Back in China!

I’m back in China! I mentioned my plan to return to the Orient a few months ago. Well, now I’m back in this fascinating place living in Beijing. I’m teaching English at a small language school called Amerilish. By the name you’ll figure out we specialize in American English. I live right across the street from our offices, which have a wonderful view being on the 26^th floor of the building. Check it out!

Those views make up for the non-extant views from my apartment that I share with a co-worker. Marvin is a Guatemalan Canadian and lived in the U.S. during high school. He has been in China for just over a year having spent the last year at a Beijing university studying Chinese. Our place is small and simple but more than enough.

Interestingly, I feel right at home here even though I’ve got to learn the city with its countless bus routes and extensive subway system and I don’t understand any words flying around me. What little survival Chinese I knew came back pretty fast, and I add a little here and there each day. Soon, I will begin Chinese classes provided by the school.

For church, I am in the Beijing 1^st Branch, which is full of foreigners from all over the world. Some are teachers, others students and others are professionals. The other two foreigner branches have more of the diplomatic families.

I’ve gone through the medical assembly line, been registered at the police station and have been treated to way too much amazing food. I’ve had a chance to see some amazing things and will see many more soon.

The day I arrived was a very special day for China and Beijing in particular. September 3, 2015, was the 70^th anniversary of China’s liberation from Japan at the end of World War II. In the morning, before I arrived, the airport was closed as were half of the subway routes in the city for a few days. Foreign heads of state and some of their armed forces were in town to participate in a massive military parade in the heart of Beijing in between the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. That is how I was blessed with really clear blue skies in Beijing for the first week I was here and could take those pictures from my office.

I didn’t get to see any of the pomp, but I really wanted to see the set up for it. So, last week on our day off, we made our way to Tiananmen Square to see the amazing flower and shrubbery sculptures for the anniversary. Despite the crowds, this was worth it; the flower arrangements are fantastic.

Stay tuned for more amazing adventures in China, particularly Beijing, and over the next few years around Asia. Remember, adventure is out there, so go have one!