Super Modern Shenzhen

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The first stop of nathan and I's journey through China was in the ultra modern coastal city of Shenzhen. I had to slip down to Hong Kong for a day to renew my visa and since SZ is right on the border it was a good place to hang out for a few days. Our first day there was my 21st birthday. We arrived mid day after taking the bullet train which travels up to 300km/hr and after checking into our hotel we took the bus out to Da Mei Sha- a beach just outside the city. It was so beautiful and not too crowded as it is "winter" in Shenzhen so most locals find it too cold to enjoy the sun and sand. It was a great way to spend the afternoon just hanging out and enjoying the nice weather- a great change from cold Changsha. Who would have thought that I would ever spend my January birthday in shorts on a beach!? That alone was awesome! After strolling along the beach and taking in the sights for a while we decided to head back into the city to an amazing Indian restaurant for dinner. The food was fantastic, the wine was smooth and it was a very cool place. Great way to spend my birthday! The next day I headed down to Hong Kong to get my visa done and Nathan explored a bit more of Shenzhen and found a quaint little park to hang out in. We took it pretty easy in Shenzhen as it is very new and there is not much to see there. It's pretty much just a big beautiful clean city which was a drastic change from old and grey Changsha. One of the nights we were there, we met up with a TTC friend and his friend that was .iving in Senzhen and had some drinks on a roof top bar. It was pretty cool. Our last day in Shenzhen we headed to a very interesting place called Splendid China. This place was such a laugh! It is a huge park full of miniature versions if all the different famous places around China. It was a pretty fun game to guess what everything was and was super hilarious. Only in China would someone pay money to see miniatures of things they could go see the big version of! Also funny to think that this was the main attraction of Shenzhen..come to Shenzhen and see everything there is to see in China miniature style! Oh China, never ceases to make one laugh! We made it to the train station just as our train was being called to be boarded and headed off in the direction of Guilin! We had a great few days in the border city of Shenzhen!

Left my mark at Dameisha!

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!

Saying Goodbye

The end of my time teaching at Shazitang Education Group has come to an end. These past 5 months have gone by way too fast and I can't believe it's time to say goodbye! I have had the time of my life here and gotten so close to lots of my students and fellow teachers so it's very hard to leave. I have grown so much not only as a teacher but as a person in general. I remember first arriving in China being able to count to 10, say hello and goodbye and a few other words and now I can speak to people and actually hold a conversation in Mandarin. I had no expectations as to what China would be like and was so nervous that I would be calling this country home but now it definitely feels like home and I am so sad to leave! It feels so strange to leave behind my students who's smiling faces and enthusiastic attitudes have brightened my days and the amazing staff of Shazitang that have been like family to me when mine was thousands of miles away. It is really a bitter sweet ending as I know that I have many more amazing experiences ahead of me but it is so hard to say goodbye to the people who have been my family and have made China home. China isn't perfect but overall it is an amazing and people country. The people are so kind and warm hearted and the food is absolutely amazing. I feel so lucky have been given the experience to work and live here. I will miss my fellow teachers and students very much.

Zai jen wo de zhong guo jia ren!

This is China

Our Chinese friends are like 15 year olds when it comes to cell phones

Matching mother-daughter PJ's just walking down the street on a Friday night

Chinglish!

This sweater worn by an 8 year old says sleep with me..teaching them at a young age!

future Chairman Mao (imitating many Chinese people talking photo with statue of  Mao Zedong)

The toilet on the 90th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center

My new hat and panda sweater! 

A Campfire in China

As an extra activity with my students about a month ago I showed my students one of Canada's favourite summer past times-having a campfire! We played some games and sang songs and even though we were inside with a fake fire and it was day time the kids still had an awesome time! 

English Debate Team

Throughout my semester at Shazitang I have been working with the school's English Debate Team. There are 30 extremely bright students in grade 5 and 6 that are a part of this team. I had to help them prepare for a performance debating on whether Chinese schools or English schools are better. They did a fantastic job! Can you imagine debating in a second language at just 10 years old! These kids are amazing and so cool and it was awesome to spend so much time with them!