21st Birthday in China

The office girls are amazing!

I was lucky enough to spend my 21st birthday in China and boy was it special! I had a train to Shenzhen the morning of my birthday so the evening before, the Chinese English teachers decided to take me out for a birthday dinner. They knew me well as they chose a delicious hotpot restaurant (hotpot is one of my favorite Chinese meals!) to have one last meal together. We all sat and ate until it felt like our bellies would burst and then when we were finished they bring out a cake and sang Happy birthday to me as I knew out the candles and made a birthday wish. I couldn't have asked for a better last meal in Changsha.

Birthday on the beach!

The morning of my birthday, Nathan and I boarded a bullet train bright and early for Shenzhen and after a few hours we had arrived in the sunny and warm city of Shenzhen. We took our things to our hotel and decided to try and find the beach. After wondering around for a bit we got on a bus and thankfully were headed in the right direction and made it there. The beach was gorgeous and not too crowded and I thoroughly enjoyed taking off my shoes and feeling the sand between my toes. It felt crazy to spend my birthday in shorts on the beach, I am used to freezing my bum off in -30 weather!

Once the sun had gone down We headed back into the city and ate the most delicious Indian meal ever..it was such a nice change from Chinese food and the owner was fantastic!

As it was my birthday, I couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic and think of where I was physically and emotionally a year ago on my last birthday. I had just dropped my classes at the u of l and had packed up my things to move home and here I am a year later in China with Nathan celebrating once again! It's been a magnificent year and I am so happy With the accomplishments I have made and the experiences I have had!

Cheers to being 21!

Some awesome hotpot

Letting go of a lantern with a birthday wish!