Shanghai, China

My first plate of poutine in what feels like years

Look the TV tower.

Stupid Chinese man ruining my picture.

Walking to the bund.

Making it to my summer holidays was a huge accomplishment for me after having to deal with all the emotional bullshit over the past 5 months.

Also having the chance to see the Shanghai Expo was pretty awesome, I wish it was so humid and hot the whole time. The bars in Shanghai are pretty darn awesome I know I was only there for a week but I did get a chance to see 8 bars give or take a couple.

I learned a huge lesson in the past little while and I am sure that it will sound like common sense when you read it.

The mass amounts of people at the riverside.

Hostel

I will always do what feels right for me. With no influences from others clouding my judgment. I live to be me, no one else.

I heart China

My University students

Almost all boys class.

My Sunday morning class.

My Favorite and smartest class.

Summer Camp good-byes.

Funniest class, with my favorite co-teacher.

My students and I.

My Medical class.

I am leaving China in 10 weeks, I figured I should jot down somethings I enjoyed and made me happy in China. Inspired by today's events.

Disclaimer: There is nothing negative in this note. Everything has been converted into Canadian dollars.

1. Students are really friendly and remember the small things that I have told them about me.

2. Students shower you will apples wrapped up in pretty plastic paper on 'Teachers day'

3. When students give me gifts to show me that they like me. aw. ie. stickers, candy, snacks, Christmas cards OR like a 'Soul Eater key chain (Soul: in scythe form)

4. When students name themselves based on Anime and movie characters that I know ie. Death the kid, Edward, Alphonse, Megatron, Connan, Ryan Reynods, Ariel, Evangelion and many non TV names that just make you laugh. (commentary: Chinese students get to name themselves whatever they want) I had a kid named Helicopter

5. When Chinese people give you free things just because they want you to try it OR think you just need it.

6. When taxi drivers are really nice to me and try to teach me Chinese.

7. I love my local corner store! It is a really cute old Chinese couple, they always try to help me improve my Chinese.

8. My fruit stand lady tells me my Chinese is getting better every time I see her.

9. Chinese people are fairly helpful when you can speak to them in their own language.

10.Traveling around the city is uber cheap. for a 10 minute taxi ride$0.90. for the bus $0.15. for a 2 hour train ride out of town.$2.50

11.FOOD!~ IS UBER CHEAP for a plate of fried noodles$0.90. for a plate of fried rice$0.80. for a bottle of water $0.15 Reference: A McDonalds Big Mac meal is still $4.50

12. Custom made clothing is also really cheap. $50 for a custom made suit and $35 for a custom made dress.

13. You can smoke and drink almost anywhere.

14. Everyone at work greets me by my first name even though they don't speak English. (some do)

15. I like being called 'teacher' and 'Ms.Tam'

16. You can hit up a KTV anytime and sing at the top of your lungs.

17. There is no GST or PST, and you can barter with almost anyone.

18. Street foods is really good. They also sell fruit on the side of the road.

19. I think its funny that Chinese people sleep anywhere when they take a break from their outdoor job.

20. Medicine here is fairly cheap.

21. China makes you really appreciate western toilets

22. You meet some of the coolest foreigners abroad. Teachers are really great individuals.

23. Chinese people thinks your awesome because you have traveled around and are born in another country.

24. My Chinese teacher kicks ass and she is a great cook.

25. Parties here are on a whole different level, in a good way.

26. There are tons of new places to explore. China is a big place.

27. Most of the time I smile when there are to many people on the bus, it makes me feel like I'm a sardine tin.

28. Chinese fruits and vegetables are uber fresh.

29. Students parent's will always thank you with free meals for teacher their children.

30. People here don't judge you.

31.Chinese people have great traditions.

I think I'm done for now if I remember anymore I will add them to the list.

China expantion pack

Dear friends,

I thought I would share some thoughts about my life since I have left Edmonton in May 2009. I have done nothing but expand my horizons over the past year and found out my capabilities not only from true visible results but even people/students/colleges vocalizing it to me.<3

I want to say thank you to every single individual that has taken the time to send me a message from time to time, even though not everyone can remember where the heck I am. I am grateful for anyone who has supported me and said that they have missed my presence. I didn't think that anyone would remember me after being gone for so long.

After the disaster in Changchun (you might have heard me rant about it) with a horrible company I worked for, crappy apartment, bad pay and all that jazz that came with it.

2 months later in July 2009 I headed south on a train 50 hours later I was in Guangzhou spent about 3 weeks there hit up Hong Kong to catch a flight crossing paths in Manila back to Canada. Stayed in Vancouver for 3 months making a detour home for 1 week and then a week at Shambhala ended up back in Vancouver for a little over a month.

In September 2009, I tried for round two. In Jilin china. Here I have met some of the best people with loads interesting stories. We are like a kith. These people have faith in the person I am with out knowing anything about my past. Like blind faith but I will never prove them wrong.

I have taught students from ages 2-50 from esl text books, ILET, interviews, movies, biology and students going abroad. I <3 my students by the way and I love teaching!!

I must be pretty good at it since pretty much all my students like me, the little kids hold my hand, some students talk to me on QQ reading my travel blog and wanting me to come back and teach them more classes. This in it self is very gratifying.

I have found out so many things about myself, how much potential I truly have. Not saying I don't get homesick and lonely sometimes. I have spent Halloween, Thanksgiving, X-mas, New years, My birthday, 2 Canada days here in China.

So here is the list of things that I have accomplished or is still on going:

1. I taught art classes once a week to high school students (Sino-Canadian program #1)that will be going abroad for university most likely in Canada. Volunteer work.

2. I am currently painting a mural at Homes of Harmony (a non profit organization for the handicapped in Jilin City) in their meditation room it is 3m high and 7m wide. 30 hours in so far....Volunteer work.

http://www.helehome.com/
http://thenextera.deviantart.com/gallery/#Mural

3. I have started my own clothing line (Cataclysmic Threads) as most of you already know, this is by far the best side job I have ever had. Even tho it is hard work. Learning how to make a website, design clothes business card and logos, take photos, model and handle all payments and paper work.

http://www.cataclysmicthreads.com/

4. I have been creating a comic series call "The food fighting network" I had to learn Photoshop to make them even remotely professional.

http://www.thenextera.deviantart.com/

5. My friend Ken has giving me space in his bar to post some of my art!!

6. I have found a potential buyer in Jilin that owns a jewelry/ tattoo parlor for the following year next September. Shameless marketing works.

7. Hosted trivia night once a month at Bar Code (my local bar) giving out awards, reading questions, scoring, looking good and getting people to drink and have fun. Volunteer work.

8. Have been recruited to do voice acting for a video game. Volunteer work.

9. Doing small creative art commission work on the side. Volunteer work.

10. I have also been writing comic book stories that I hope one day I can turn into reality.

11. I am currently taking Chinese oil painting classes.

I have learned and done so much, BBQ China styles, horse back riding, gone to a driving range, watched movie in a Chinese move theater, been to a Buddhist temple, flashed north Korea, KTV, continually learning Mandarin, ate eggs cooked in a hot spring, had crazy Chinese massages, night markets, traveling around China and much more.

After all of this is in August I will be going to the Shanghai Expo. September 26 2010 I will be on vacation for an long period of time. Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, San Francisco, Victoria, Vancouver hopefully Campbell River before I head home to Edmonton in Feb/March 2011.

I will be situated at home until August 1st 2011 then I will be moving to Victoria BC, heading back to China on a great job offer for an indefinite amount of time...

I hope to see everyone I care about when I get back home.

The gang!

Much love<3 Thanks for reading.

Chang Bai Shan (North Mountain) + Antu

Yaa Engrish!

The waterfall, it is surprising big since I am so far away you barley notice it is even in the picture.

We made it to the top after we thought we were going to die on our ride up to the top of the mountain.

Yeah I don't you can border hop into Korea from China through a volcano covered in ice and snow. All power to you if you want to try.

Finally a couple of us got the time off to head out of town so we planned a vacation out. Somewhere better than just poping over to Changchun for a 3D movie and some foreign food.

We took a train to Antu, this tiny little town. I'm not what to call it but it sure was boring there.

Eggs and corn cooked in hot springs.

Me flashing north Korea. LOOK AT THESE!

Ended up taking a taxi to a small water fall, a tiny hike through what a Chinese person would call a forest. before we went to the main exhibit. Chang Bai Shan Mountain where there was another waterfall much bigger in size and a hot spring where they cooked food in the water. We went on the scariest ride up the side of this mountain before we made it to the top.(there were several points I thought I was going to die, death by falling down the side of this mountain in a vehicle that this Chinese guy was driving like an insane maniac because he wanted to get off work on time.) At this time of year the water was still frozen over. All in all a great trip.

INFO:The lake has a surface elevation of 2,189.1 m (7,182 ft). The lake covers an area of 9.82 km² (3.79 sq mi) with a south-north length of 4.85 km (3.01 mi) and east-west length of 3.35 kilometres (2.08 mi). The average depth of the lake is 213 m (699 ft) and maximum depth of 384 m (1,260 ft).

Spring Festival in Beijing

So it was finally winter holidays one of the most deserved holidays since it was peak season at work. For those out there that don't know what peak season is it is when students go on vacation from Public school and attend private learning institutions such as the one I work for. So with talk about not sticking around Jilin in for the 2 week holiday we were off to Beijing.

We set off to eat foreign food and dick around Beijing for a week.

I love Engrish

The Village the foreign/western district.

My first bath in a year! Man do I miss bath tubs.

Beijing's famous street market specializing in food.

The best tandoori chicken I have ever eaten.

Best Indian food in Beijing....ever time I go to Beijing I have to eat there.

Kamats Indian Restaurant:205 Bldg. 28 Dongzhimen Waidajie, Second floor of Paddy O'Shea's //北京东直门外大街28号Beijing

 This Indian food place will cost about 100元 per person but it is best Indian food I have found in Beijing, let alone China.

Chinese New Year's fire worked hitting our 19th floor hotel window.

Happy Valley roller coaster. Also the more insane roller coaster I have ever been on. We had to wait over and hour to get on this ride but it was worth it.

Oh nachos how have I missed you. Sour cream you are my side love affair. (this is when I learned that I really really love sour cream)

The boat that is now closed down. Some how it was timed out so on the weekend that we were in Beijing there was this dub step show on a boat. It wasn't bad the drinks were sure cheap and they cold Jagermister.

Whopper Jr!