….so you wanna move to China???

May 1, 2018May 1, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai2 Comments

Maybe you have come across this post because you follow this blog- or you have been looking for blog posts about moving to China. I hope you find this post helpful for you. I read a lot of posts before I moved to Shanghai and talked to a lot of people. Some things you don’t know to ask about and really wont know until you arrive in your new city. Happy traveling. If you’re not moving check out the post anyway-you may find it interesting or be able to share it with someone. The last 6 months have been quite the journey.

How exciting!!! You are in for a real treat and adventure — Butterflies and a little nervousness is to be expected.

I hope that this list ….which is not exhaustive…helps you to pack and prepare for your big move. CONGRATULATIONS on a new and unforgettable experience.

BE open to NEW. China is not America. You will not be at home.

Things will be difficult in the beginning and you will soon become adjusted – and feel somewhat- at ….

HOME

Packing:

· Hair Products

· Shoes

· Coats

· Pants

· Deodarant

· 90 day supply of prescription meds

· 120 day supply of over the counter meds/vitamins/supplements

· 90 day supply of your favorite toiletries, cosmetics, hair care products, lotions

· Portable Chargers

· Usually your first two suitcases up to 50lbs are included in your flight. Anything after that you will have to pay for. Pack tight! I used zip-space saving bags.

· Download digital books to save space Favorite Snacks- bring some of your favorite snacks to help you over the hump while getting settled and learning online shopping and your local stores

· Favorite spices/seasonings

· Clothes for each season

Money/Banking:

· Have more than one bank account

Transferring Money home:

· Bank Wire Transfers – This can take a long time. Take your passport, resident permit card, have all your banking information home ready (account number, routing number etc.) Be prepared and ready. I have heard that if you go to the same person it can become easier and quicker. (I have not done this – but I know it works)

· PayPal – You can transfer money PayPal to PayPal. If you don’t already have an American PayPal account I would open it and connect it to your American bank account. When you arrive you can open a Chinese PayPal account and connect it to your Chinese bank account. Then you can send money between your accounts.

· AliPay- AliPay is an app that you will use here. If you make friends with a Chinese individual they can send money from their AliPay account. You can’t send money from your AliPay to your American Account. What some people do is have a friend send money for them – treat the friend to dinner/lunch or give them a small fee for sending money home for them.

· ATM Card- Once you open your Chinese bank account – you could ask for two cards. Send a card home and have someone withdraw money for you and deposit it for you into your American account. (I have not tried this but I hear it works just fine if you have someone you trust with your banking card).

· MoneyMan/Friend- you will soon find that there are “Money Men” who can- or will – for a small fee – send your money home for you. I have not used a Money Man but I have heard good things about them! Use at your own discernment.

Language:

· Learn the language. Here are some links and apps to help you learn some basic/useful mandarin phrases

· Practice-Practice-Practice the language

· If you can start practicing the language now- DO IT

Taxi Drivers:

· Know your location destination. Have it in English and Chinese.

· They may not stop for you. Ugh! I know.

· Keep some cash on you. Some taxi drivers will accept WeChat/AliPay but cash always works

Navigating Daily Life:

· DON’T be afraid to ask for help.

· People will look, point, and stare. You’re not the first one it has happened to. BE prepared for the cameras and the pictures.

· Water here is damaging and will dry your skin and hair. (I have not had this issue)

· Write your questions down

· Keep toilet paper/hand sanitizer/wet wipes on your person at all times

· Always have portable charger for your phone/tablet with you-charged

· The AQ (Air Quality) isn’t the best- get a mask to wear for bad AQ days

· Harassment and discrimination- sadly is normal.

Hospital Visits:

BE sure to have insurance with your job! That’s a must.
Take your passport and resident card with you
Be patient
Research a hospital/doctor/dentist that caters to foreigners – this is your body and something you shouldn’t budge on.

Mailing packages home:

This shouldn’t be too hard but I took a Chinese friend the first time I went. They needed some things written in Chinese so that was helpful.

Having packages sent you:

This has worked for me. I haven’t had one issue with a package arriving. Have your family label your package with your address in English and Chinese (Example Below). Sending priority will cost more. Just have them send it regular mail via USPS and expect it to take 4-5 weeks. I have received my packages in 3 weeks time but I do understand that it can take longer.
Send your address to your family once you have it. Tell them – Copy and paste it into Word – print it out- tape it on the package- you should be good to go.

Example:

陕西南路388号,近复兴中路

_________________________________

Happy Buddha (Your Name)

388 Shaanxi Nan Lu (Your street address in English)

District (I have the district I live in right here- Everyone doesn’t do that I am just very detailed because I don’t want my items lost)

Shanghai, China____ zip code (City, Country you live in)

Chinese Address

Name/Street Address/District/City, Country Zip Code

*this is information of a local restaurant*

Apps:

· Chinese Skill

· Baidu Translate

· Google Translate

· WeChat

· Whats App

· Skype

· TaoBao

· QQ Music

· PayPal

· Your personal banking apps/credit card apps

· CTrip

· XE Currency

· SmarShanghai – I think there is one for the other major cities in China

· DiDi (China’s version of Uber)

· Air Matters

· VPN – to access blocked sites from home

Its good to have these already on your phone- you can set them up when you arrive. You will need your international number to set a lot of these apps up.

Work/Work Contract

· Doesn’t hurt to negotiate this if possible. Make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth. Do some research for what teachers/trainers are making in the city you’re moving to.

· Keep all your emails of everything and copies of everything.

· Always show up to work early. At least 15 minutes. There is no excuse for being late.

· Take initiative at work

· Record the events of your day- good and bad- record the times and dates of arriving to and from work

Apartment

· If you get to choose on your own – shop around. China is a buyers market. There are so many apartments – you will find what you like.

· Negotiate. You can negotiate prices. Crazy right? IF the rent is $865.00 at home its $865.00 – Negotiate. Don’t be afraid to say no or that you don’t like something.

· Dryer- not common – but it doesn’t hurt to ask. People hang their clothes to dry here- and outside on communal drying racks. I do not do that. (My apartment building has communal dryers and I have my own washing machine)

· You can negotiate/ask for pots/pans/kitchen utensils/toaster oven (ovens are not common)

Shopping- Food and personal:

· Refunds- getting a refund for something can be tough. Make friends with a co-worker who can help translate for you if you need to return something somewhere (I haven’t had an issue returning items)

· A lot of shopping happens on TaoBao – you will learn this app very soon

· There are Western stores – which will cost more because you are purchasing imported products but you may be able to find what you need

· There are so many malls and street shopping

· The food in the markets will look and smell different. It’s okay. You’re in a totally new and different country.

MISC:

· Everything isn’t efficient

· BE prepared to wait

· People may seem rude- compared to home- they are

· Learn some of China’s history to learn more about the culture (I should have done this)

· People spit- everywhere- its normal

· Everyone doesn’t wash their hands – ugh!

· Soap isn’t in all bathrooms

· It is hard to tell you what to expect because every experience is open. Be ready for the adventure of a lifetime. Nothing will compare to this and if you can live in China you can live anywhere!!!

· BE open to new

· Try new things

· Remember you’re not at home so it won’t be like home

· Your life will be run by your phone and technology – be prepared for that

· All Western Restaurants wont taste like home

· Be brave and try new things

· There are tons of restaurants from all around the world.

Contacting home:

Skype (Voice calling) – I pay a small monthly fee and I can make unlimited calls home each month – Skype Video should be free
We Chat – I use the video and phone feature often – sometimes the calls drop so its not 100% reliable
International Phone Plan – I don’t think its wroth it but it is an option
Whats App – VPN needed
Facebook – VPN needed

PMA: Positive Mental Attitude:

Beef up your PMA before boarding the plane. Start now.

If you’re reading this list you’re probably considering moving abroad – this list is focused on China – if you are thinking of moving to another country this may be helpful for you to know how to prepare and what to expect.

This is not a perfect of exhaustive list. The information here has been taken from my personal experience and that of other Black Americans in China. If you have any other questions or comments feel free to respond to this post!

You will have some great days – some okay days- and some really tough China days that make you think “WHY AM I HERE???”

…. I suggest writing about it- journaling- or MAYBE EVEN blogging….

IT will be great to have a concrete way to look back on your experience.

You’re taking the road less traveled. You will be better for it!

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-Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music) — 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 #Thankful #joychangeslives #KMarieTakesChina #BlackGirlMagic #KarlaGirlLivingLife #BlackGirlJoy #LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden #ChinaorBust #ChinaAintReady #BlackInShanghai #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*

Black and Abroad: Karla

May 1, 2018May 1, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai5 Comments

I have decided to answer the same questions I asked of my friends. I have been in Shanghai for ½ a year and I have a little over ½ a year left here. There will be a few more interviews coming in the Fall.

Let’s do a quick introduction:

What’s your name, where are you from, and how long have you been in China? Karla Marie! I am from Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas) by way of East Palo Alto (SF Bay Area, California) – Yes I claim both places – and I have been in China for 6 months.
Are you single, married, have any children? I am single- never married, and I have no children.
What brought you to Asia- more specifically China? I decided to come to Asia to do something I have never done. I am a part of a few online educator groups and I kept hearing about teachers/educators traveling and living abroad – teaching in far off places. I kept thinking- can I do this? Nahhhhh I can’t do this. Then I thought, wayment- maybe I can. SO I did a little research and decided to go for it.

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? Biggest stereotypes – We all come from Africa/loud/athletic/uneducated/thugs-hoodlums-aggressive-want to fight
ster·e·o·type

noun: a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing

To be honest- some stereotypes are true and its not a bad thing fitting a stereotype. What sucks is that not all stereotypes are not true and/or they do not fit all people. We must be careful not to generalize individuals – and spend time educating ourselves about the world outside of our personal community/world. Sometimes – I am loud (well, a lot of times), but not all Black Americans are loud. I am not from Africa (ha! that one was hard for my students to believe. That there are Black people in America. That’s a long history lesson that they are not getting in school). Unfortunate. Yes.
What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here? Biggest challenge is navigating life without knowing the language. You can definitely survive here and make it without knowing the language, but I know that life would be a little simpler if I knew Chinese. I am also exhausted from daily being stared at (I know that a lot of this happens as a result of ignorance and curiosity), but I feel like people look at me in a few ways: 1-Why are you here 2- Like I have blue skin with red polka dots – some rare creature that doesn’t exist everywhere. 3- I really wanna touch you and see what you feel like 4- Disgusted 5-Amazed — I mean #blackgirlmagic is a real thing. I would probably be amazed if I saw me too. I see other Black Ladies and I’m like … whoa!

Another challenge that is not so much a challenge anymore is walking everywhere. The metro is your way of life – and walking everywhere. Walking 15-20 minutes becomes normal, whereas at home I probably wouldn’t go for that. You can use bikes, scooters, call a DiDi (China’s version of Uber) or a taxi – but that will all add up. SO I walk just about everywhere. Hey! I’ll be in super great shape right when I come home???

How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all? I totally think we are. We are giving a new look African Americans/Black Americans. There are so many of us here in China. African Americans/Black Americans/Africans/Individuals from the Diaspora … from all over. We are showing the world that we are educated, we are cultured, we come from around the world, and we can settle here, work, and be amazing! The expat community here is pretty amazing and that has helped with me adjusting to life here. I have met individuals who have moved here and started businesses, met their spouse-married-started a family, who have lived here for +3/5/7/10 years and made a life here. It is really beautiful. I really feel that we are showing what diversity looks like and how we as people can all live in community with each other. I am glad that I get to show a different Black American than what is shown in music videos/video games/the news/internet/television shows movies/YouTube shows/crappy-low budget films/and the media at large. We are changing the view of us one interaction at a time. It’s nice – through all of the challenging moments that I get to be a part of that.
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? HMMMM! This is hard to answer. I wanna say “Nope! No Way” – but I wanna say, “Yep!” at the same time…. There is so much that I do not like about China and so much that I do like at the same time. I think that I would have still come but I would have really taken advantage of Rosetta Stone that was given to me to practice the language and did more research on Chinese culture. I am glad I took the leap of faith and came – it is quite the adventure. I wouldn’t trade these priceless experiences for anything. Maybe a TWISTED ROOT BURGER but … ya know! I am looking forward to coming home though!

#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). The expat community – Access to Travel – The ability to do anything at any time (everything is here) aaaaaaand – you can order anything and have it delivered quickly! ANYTHING.
What do you do for fun with your free time? Everything! I eat out a lot – travel- go to comedy clubs – and game nights with friends.
Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here? Not at all (but, for those who know me- is that new?)
What do you do for work here in China? I am an ESL Teacher- working for Disney English.

Food- Food makes the world go round!

How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here? Yes! So difficult. UgH!
Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home? NO.
Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again? Yes! Deep Fried Glutinous Rice Balls with Sesame – ick … but I was brave and tried it. I couldn’t even finish it.
How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out? Yes! I spend a lot on food. I am picky and I don’t like everything. I find myself shopping at foreign/imported grocery stores and eating out at foreign/Western Restaurants.

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? IN China- Suzhou and Zhujiajiao Ancient Water Town. I would love to go to Beijing to see THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA – Chengdu to see the Pandas – and to Xian!
Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go? Yes. I have been to Bangkok, Thailand – Seoul, South Korea, and Hong Kong, Hong Kong-HK (HK has its own passport, money, immigration channels, and legal system. I have Hong Kong on my list of other countries visited because when I travel there from Shanghai I travel through the international and not domestic side of the airport. I did a little research and here is what I found out. HK has never been an independent country. For all official purposes HK is a part of China, but for all intents – and daily occourences it is allowed to operate as an independent country. If flying to HK when already in China you will fly on an international flight and you will have to exchange your money for HK currency).
What cities/countries are on your list ???
oh …. this doesn’t answer the question????

I don’t know if it will happen while I am here but I would love to go to: Maylasia/Singapore- Japan – India …. Lets see!

Here are some pictures from my travels and my time in China.

One Last thing-

If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.

Life is short. Buy the shoes. Take the trip. Smile often.

Try something new once a month. Tell your family you love them.

Experiences over things. BE KIND.

Face your fears and I promise you that your future self will thank you for it.

Remain Humble and Stay Grateful.

That’s all for the interviews for now… a few more coming soon! In May I will still share about my experiences while abroad and highlight some of my favorite small businesses that I would love for you all to know about! Paz.

Im Jammin to this …. (of course with lots of PJ MORTON in between!) Enjoy.

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*

Black and Abroad: Chaniece

April 26, 2018 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

I am so excited to share this interview with you all! Please enjoy getting to know my friend Chaniece and learning a little about her experience being “BLACK AND ABROAD.”

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 Chaniece, I come from North Carolina and I have been in China for 5 non-conseuctive years.

2. Are you single, married, have any children?

I am currently dating, never been married and no children.

3. What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?

I came to China because I majored in Chinese in college. After studying abroad in Beijing my junior year of college, I decided I definitely wanted to come back after graduation.

4. How long have you been here?

I have been in Shanghai for about 4 years.

Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper!

Breaking and Crushing:

1. 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?

I guess the biggest are us being loud and aggressive, strong, athletic, and cool,

2. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?

My biggest challenge when I first got here was language, even though I could speak it I wasn’t fluent as I am now and sometimes it could be frustrating if there was a miscommunication. Also, the dating scene is another big headache, but that’s another story.

3. How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?

Honestly, I don’t feel there is anything wrong with “fitting a stereotype”, we are all people at the end of the day. Will some of us be loud and aggressive? Of course. Will some of us be quiet and meek? Certainly. I think it’s more about us being seen as humans, there are different types of us and we all don’t fit into one mold. The more we interact with Chinese people, all of us, the more we will be seen as the three-dimensional people that we are.

4. 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?

I would have moved here sooner and done things differently! There is so much opportunity here and I wish I had properly recorded everything from the beginning! Though, there is still so much more to learn.

#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.

1. What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).

Job opportunities. I wish I could say this one for all three because it’s huge. I like the food here and I like the community.

2. What do you do for fun with your free time?

I used to cycle a lot, now I spend a lot of time cooking, developing recipes, trying to plan events and sleeping. Haha.

3. Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?

I think the first year I moved to Shanghai I had a hard time making friends, I was very limited to my working environment and I hadn’t mastered WeChat or WeChat groups. People who do that early on have it easy! Since WeChat I have had no problem at all making friends.

4. What do you do for work here in China?

I do social media at a blockchain and AI tech company..

Food- Food makes the world go round!

1. How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?

It’s been easy, and I have learned a new style of cuisine on the way. Though in some places there is just way too much oil, that is something I don’t think anyone can adjust to. I tend to make my favorite recipes at home and either add a small amount of oil or leave it out all together, but Chinese cuisine varies so much, especially from region to region so I find I am always discovering a new dish that I want to learn how to make.

2. Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?

Maybe the Chinese pancakes on the street, I always crave those when I am back in the US.

3. Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?

Stinky tofu, but this is a hard one because people keep telling me it’s so good so I am always willing to try it and then I think it’s absolutely repulsive and never want to eat it again. I think it’s my addiction to fried tofu that makes me like it so much.

4. How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?

used to eat out all the time or at least do take out because take out is SO cheap, but it does add up. Recently I have been cooking all of my meals. Most of my money goes to food, but I’m not a big spender in the first place.

Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!

1. 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 Beijing, Urumqi, Guilin and Sanya and all the small cities around Shanghai like Ningbo, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Nanjing. I would like to visit Yunnan province! I pretty much want to go anywhere south.

2. Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?

Nah I haven’t, unfortunately.

3. What cities/countries are on your list ???

I still want to go to Taiwan, Thailand, annnnd that’s about it, haha. My list is not very long. There is so much to see in China I am comfortable mostly traveling around here; it’s cheap too.

One Last thing-

If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.

Don’t burn any bridges, but don’t let people take advantage of you either.

Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings.

CHANIECE: I love black people rappin’ about produce, what can I say— Look what SHE is jammin to!!!!

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-Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music) — 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*

World Book Day

April 23, 2018 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

April 23, 2018 – – World Book Day (WBD): https://www.worldbookday.com/

I was so excited when Althea told me that today is WBD!!! I absolutely LOVE READING. She downloaded a few free e-books and I joined in the fun! I was able to download a few books and get a deal on some other books on sale.

If you have an e-reader you might just be in luck … and check out the site above if you have time.

Happy Reading!!!!

….how it showed up in my Kindle Book Store … its a selection of books …. so you may see something interesting that you’ve never read or heard of ….

“READING IS DREAMING WITH OUR EYES OPEN”

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*

Q1 – Done

April 21, 2018 kmarietakeshanghaiLeave a comment

-short post-

In my January 5th post I set and shared my goals for the year. Now that we are into Q2 of 2018 lets check in and see how I’m doing … Id love to know how you’re doing with your goals too!!!

Do you all set resolutions for the new year? I set a few goals for each year. I was quite ambitious with my list last year so here is my 2018 plan:

Because of my work schedule it is hard to sign up athletic events like 5K/10K/Stair Climb type events I would do at home. I want to do 1 event this year. If I can work that in my schedule that would be great. – I am still hoping to be able to do this … I haven’t found one that works with my schedule but I may just map a 5K route and see if I can get some friends to do it with me on a Wednesday before it gets too hot. I hear it gets very hot here in SH!

(oh – Christmas week I did Jingle Bell Run 5K with coworkers- it was cold – I don’t like being cold)

Read 2 books for pleasure- I have started one book. I am enjoying it so far.
Visit 4 new countries – I have my list ready so I can’t wait to share with you all as it happens about my adventures abroad.- I have been to Bangkok Thailand, Seoul, South Korea, and Hong Kong soon ….
Pay down some US Debt – lets see how that goes!- YES! I am so glad that this is happening.
Play in a waterfall – I didn’t get to do this last year and I’m still mad about it!!! – so clearly some things carry over from 2017 and that’s okay- I think I may achieve this in October. We have holiday in October and I am thinking really hard about where to go! Waterfall must be included.
BE!!! Just BE. Enjoy each day as it comes. Live. Love. Laugh. Smile. Live a life rooted and established in JOY! #EverdayJOY- Yep! I wouldn’t want to live any other way. Life has enough challenges we all know that for sure. May as well smile as much as you can.

I have learned to set realistic goals. Goals that are attainable and that I can actually meet. I am still working hard on these goals – these six goals/things I want to do can totally happen as long as I am focused and consistent.

Have a great week everyone! …Happy Q2 – Happy Spring ….

here are a few recent pics ……

I am going to do my best to live by the ‘Glad Texts’

(one of my favorites is–Psalms 98:4-Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music) — 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*

Black and Abroad: Christen

April 16, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai2 Comments

I am so excited to share this interview with you all! Please enjoy getting to know my friend Christen and learning a little about her experience being “BLACK AND ABROAD.”

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 Christen Weathersby, born and raised in Chicago, IL, and I’ve been in China a little over 5 months.

2. Are you single, married, have any children?

I am single with no children.

3. What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?

I came to China to be able to travel more frequently. Intially I wanted to go to South Korea, but China was hiring year round.

4. How long have you been here?

A little over 5 months.

Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper!

Breaking and Crushing:

Honestly, I’m not sure. I haven’t had to deal with any stereotypes.

2. What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?

Having to walk EVERYWHERE has definitely been an adjustment. I’m used to getting in my car to run a quick errand.

3. How do you think we are crushing stereotypes- if we are at all?

Ummmmm…. Lol

4. 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?

Yes! I would’ve packed differently though. And I would have taken my time finding a better apartment.

#LIC – Let’s talk a little about Life in China! There are definitely some positives about being here.

1. What are three things you like about living in China (if you can think of three).

I like having the ability to travel so cheaply and how close other countries are. I like how inexpensive the cost of living is here. I like that even though I am over 7,000 miles away from home, I still feel like I’m home. I often forget I’m in China. Lol

2. What do you do for fun with your free time?

I love crafting and making new things. I enjoy boxing. I love shopping. I love salsa dancing.

3. Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?

Well, I’m an introvert and can come off as “stand offish”. I’m fine with that. It helps to weed out the people that don’t need to be in my life anyway. Lol But to answer the question, I think I’ve made friends quite easily. It’s very easy to meet people here, especially black people.

4. What do you do for work here in China?

I’m an ESL teacher.

Food- Food makes the world go round!

1. How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?

It has definitely been a struggle. I don’t eat beef or pork, and I haven’t in over a decade. All the local restaurants prepare food with either beef or pork so it’s hard to try new things. I mostly cook at home so when I do want to eat out, I stick with western restaurants.

2. Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?

3. Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?

I’m not really an adventurous eater, so no.

4. How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?

Some of the fruits and vegetables are different here. It’s hard that a lot of the seasonings I like aren’t available. The cost of imported goods is extremely high sometimes. It’s definitely an adjustment.

Access to travel – A lot of people move abroad because of the access to travel to other countries. Let’s talk about this!

1. China is huge!!! Have you been to any places in China? Are there any places in China you would like to visit?

I recently visited Hong Kong and that was awesome! I visited HK Disneyland and the Tian Tian Buddha. I also had my first time riding a cable car. There’s so much more to see. I’m sure I’ll visit again. I would like to visit Beijing to see the Great Wall, Chengdu to visit a friend and see the pandas, and Sanya for a beautiful beach getaway.

2. Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?

Since being in China I have visited Tokyo, Japan, Bangkok, Thailand, and Siem Reap, Cambodia.

3. What cities/countries are on your list ???

I want to see the world!

One Last thing-

If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.

Just do it. Do whatever it is you want to do. Don’t let fear, family, or foe stop you.

Thanks so much for joining me on my blog! Many blessings.

Christen is a BIG Musiq Soulchild fan! She is currently jamming to this. Enjoy.

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*

Black and Abroad: Renea

April 9, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai3 Comments

I am so excited to share this interview with you all! Please enjoy getting to know my friend Renea and learning a little about her experience being “BLACK AND ABROAD.”

kg: Renea –– Thanks so much for joining me on my blog. More importantly, thanks for sharing with us about your experience in China.

(orange is kg and black/bold is renea)

A: 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 Renea. I’m from Mississippi, USA, and I have been in China almost 9 months now.

Are you single, married, have any children?

I am married, but we do not have any children yet. We just came up on our first anniversary this past February.

-congratulations on your anniversary!!! how awesome for you two-

What brought you to Asia- more specifically China?

To be honest, I had no plans of coming to China. It has always been my older sister’s dream but not mine. I was more interested to be in South America, but I struggled to find work. I applied and applied, and no one ever got back to me. Then China happened.

How long have you been here?

I’ve been here for almost 9 months. I can’t believe it.

Now we have a little background information about you lets dig a little deeper! You actually inspired this “Black and Abroad” series for my blog. We were chatting on WeChat – because that’s #LIC (Life in China) and you said “We’re traveling and breaking barriers and crushing stereotypes” – and with all the challenges of life abroad that statement really resonated with me.

B: 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?

First off, I’m so happy little ol’ me could inspire a series for your blog! I would say that the biggest stereotype I’ve faced thus far is everyone thinking I’m from an African country because I’m a melanin queen. Then the other stereotypes follow. I can’t possibly be educated well because, ya know, we come from apes and all that… No one has ever said that to me, but I’ve gotten that vibe during an interview before.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced living here?

Renea: Perhaps, the biggest challenges have been navigating without Chinese language knowledge, transportation, and the constant change of laws (or people making stuff up when it’s convenient). I have been in some situations where knowing Chinese would have really served me well, and I became so frustrated and felt so defeated.

I can understand that for sure. I think the only think I can say well is “ice water” and “stop” (for when I am in a taxi).

In regards to transportation, it’s more efficient than anything we have in Mississippi. We all drive there. If you don’t have a car, you are screwed. Nonetheless, commuting is exhausting because of the all the people here. I work in Zengcheng, a very distant district on the outskirts of the city. I dislike it very much, so I travel back and forth to Foshan, which is a neighboring city to Guangzhou. The commute takes roughly 3 hours.

anything else?

It seems like laws aren’t consistent. If you go ask someone about the legal requirements to get a Z-visa, they’ll tell you one thing while another person will tell you something totally different. What makes it worse is that the confusing answers will come from locals who are supposed to be versed in this. I needed to take a bullet train from Guangzhou to Foshan to pick up some dessert orders. My passport was being held by the PSB to process my new visa, so I used a copy to get around. I always successfully used a copy with no issues to get a train ticket. On this particular night, this wasn’t allowed. I showed them a picture of the receipt (job had original). It wasn’t accepted either although it had been accepted previously. Goodness gracious.

How do you think we are crushing stereotypes?

If students are familiar with black people at all, it’s through black face characters on local television networks or through a few Hollywood films. We are portrayed as dumb or criminals. As a result of us coming here and teaching, they’re learning that we’re educated, business-minded, and no one to fear. We’re teaching them how to approach diversity and different ways of thinking. We’re crushing ALL the stereotypes: one student and one interaction at a time.

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.

I’m not sure. I’ve been struggling lately with always being reminded of my skin color in almost every interaction. Sometimes it’s disheartening, and I have to think about the ‘why’ behind it all. Why do they view me the way they do? I guess you could say that I would still come because I’ve learned that I am resilient, adaptable, and more optimistic and adventurous than I’ve ever been.

C: #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). A. I like the safety. There is crime, and there is violence like any other place, but it’s nothing like what occurs in the United States, and I really love that. B. I like the food! It’s so fresh and so vibrant. They’ve introduced me to seafood here. C. Despite the ignorance (literally ignorance, not meant in any derogatory manner), the people are usually very nice and friendly, so I love that.

2. What do you do for fun with your free time?

I love discovering new alleyways and places with lots of green.

3. Has it been hard for you to meet people and make friends here?

Not at all. I think being different makes it easier to make connections because everyone wants to know more about you.

4. What do you do for work here in China?

I am a teacher. I’m also breaking into business here. I bake on the weekends, and I am also getting into the hair business (hoping my approach will help it stand out).

*i’m looking forward to ordering some goodies from you soon*

D: Food- Food makes the world go round!

How has your food journey been here? Has it been a hard transition from home to here?

It’s been great (aside for a few instances of food poisoning). The Chinese food here is fresh and less fried. I especially enjoy the Muslim-owned noodle restaurants.

Have you tried anything here that you love that you don’t have at home?

I’ve never seen ‘tangyuan’ back home. It’s these balls made from rice flour, and they’re filled with a sweet peanut paste and served in a soup of just boiling water. They serve them during the Spring Festival. I LOVE them! They also have these gummy balls that are filled fruit puree, red bean paste, and so on. I don’t know the name of those, but I love those as well.

Have you tried anything here that you absolutely hate and hope to never eat again?

I HATE the black jello. It tastes like tar, and I have no idea what it’s made from.

How is shopping for food here for you? Do you spend a lot buying food or eating out?

Once I discovered TaoBao and foreign food stores like Sharefoods and Corner’s Deli, shopping for familiar items is so easy. I only shop for foreign food items for my baking or when I’m craving something…like Tostitos and salsa.

E: 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?

So far, I’ve been to Chengdu, which was SO special, but I haven’t traveled as much as I would like. I would like to go to Sanya, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macau, Xi’an, Chongqing, and Zhuhai. I’m not so interested in Beijing simply because one of my friends is there, and she’s been getting sick a lot from the air.

Have you visited any nearby countries since you have been here? Where did you go?

I’m so boring when it comes to this because I’ve been working so much. I haven’t traveled outside since I’ve been here, unfortunately. People back home swear we’re just on vacation. They have no idea.

What cities/countries are on your list ???

I’m so glad you asked! This is a bit of my list:

Bali, Indonesia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ajman, United Arab Emirates

Kyoto, Japan

Seoul, South Korea

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Aswan, Egypt

Kotor, Montenegro

Valparaiso, Chile

Zanzibar, Tanzania

These are just a few, and some are happening this summer, Lord willing. So excited!

*please take me with you to Tanzania*

F: Wrapping It up

If you could share one thing with everyone about life what would it be.

I would say that life is all about living to become your best self. That’s what we should all be striving for, so don’t allow anyone to make you feel that you should settle for anything less than greatness. Travel, read, write, discover. You’ll love yourself for it.

This was great… I am so glad we were able to do this and that you were open to sharing about your time in China. Thanks again for joining me on my blog!

You’re so welcome. Thank you so much for choosing me! By the way, one of my favorite songs to jam to right now is Jhene Aiko-While We’re Young.

Currently Renea is jammin to- Jhene Aiko! Check it out below.

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*

5 months!!!

April 9, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai2 Comments

*long-ish post*

WOW!!!! Closing another month in Shanghai. March 31, 2018 (so clearly I’m behind posting this) brings me to my fifth month in China and April 1 will be the first day of my sixth month! Half a year in Asia. It has definitely had its fair share of challenges. A lot of good days, a lot of laughs, smiles, and some tough days in between all of that. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything at all. I am looking forward to coming home when my contract ends.

If I didn’t take so many pictures I would probably forget much of what I have done. Here is a recap of KMG’s March and what to look forward to with me in April!

TWG – Afternoon Tea

I have always wanted to have afternoon tea! Seems super nice, relaxing, and cultural. One of my friends said, “it sounds like you’re eating a little bit of food for a lot of money” – that’s kind of true but my small portions were yummy and my cherry blossom tea was so good! I am so glad I went and had tea – and I went SOLO. Living abroad has pushed to do more things on my own and it hasn’t been so bad even though enjoying activities with friends and family will always be at the top of my list. But, if experiencing something new or traveling to a new place means doing it SOLO – I am not against it!

Celebrations- Christens birthday

Christen has been a great part of my life since my time in Shanghai. Totally my #ShanghaiBestie. Starting over can be tough- and starting over in a new country can be really tough. Meeting Christen definitely helped my starting over experience in Asia. We are coworkers, neighbors, and #passportbuddies.

We partied all night to celebrate her birthday. Salsa dancing and friends. Shanghai definitely knows how to party!

Celebrating Life! Happy Birthday Christen

John Legend

If I am honest – I am the biggest John Legend fan but since he was here in China my friends and I went to the show. #TinyWonder as my girl Jasmine puts it – puts on a great show. His show was amazing! We really enjoyed ourselves and Shanghai showed up for J.Legend. It was nice to have this little piece of home here in China.

Black Panther Premiere

Yall know I been HYPE about BLACK PANTHER — #WakandaForever since the very first preview. One of the first things Althea said to me when I said I was moving to China was “You’re gonna miss Black Panther with us.” That made me all kinds of sad. But, I still went to China. Then I arrived here and was unsure if it would be released here. Finally! Found out that it would be released but not until almost a month after it was released everywhere else. That broke me! I wanted to see this movie opening weekend.

I went to Thailand for my birthday in February and had big plans and a tight few days there. I saw a billboard for Black Panther and everything stopped. I had to see it! I was able to see Black Panther opening weekend in Thailand and opening weekend in China. Yall know I love that I was a part of two global opening weekends for the movie. That’s pretty cool. I absolutely loved the movie – as you know from a previous post.

We had a big premiere here. A friend here- Kristen – is an event planner and she planned a full night of fun and we transformed the W. Hotel and the neighboring IMAX theater into Wakanda. There was red carpet, photos, backdrops, African dancers, everyone dressed up in their best Wakanda outfits and we bought 3 rooms in the theater and each one sold out. It was such a great night and lots of fun to see everyone come out and support the movie.

I am looking forward to seeing it again soon.

Black Panther Premiere in Shanghai, China

Disneyland – of course!

…because …. Why not???

Image may contain: Karla Marie, smiling, sitting, tree and outdoor — Toy Story Land is opening April 2018

SH World Financial Center (http://www.swfc-shanghai.com/)

#SHWFC is on my list of top 10 things to do in Shanghai. IT was nice. I went to visit it on my weekend. The Shanghai World Financial Center is a supertall skyscraper located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China. I bought tickets for the tour- enjoyed some history of Shanghai – watched a short film- and went to the 100^th floor to see wonderful areal views of the city. I can check this off of my list. There is another place in Shanghai where you get similar views – I feel like if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all but here is information on the other one if you’re ever in China!

Oriental Pearl Tower http://www.orientalpearltower.com/

Image may contain: people standing — I can cross this off my Shanghai bucket list

Bowling with the homies

Would you believe there are lots of Black people in Shanghai??? Welp! There really are. It has been really nice building a community while here. A bunch of us planned a night out to go bowling. We had a blast!

Pearl Art Museum

I have been using my weekends to explore Shanghai and all that it has to offer. I checked out this new museum with some friends two weeks ago and we explored the neighborhood that we were in. We even stumbled on a small pizza shop owned by a guy who is from Southern California – he’s a USC Trojan. Crazy Small World. I’m always thankful for these moments!

Cooking with Ruby

This is Ruby! She is my Learning Partner (LP) or Co-Teacher as we would probably say at home in America. She has been simply wonderful. She is teaching me Chinese – which I need to use more and we work great together in the classroom. She came over to my place a couple weeks ago and we cooked a traditional Chinese meal. I asked Ruby if we could cook together since she told me she really loves cooking and she was super happy to cook with me.

Dumplings. Vegetables (eggplant and green beans). Ribs (those of you who knew me know I was happy about this) in Chinese sauce and spices. IT was all so good.

I am really thankful for Ruby… I have heard some people talk about their experience with their LP’s and it not being so great and the fact that my experience has been TOP … I don’t take that for granted. Ruby and I plan on hanging out more so I will be sure to share about our experiences with you.

……I wanted to show with this post that Shanghai has so much to offer. Shanghai’s populations is about 24 million people and his China’s largest and most populous city. This city is full of dining (from all over the world), museums, arts, sports, nightlife, fitness, shopping, travel- almost anything you want is here. To live overseas – kinda cool!!!

Every day has not been perfect for me. TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST – March was full of some very challenging days. I signed myself up for this experience so I am doing my best to be as positive as I can and learn from everything that is presented to me. It’s amazing to me how two people can be presented with the same exact experience and experience it differently. When I talk to some of my friends here it’s crazy to hear about their time here and I compare it to my time and it’s like night and day. My life as a Black foreigner has had its moments here. Definitely…… but….then there-is-this

“Everyday- Aint- Gone- Be- Perfect- But- That- Still- Doesn’t- Mean- Today- Doesn’t- Have- Purpose” – – I try and remember this!

We are over a week into April. My 6^th month here. The interviews are coming soon with my friends and their experiences here. I am so excited to share it with you all. Sorry its not ready yet, but I do hope that you enjoy it once posted.

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*

Teaching With Disney English

March 14, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai6 Comments

Changing The World …. Teaching English in Shanghai ….

Adventures of an English Teacher in China

It took a whole lot of faith and bravery for me to come to China. Disney got a gem with me being here. I don’t say that boastfully. I know who I am and whose I am – and this experience is not to be taken for granted. Every single day is different here. No two days have been just alike and some days have obviously been harder than others. I believe that I am here for reason and purpose. Even if that reason and purpose is for me to be uncomfortable for +/- 14 months so that a positive example and experience of and with a brown skinned individual is given to some here in Shanghai. This is a BIG CITY! There are lot of people here. I won’t meet them all- that’s for sure. The ones that I do meet, I want them to leave having a dash of my #BlackGirlMagic and #KarlaGirlJoy – leaving t knowing – we are amazing, educated, and kind. I want to change the perspective that some (I know it’s not all) may have of Black Americans. If I can do it, with just one, it is worth it.

I realized that I haven’t talked about work in a while so here is a brief update on work.

I am teaching English in Shanghai, China for Disney. I work for The Walt Disney Company – and a branch of that is Disney English (DE). Disney English focuses on English language training for young learners ages 2-12.

My position is titled Foreign Trainer (FT) – because – clearly- I am a foreigner teaching English in China. Learners (or students) call FT’s by their first name or at times may just say “teacher”. I have eight classes. Scholars 1, Scholars 2, Scholars 3, and an Advanced Scholars 3B class. I teach a little of everything! I work weekends, Saturdays and Sundays and my off days are Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

*If you are interested in information about each of the classes (S1/S2/S3/ADS3B) I can send to you. Didn’t want to make this post super long*

Mondays and Fridays, we have academic team meetings that usually last about an hour. 1:30-2:30. You have time to prepare for your classes and classes begin at 4:15 depending on your class schedule. Every FT has a different schedule depending on the classes they are teaching. A work day usually ends between 8:00 and 9:00 PM depending on how many classes you have on a particular day. Weekends are a little different than weekday courses. DE can see more leaners on the weekend because they are not in school – classes run from early morning to the end of the day. You will work one ‘short’ day and one ‘long’ day. A short day is an 8- hour day at work and your long day is a 12-hour day where you have a long break in your day. Your long break will include time for your lunch and time to prep for classes. Weekends are long and exhausting. Crazy to me that I work on weekends and that my off days are during the week…. but such is life for the next 8 months or so!

Teaching a language, and teaching a language at a training center, is unlike anything I have ever done. Obviously 😊 right?!?! I have always lived in America where my students knew the same language as me. I wasn’t teaching a language so much so – as I was teaching students how to understand and comprehend the language that they have been taught to use. Work is exhausting. It takes everything out of me. Yes! Yes! Yes! I know most of our jobs are exhausting and take it out of us. When I arrive home from work I just wanna do – NADA! Ya know?!?! We use so much of ourselves to teach our lessons to make them interesting, creative, and interactive. We want our learners to enjoy their lessons while learning what can be a very difficult language. We use TPR in our lessons, which is a language method that is based on coordinating language and physical movements. Teachers will give commands to their students while using the target language with body movements and the students will respond with whole body actions. If the students are responding with whole body actions then that means their teacher is teaching them with whole body actions. It- Takes – IT – Out – Of – ME !!!!

To be honest, the kids love it. It can just be very tiring. A lot of people have asked me is it hard teaching here. I don’t think it’s hard so much as it’s different. It is unlike anything I have ever done in my life. It took a whole lot of faith, being brave, and mustering all of my #KMGBLACKGIRLMAGIC to leave everything I know and enter a foreign land. Every training center is different, every school is different, every program is different. Opportunities are here in Asia and many other countries. I figured, why not go for it!?!

If you’re thinking about it, do some research and take the leap!

Work is …. Well …. Work. My students are learning English – that’s for sure. I Hope they are enjoying their time with me!

My faith got me here. I am teaching here for a reason and purpose. Do you know how big a mustard seed is? Not big at all. I remember the first time I saw one. I was young. Maybe 11 or 12 at a youth service in Sacramento, California. It was very small. The pastor who was speaking had it in the palm of his hand and I could barely see it. The size of it and these words changed my life…

And Jesus said unto them, “…if ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, ‘Remove hence to yonder place,’ and it shall remove. And nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

I really believe that my mustard seed faith can move mountains.

That I, Karla Gurley, daughter of Fred and Marilyn Gurley, sister to Shilah, LaLonnie, Natina, Shari, Alexandria, and Katherine- can change the world.

I get to change the world through education, teaching, relationships, sharing my experiences, loving others, showing kindness, giving a smile, and being ME.

…someone told me today that no one had ever shown them as much kindness as I had in that moment. It made me smile – and I can only hope that we can all show others kindness. It’s in the little moments that life happens. I didn’t think that what I did was even much – but – a mustard seed also isn’t much – and it changes everything! You never know the impact you can have on someone else.

May you smile today and extend kindness to someone!!!!

@Disneyland waiting to get on SOARING OVER THE HORIZON

Stay tuned for fun things on the blog in April. I will be interviewing a few friends and sharing their experiences on my blog. I hope you enjoy.

April 2018: “Black and Abroad-Shanghai”

May 2018: ????? Stay tuned and keep following!

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*

….4 Months In….

March 5, 2018March 6, 2018 kmarietakeshanghai4 Comments

Chinese New Year and a Shanghai Birthday!

Welcome to all my new subscribers! I decided to start this blog when I made the decision to move to Shanghai. A lot of people recommended to me that I blog about my time abroad and I was totally against it. As I prepared more for the trip I realized that this would be a great way to keep in touch with friends and family in America. I have been enjoying the blog since my first post. At times wifi and VPN life makes adding pictures difficult, but I always try and update when I can or leave links at the end of the blog to my Google Photos!

…. Read and Enjoy ….

Chinese New Year (CNY)- Year of the Dog

So I am so sad to say that I did not participate in one CNY event. No not one. When the holiday started I left Shanghai for Bangkok (for my birthday)- and had the most amazing time. My plan when I returned was to explore the city and enjoy some CNY events. I heard that they were great…..but the cold and the rain kept me indoors. I have to be honest with all of you that it was so incredibly wonderful to rest, relax, and refuel before returning to work. I slept in, did a lot of nothing and had some time to catch up with friends. It was a nice holiday, but I was really bummed that I did not participate in any events.

Birthday 2018

Yall know I love birthdays! I said that I would do #35thingsfor35 and here is how it went:

$35.00 donation to #tbpp (one of my favorite charities – details in a previous post)
Enjoyed amazing chocolate – because I eat chocolate every day – from Russia
Wonderful Sangria made my sweet friend Emily and a bottle of wine from Chile – sweet gift
Dinner with my neighbors at The Cactus
Brunch with Jessi at “GALLERIA” with a personalized meal from chef Alex
A Texas Girls trio birthday dinner at BORDERTOWN
Smiles with my Texas-Shanghai birthday twin – Nikki
Cooking Class with Miki – all my favorites on the menu for my birthday
Dinner at TRIBE with some great folks I ONBOARDED with at Disney
A little Black Girl Magic at a Singles Event in Shanghai
Darts at midnight with friends to bring in my birthday
Fun with coworkers at Perrys
Chocolate cake from Shanghai friends – because what girl doesn’t want chocolate cake for her birthday
Airport fun with Kyla B – were off to Thailand
Making someone’s day- smiling with a Chinese lady in the airport
Dinner cruise in Thailand with Christen and Kyla B
Hella Dope bridge pictures right outside of Bangkok
Riding elephants right outside of Bangkok
A Thai lunch (I love Thai food) in Thailand
Feeding baby leopards
Black Girl Magic on elephants with my girls in Thailand
Floating Market (Thailand)
Met a monk (Thailand)
Black Panther Movie!!!! Yessssss #Wakanda Forever
Thai Chocolate/Oreos/Russian Chocolates
High Speed Bullet Train with Meghan – off to Suzhou
Street food in Suzhou
Disneyland with friends
Snow White and KMG
Enjoying Marvel Universe at Shanghai Disneyland
Captain America!!!!
Disneyland – again with friends
TRON – Disneyland Shanghai is known for this ride
Afro Open Mic
Receiving Girl Scout cookies from my cousin in Tennessee!

-clearly many of the events that bring me JOY revolve around food- but also with people- I love meeting new people, building relationships, AND trying new things- that’s what makes this life worth living-

I was worried that it would not happen, but I did it! #35thingsfor35 was a success.

A Beautiful lunch at Galleria – a top restaurant in Shanghai – Chef Alex served my friend Jessi and I each course!

#BGRChick – Those of you who know me from home know that a couple of years ago I really got into running. I started enjoying running so much so that I joined “Black Girls Run Dallas” and have participated in numerous organized running events. I have completed numerous 5K’s and a few 10K’s and it is on my bucket list to complete a half marathon. I would like to participate in an organized event while I am here in China, but my schedule sucks with me working on weekends. I hope to find a weekday event to participate in.

Last week I met up with Angela- my new running buddy. I was so excited to have someone to run with. We “met” in an online group here in China and decided to meet up to run. I am hoping to get a small group together to run consistently with. I said I wanted to do a 5K for the evening and we hit it! I did it in under an hour and that made me smile. Actually- I did it in under 45 minutes – and for not having run a 5K in a looooooooooooooooooooooong time that’s not so bad. The sun has been shining, the weather is getting warmer, and I hope make a running a consistent in my life again.

I have completed month 4 in China.

November. Check. December. Check. January. Check. February. Check.

*….Yes I know I arrived in October, but that was with 6 days left in the month….*

I will put it like this – China – point blank – clearly is not America. I will make another post soon about my pros and cons for living in China so far. It’s not all bad – but – it’s not all amazing either. I am here. I have been given a great opportunity to live in Shanghai and work for Disney whether I love the job or not, and I will not take it for granted. Somewhere around January I fully accepted that I live in Shanghai and it just won’t be home. I will have to learn to adapt and adjust to my new life in China. Sites are blocked, no Amazon Prime (sigh), I really need to learn some basic Chinese, I need to keep toilet paper with me everywhere I go – so many things are different about being here, but it’s an opportunity of a lifetime.

In the short time that I have been here I have met some of the most amazing people from around the world and if nothing else I have been challenged to never be anything other that KMG – because being me is pretty darn amazing!

Link with month 4 photos coming 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’

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

*I choose ADVENTURE*