhere. The only difference is that the “get to know you” process is a lot longer (In a good way). Two people that have never shared the same types of experiences or lifestyles, it tends to stretch the conversation a bit.
4. If you do have child(ren) how has life been for them growing up in China?
I will never raise my child in China.
5. Would you and your family ever consider moving back to America or to another country?
God willing, I hope I never have to live in America again. Other countries are on the list, we’re just trying to narrow down our options at the moment. We should be leaving within the next 3 years.
6. What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?
The desire to get out of America was so strong I honestly didn’t care where I ended up. China was the first country to send me a job offer. Everything kind of just took off right after I received that 1st email. Honestly, after everything that has happened, I’m glad that it was China that reached out first.
Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper!
Breaking and Crushing:
In your opinion – what do you think are some of the biggest stereotypes we (generally speaking – though I know you don’t speak for everyone) face as people of color living abroad – here in China?
Off the top of my head, I cant really think of any. I tend to hear more “American” stereotypes rather than any black stereotypes.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?
The biggest challenge is me getting in my own way. It’s so easy to get caught up with people not doing things my way or to my standards. The world doesn’t revolve around me and it’s rude and disrespectful for me to fault others for not doing something the way I would. A lot of people may disagree but when dealing with other cultures, its ok to lower or even get rid of all your standards and start from scratch.
How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?
Stereotypes shouldn’t define or drive anyone. Just do you and let people see who you are as a person, not as a color or a gender.
Knowing what you know now- about life in China and being here as long as you have been here, would you still have moved here knowing what you know now?
Absolutely
#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.
What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).
How easily accessible the rest of the world is, the freedom make my own schedule, and the pace of life just can’t be beat.
What do you do for fun with your free time?
Drink, go on walks with my fiancé and our dog, and travel.
Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?
Not at all. It’s extremely easy. You just have to step out of your bubble.
What do you do for work here in China?
I Teach part-time and I also assist foreigners find jobs here in China
Food- Food makes the world go round!
How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?
As long as you can throw down in the kitchen, food is never a problem. I don’t miss too much of anything back from America.
Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?
Cauliflower! I know they have it in the states but America COULD NEVER do it how china does it!
Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?
Duck blood
How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?
Eh, I don’t pay attention to the cost. If you need it or want it, get it.
Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!
China is huge!!! Have you been to any places in China? Are there any places in China you would like to visit? I’ve already done just about all of my traveling in China. Xiamen is the only place left. Other than that, I’m finished.
Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?
Anyone that knows me knows that Japan is my second home.
What cities/countries are on your travel list?
Venice, other than that, I’m down to go anywhere as long as I don’t have to apply for a visa.
What is your dream trip? Have you been there yet?
Tokyo, and yes, many times at this point
One Last thing-
If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.
Stop letting color define you. Imagine how wonderful the world could be if people weren’t constantly arguing and fighting over skin color.
Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings.
Currently Eric is listening to “Sunflower” (&I like this one a lot too)
It’s Friday here and we just had a holiday here in China. People often ask me about holidays in China, what they are, and when they are! I am going to do my best to share about the holidays that we celebrate here (as we have them).
I feel like I JUST told y’all about a holiday but …. well … were on holiday again! I am not complaining. I am lucky enough to have the entire week off and I have been enjoying every bit of being off from work. Some people were given Wednesday to Friday off and some only Wednesday the May day holiday. At any rate … we all had some time off and it has been lovely!
Shanghai gave us a beautiful day for fun and hanging out! Expats have a variety of schedules so when we get time off together we really take advantage of it! Here are a few pictures from our May Day Labour Day Brunch! Impromptu Black Folks Brunch in Shanghai! We really do have non-black friends … they couldn’t make this meet up! Hopefully next time!
FYI:Labour Day – May holiday – In 1949, the Chinese government declared Labour Day to be a national holiday. This holiday originally served as a way to honor workers all across China. Presently, its a day to have fun and enjoy time off with family and friends!
Shanghai FriendsAll SmilesBrown BeautiesThe Crew!who is drinking water??? toast it up!Queens and Queens and Queens! Magical!#melanatedmoments #joy #laughtersisters!MY Sweetness! Love my Tiara
Brunch had us all feeling really great! I can’t wait for the next brunch.
…the secret to being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of everyday …
Maaan! If only this moment can be recreated! I am so glad someone captured it.
… may you enjoy life … all the moments … you deserve to be happy and to live the life that you deserve …
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’
“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” – Hellen Keller
*I choose ADVENTURE
…as always thanks for following my adventures abroad ….
I know this was our holiday and day off here in China … but remember to take time for you! Find some moments in your day to relax and do something for yourself. If you need to have Siri remind you to sit down and chill. If you don’t have Siri – Alexa can do it and if you don’t have Alexa – POST IT NOTES! Drink some water. Watch some fun tv. Read a chapter in a book. Take a walk. Go and get FROYO!
Whatever it is that works for you.
DO IT.
You need it!!!
^If you start taking more time for you – you will feel like this ^
I am so excited to bring back interviews like last spring. I greatly enjoy sharing about my expat adventures, but during the month of May I will share about the experiences of some fellow expats I have met during my time in China.
Chantel: Thanks so much for joining me on my blog. More importantly, thanks for sharing with us about your experience in China.
CHANTEL and her best friend D- Both living and working in China
Let’s do a quick introduction:
What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been in China?
My name is Chantel Rhodes, I was born & raised in Fort Myers, Florida. I lived in Atlanta for 5 years before relocating to China in August of 2017. I’ve been here a little over a year & a half.
Are you single, married, have any children?
I am single and I have no children.
What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?
I was attracted to China in particular because I have a friend, Preston, who had already been living here for several years. He was very influential in my decision to choose China for my first expat experience.
Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper!
Breaking and Crushing:
In your opinion – what do you think are some of the biggest stereotypes we (generally speaking – though I know you don’t speak for everyone) face as people of color living abroad – here in China?
From my vantage point, one of the biggest stereotypes is that we (black people) are all from the continent of Africa. Although it can be frustrating to explain our nationality over & over again, I realize that we are apart of a larger learning process.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?
Language barriers & overall cultural differences. I was forced to relax my expectations of cleanliness/ hygiene upon moving to China.
While I’ve enjoyed my time in China, I can admit that I’ve experienced some of my loneliest days here. I’ve felt homesickness on levels that I never imagined possible for a globetrotter like myself. Sometimes, I really long for the close relationships with family & friends back home.
How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?
We are indeed crushing stereotypes!! Every encounter that a Chinese child or adult has with a foreigner helps to shape the perception that they may have about foreigners. The more examples that they see, the more information that they have to process about foreigners, black in particular. As I mentioned earlier, we are just as much a part of their learning process as they are a part of ours.
Knowing what you know now- about life in China and being here as long as you have been here, would you still have moved here knowing what you know now?
Whew chile! I will be able to give you a more profound answer to this question once I depart China for good lol. But for now, I will say that China was a good decision and I’m glad that China has been included in my story. There are some definite concerns that I have living here but overall, I don’t fear my safety and that matters to me.
#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.
What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).
-I like the opportunities & career options that living in China provides native English speakers like myself.
-I like how inexpensive things can be here. Housing, full body massages, fresh fruit & vegetables and even clothing. Taobao is a dream! Lol
-It would be remiss of me to not mention my students. Honestly the relationship that I have established with my learners has been the one factor that has made this experience extraordinary for me. I am eternally grateful for the influence that my learners (past & present) have imparted into my life.
What do you do for fun with your free time?
Although I enjoy time alone, there is always a party, a workshop, comedy show etc., to participate in when I feel like being more social. The options are plentiful here in Shanghai.
Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?
Meeting people here isn’t necessarily hard, however people are constantly coming & going. It can be difficult to form lasting & strong ties with the people that you meet here.
What do you do for work here in China?
I am an English teacher at an International School.
Food- Food makes the world go round!
How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?
I am not too thrilled about the food here in China, while you can find a few amazing places to eat, I miss the delicacies from America (however unhealthy they may be) lol.
Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?
I tried cupping (traditional Chinese pain relief practice) for the first time since living in China. While you can find it anywhere in the world, I had easier access to that service here in China. I also began fencing since living in China.
Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?
The fruit- Durian
How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?
Shopping for clothing can be pretty enjoyable & simple. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that shopping for groceries is as simple. Most of my money goes towards experiences eating out. It’s mostly because my friends and I choose to be social over meals & drinks.
Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!
China is huge!!! Have you been to any places in China? Are there any places in China you would like to visit?
I have been to Harbin, Wuxi, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Beijing & Hong Kong (if that counts). Harbin’s Snow & Ice festival is a must see! There are so many places in China that I’d still love to visit, including Chengdu, Xi’an & Guilin.
Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?
The only nearby countries that I’ve visited so far are Singapore & Malaysia.
(only?? Girl that is so cool! you’ve been to 6 cities in China – and HK/Singapore/Malaysia – so many amazing memories to share with everyone)
What cities/countries are on your travel list?
I’d love to visit Macedonia, Mongolia, Tibet and a few others.
(Please take me with you to Macedonia)!!!
What is your dream trip? Have you been there yet?
My dream destination had always been Egypt, but when I visited there, I was slightly disenchanted with the experience.
One Last thing-
If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.
Like J. Cole said, “Love yours.”
Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings. Here are a few pics of Chantel – her friends – and travels!
It’s May 2019! WOW! The months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds are just flying by. If you set any goals for the year how are they coming along? We have finished Q1 so I hope you are making some progress towards your goals. I set a goal to read 8 books for pleasure by EOY and I am now on my 9th book so that’s exciting that I met that goal. Let’s look at April and my life as a teacher abroad! 4
April 22-26 was Book Week at our school! It was quite eventful in our kindergarten classrooms, but specifically, in Ms. Karla’s Prep A Kindergarten Classroom!
We had a full of week of fun and adventure with different activities for the kids each day.
Monday– Our students brought in their favorite book in English or Chinese and they shared why its their favorite book.
Tuesday– We had a guest author our visit class!
Wednesday– Wacky Dress Day – because sometimes book characters are wacky and silly & we had a 4th grade student volunteer to read to our class
Thursday– Crazy Hair Day – because we should keep kindergarten fun and our imaginations wild & Parent volunteer for story time
Friday– Dress like your favorite character from a book & have a teddy bear book picnic with your teacher outside
Along with everything our kindergarten department planned I planned virtual story time with some great people I know in America! Through the power of technology/ Skype/ Cell Phones/ Laptops/ and wonderful friends I had multiple people of all ages read stories to my students. I let them choose the book and I was able to show them reading on the big screen in my classroom. Along with virtual story time two of my friends came to read to my students in person! I am so thankful for every person who helped to make book week a success! I am so honored and humbled with all of the support given for this idea. We had a blast!
….a little bummed all the pictures are not as clear as i would like but hey ….
And to my two volunteers who were not able to participate because of scheduling issues on my end I hope to have you read to my students soon!
I appreciate you so much Brea for reading to my students! I have had the honor of watching you grow up. I’m so glad you have kept in touch with Ms. Karla. I love that my students had a student from USA read to them, especially one as amazing as you!
Shandra you have been a mentor to me for many years. You have watched me grow since I was very young in pig tails at youth group- though I still wear pig tails from time to time. Thank you for believing in me, encouraging me while abroad, and always encouraging me! I promise to continue to make door knobs smile.
Laura was a great guest author. She read one of her books to our students and did a cool art activity with them! We had a lot of fun!
T’keyah is a recently published author! I will share a link to her book soon. Thanks for supporting me and reading to my students. I did a spotlight on her last year and shared how we met. I am so proud of you for finishing and publishing your book.
You are wonderful.
WOW! College friends. AUC and beyond. I am thankful for Facebook for keeping me in touch with great friends. Crystal I appreciate you reading to my class. Your energy (even as late at night as it was) was great. These kids kept running to the screen like they could really touch you! Thanks so much! I would love to have you read to my students again – and we can plan an earlier hour of course!
Carla – namesake! Thanks for using your day off and traveling to Songjiang to read to my kiddos! They couldn’t barely process two Ms. Carla’s (Karla and Carla) in one room. You are a true JOY!
Raven– thanks for using part of your prep period to read to my students. I loved the book and they were super engaged. You are fantastic. Maybe I can travel upstairs and read to your kids one day.
Jeffrey – you worked so hard all week practicing your book. Thanks for reading to your brother’s class!
To my awesome parent volunteer – you kept these kids engaged reading to them in English and Chinese. Thanks so very much!
Dr. Nicole Thank You for showing me that 2:9 for Life really means for life. I don’t know how you did what you did – maybe it’s your #blackgirlmagic – I don’t know… but through a screen these kids were engaged, up and moving, answering tons of questions and running to the screen! Thank You So Much for supporting me and your words mean the world to me. I love you friend. XoXo Your Princess!!!
When the AQI is nice you head outside quickly. I read a story then said “Everyone Go Play” – that was a winning statement.
We had a teddy bear picnic!!! Everyone could bring their teddy bear/stuffed animal to school – we read our story outside and then enjoyed playing!
Karla and Julia – Dynamic Duo – English and Chinese Prep A Teachers – I am so thankful for her!
Making Memories in Songjiang @Shanghai HD Bilingual School
Honestly Yall – I never thought I would enjoy teaching kindergarten students … but … I love it! We are rocking it in my class.
One goal at our school is to have your students on level 4 reading by the end of kindergarten to have them ready for first grade. I was told that no one teacher has ever had 100% of their students on level 4 … usually you get most of your students on level 4 but not all. So here I am going for it. I currently have 92% of my students reading level 4 or higher books. I am extremely proud of them and I am super proud of the two students who are still making their way to level four… they are currently straddling between 2/3 … we are working very hard in my classroom and I am in awe of their growth as students since I began as their teacher in December 2018.
There is more to share… especially about month 16 here in Shanghai … but I will save that for a post soon to come!
May your May be wonderful! Full of bright days and joyous memories.
Last April I did Spotlights on some of my favorite small businesses! This year I will spotlight people and businesses that have made an impact on my life.
I want to share about one amazing artist! To many she is Alex Tha GREAT – and she is GREAT – to me she is that and so much more- mostly because she is one amazing sister to me and a fantastic mommy to my gorgeous niece!
I am so excited to share with you about what she does.
Please give us a little background information about yourself:
Name – Alex Gurley
Age- 33
Where are you from? East Palo Alto, CA
Where do you currently live? Dallas, TX
What do you do for a living? I work in higher education as a Career Planning Specialist and Spoken Word Artist
How do you seek out opportunities to share your work? I find out about them from other poets, social media has become a very great tool. I search them out myself with google honestly sometimes
What are you the most passionate about? I am passionate about living out my love for Christ, raising my daughter to be the best she can be, and continuing to live out my dreams through my poetry, as well as learning about/teaching/advancing the needs of African American people.
What are you most proud of in your life? My daughter Keilene
I know that you are a poet! Which is so cool! Can you share with us what got you started into poetry? I started writing poetry at age 14. It was just something that I did to wrote out my feelings, kind of like journaling. I didn’t share my own work until I got to college at an own campus open mic, but seriously pursuing it as an art form came when I moved to Texas in 2011. I googled open mics in the area and met other poets on the scene here and it progressed from there.
Now I just a few more questions for you:
Why do you do what you do? I love it. Poetry is a great deal and big part of my life. It is therapeutic at times, a great release, meditative, freeing, fun. If I wasn’t performing, I would most definitely still be writing.
What does your poetry aim to say? Is there one focus? Many? Please share. My poetry tells my story overall. I write about my own experiences mainly. I also seek to educate with my words and write about certain events in history or current culture.
Does living in Texas impact your work? Do you think where you live has an impact on your work at all? I feel like living in Texas impacts my work. I think it influences the content of my writing because where I am physically is going to connect to what my personal experiences are. The experiences I had living in California are not totally congruent to those I am having in Texas because certain factors play out more. I am more comfortable here with the cost of living for one. Being in California was stressful financially so there wasn’t really time to pursue my art that hard in my opinion because I was trying to figure how to live.
What role does the artist have in society? The artist gives voice to the voiceless, tells stories that are otherwise unheard, sparks change, and amplifies the sound of unrest.
What has been a seminal experience for you? Competing in the Women of the World Poetry Slam in 2017 and making the final stage ranking 9th place of 96 total competitors. That was also probably my biggest crowd to perform in front of so far, about 3000 people.
Who do you look up to as an artist? Who are your biggest influences? My biggest influences are poets Aja Monet, Dominique Christina, Janae Johnson, and vocalists Goapele, Raheem DeVaughn, Lyfe Jennings, Tank, Anita Baker, and Patti LaBelle.
If you could work with any artist (any field) who would it be and why)? I would work with the singer Goapele. Her voice is like pure gold to me. I always admire something about her energy. It would be amazing to collab with her in some way.
Do you have any books? Can you please share where they can be purchased?
I have self-published 6 books, only 2 of which I actively promote now:
Finally – if you can share any words of wisdom with the world about life – what would it be ….
1: Focus on God and he will keep you focused.
2: Take self-care breaks.
3: Love yourself first.
4: Follow your dreams.
Thanks for joining us on the blog! I wish you all the success and joy in your career! You are absolutely wonderful and deeply loved. To hear the heart of an artist is beautiful. Thank you for changing the world with your work!
I miss you so much and I am not sure where I would be without you!!! I love you!!!
It is interesting moving to a new country and slowly not celebrating the holidays you celebrated at home (but always reminded about them when logging onto social media) and celebrating/enjoying the holidays in your new country of residence.
Today, Friday April 5, 2019 is Tomb Sweeping Day – a day off holiday in China where you honor those who have come before you! It is one of the most important Chinese festivals and traditions. Many people travel to their hometowns to spend time with their families, clean the graves of their loved ones, and honor all those who have passed on.
I enjoyed the day off (who doesn’t enjoy a day off from work???). I started my day with a run (l run most days, but wanted to still accomplish this) and spent the day at the spa with some friends. I took some time to pray, and give thanks for all those who have come before me. I have been blessed to have had amazing people in my life! They have all made an impact on the person who I am today, so it was definitely nice to have a day set aside to remember them and honor them.
Daddy- I love you! Thank you for everything. All the things. You changed my life.
totally get my love for snacks from him!!!
Cathy- I will never forget how you believed in me when I first started learning sign language and wanted to be an interpreter at ALCF. You changed my life
…My God Won’t you … Reign down on us … and Fill us with your Holy Ghost!
The list could go on of all those I honor and am thankful for … but nothing like a father’s love and that of a mentor.
I hope you can give thanks for those who have come before you – and give thanks to those who are still here! Let’s give our people their flowers while they are still alive.
Have a great weekend… if you are reading this on the weekend. Its Friday night in Shanghai and Friday morning PST/CST/EST in USA.
One of the most important festivals in Chinese tradition is today – Qingming Festival 清明节qīngmíng jié
It’s our pleasure to introduce you this festival: also called Tomb Sweeping Day in English, Qingming is a day of commemorative so don’t say “清明节快乐” to your Chinese friend as ‘快乐kuài lè’ means happy. It’s better to say “清明节安康”… Qingming is also one of the solar terms – as far as I remember it ALWAYS RAINS on Qingming. And things we do today: Worship ancestors/Spring outing/plant willow trees/.
祝大家清明节安康，假期愉快！- I wish you a happy tomorrow, and a happy holiday!
“life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all” – Hellen Keller
*I choose ADVENTURE
Know This: Pain doesn’t make you weak. It makes you strong … and loss makes you appreciate so much! Appreciate and bask in your strength. I remember my Great- Grandmother telling me one day, “I’m just thankful I can feel my pain – it’s when you can’t feel ya’ pain that ya’ need to worry.” I didn’t understand this as a child, but I understand it now.
For some reason the song won’t post, but I wanted to share with you all:
… the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and days and months are all flying by!! It is April 1 here in Shanghai which means the first quarter of the year has come and gone. Did you set any goals for this year? Did you work on a vision board? Do you have a list of things you want to accomplish on or by 12/31/19??? How is it going for you to reach those goals? Hope you’re making progress and if not you can stop and think about steps you can take to reach these goals!
…. I am happy the sun is shining and that we are having days with breathable AQI numbers!
I have a few goals for the year:
Professionally- I would like 80% of my students to be level 4 readers by the end of the school year so that they are on reading level for first grade! (Just hit this goal so hoping to get more students on level 4 or higher before the end of the school year.
Physically – Run 700KM by the end of the year and participate in a SPARTAN race! (Spartan race is in May)
Personally- Read 8 books for leisure! (I have finished 5 already so this number will definitely change)
– Visit 4 new countries and 3-5 new provinces in China!
So far the year is off to a busy, but good start. My students are doing extremely well which is super exciting and I am enjoying life in China!
Hope all is well with all of you! Let me know if you’re ever traveling to Asia and I will try and meet up with you!
Shanghai Botanical GardensShanghai Botanical GardensShanghai Botanical GardensShe wanted a picture too so I obliged Baby is on the way!!! Congratulations Whitney
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
FEARLESS in SHANGHAI 