Confessions of a Travel Junkie

Hello fellow bloggers, I'm back....one year later!
Back on the scene again! Man, I guess I'm no good at this blogging business eh.

....Where do I start.......it's the new year, 2015! It's crazy how fast time is speeding by us. I'm really thankful for the past year, it's been an amazing one full of new adventures and experiences. I'd say 2014 would be a year I will never forget. The year I went to China for 4 months to teach English to children. How bizarre is it that it already feels like a dream. Looking back I can now say I regret nothing! I had the chance of a lifetime and took it :) there were stumbling blocks along the road of course but in the end it was soo worth it!
If you are ever presented with an opportunity to work or even study abroad I highly recommend you don't pass it up! You'll be glad you did, trust me.

Yup, China definitely takes the headline for 2014.
Here are some pics from my trip.....

Wuzhen 

(a beautiful little picturesque water town, basically Chinese Venice)

 Wuzhen by night

Buddhist Temple on a hill in Shaoxing

  West Lake in Hangzhou

 Literally the most delicious homemade noodles my tastebuds have ever had the pleasure of tasting

Jiaxing city

 Some of my students (ain't they cute as buttons?)

 Shanghai

Hong Kong (personally my favourite city ever)

Some of my fellow co-teachers

I promise there will be more frequent blogs to follow in the near future :)

Do You Speak Mandarin?

Um... so it's been a while....
Not quite sure why I abandoned blogging for a bit. Frankly, I have no excuse. All I know is that I'm back and I've missed you my sweet...
Okay, now that we've got the creepy I've-missed-blogging-affections out of the way, I actually have something worth blogging about.

An amazing opportunity has come my way, one that I almost refused to take. A teaching job in China. Yeah, as in other side of the world CHINA. A friend of mine taught in China for 2 years and is still in contact with the director of a private English school. He told me that they were looking for a foreign English teacher to teach kids for 4 months in a city 40 minutes away from Shanghai. They would pay for my accommodations, transportation and reimburse most of my airfare. Plus they would give me a certain amount each month for groceries. All they required was a Bachelor's degree. He asked if I was interested. Initially I hesitated and told him I'd get back to him, 'cause let's face it..China is quite a distance, like try a couple of continents away.
But then I thought to myself....WHY THE HECK NOT! I mean it's a great opportunity to grow and gain teaching experience, plus I don't think I can last another month at my current high-end retail job. I despise retail. It was then that I realized...fool, this is the opportunity that you've been waiting for! So I told my friend to get me connected with the director because I was VERY much interested.
Never did I imagine myself going to live in a foreign country for 4 months much less teach in China! I'm excited and nervous and terrified all at once. It's not so much that I really want to go but that I NEED to do this. I feel God is leading me this way. Ever since I got back from my life-changing (over-dramatic much?) 2-week Eurotrip last summer, even after I got over my Europe withdrawal (which I still never fully recovered from), I've been harbouring these longings and desires, like a canary (forgive my cheesy analogy) longing to leave its cage. I crave to get out of my comfort zone and challenge myself, see what the world has to offer. I'm so bored of Canada and the same old mundane routines of life. I want something new, different, fulfilling, a change of scenery. And then this job offer comes along and literally just falls into my lap.
Now, here I am about to pick up my Chinese visa (you know it's official when..)
So here here, to exploring new cultures and ways of life, to new beginnings and adventures, to failures that lead to successes. 
Or in the wise words of some mainstream rapper hooligan..."YOLO."

Ps. I LERVE this song man!

Sweet Nothing

For the longest time I was confused, I was living in a cloud of ambiguity. For the longest time I was frustrated because I didn't know what your intentions were. Funny how you don't realize how truly wonderful and alleviating clarity and closure can be. So with boldness and naked vulnerability I finally expressed myself to you....unfortunately the feelings were not mutual. I let myself be led on. You led me on. Perhaps it was unintentional, but it still hurts. A little bit. But it does. But you know what? Whatever the reason is as to why this is not meant to be or at least not meant to be right now, it doesn't matter. I believe everything will fall into perfect place at some point in time. In God's time. But right now, this is what I'm feeling....

A Walk Through Your Mind

What are you thinking? What I would give to take a stroll through your mind. 

So kind, yet so hard to read. So gentle, yet so confusing. It's so frustrating. Here I am over thinking things. Trying to distract myself. Trying hard not to think of you. Every day. Every. Single. Flippin'. Day. I've never been in this position before. I've always been the pursued. Seems the tables have turned. I don't know how to respond. Is it strong like? Is it obsession? I definitely hope it's not the latter. 
But how could I have failed to notice all those amazing qualities in you. Maybe I was in denial. Perhaps I noticed, but was protecting myself. I'm not the type of person to fall so easy. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. Then I met you. It changed everything. But for the longest time I've been running. Away. Scared. Detaching myself from my feelings for you. A mental and emotional warfare. Isn't it so weird how we met? Everything we've been through. How everything fell into place. How you stumbled into my life, and I in yours. Definitely God's work. But the question remains...are you the One?
Quiet yet inquisitive. Reserved yet amusing. Modest yet confident. Old fashioned and chivalrous. Caring. Sweet. Calm demeanor. Sharp mind. You fascinate me.
I don't understand what this is...what we are...where we stand. We see each other so often, more than regular friends would, but it's only ever been platonic. Was I too direct? Did I scare you off when I asked if you liked me? You're leading me on even though you haven't actually made a "move". You didn't even give me a straight answer. And that's what's been driving me crazy. Maybe you're not ready. Maybe the timing is not right. Was it something I said? I'm pretty sure I've made it clear that I'm interested. 
Wishing you could just ask me out already. Maybe I need to be more patient, after all, good things come to those who wait right? But on the other hand isn't life too short to wait?! Gah! What's a girl to do. 
Please reveal to me what you're thinking 'cause I really want to know.

The Host

Ok, you don't even understand how stoked I am for this movie. Stephanie Meyer's The Host is one of my all time favourite books and I'm really excited to see Saoirse Ronan playing the lead girl role. She's an amazing actress. It looks good, I hope it doesn't disappoint.

So Cheap!!

So my friend showed me this video the other day and I can't stop watching it. It's freakin' hilarious. Enjoy.

The Universal Language

Wanted to share a couple passages from The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, the book i'm currently reading which by the way is a brilliant book! Very deep and thought-provoking. Definite recommendation.

"It was the pure Language of the World. It required no explanation, just as the universe needs none as it travels through endless time. What the boy felt at that moment was that he was in the presence of the only woman in his life, and that, with no need for words, she recognized the same thing. He was more certain of it than anything in the world. He had been told by his parents and grandparents that he must fall in love and really know a person before becoming committed. But maybe people who felt that way had never learned the universal language. Because when you know that language, it's easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it's in the middle of the desert or in some great city. And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one's dreams would have no meaning." (Coelho, 93)

"The day after we met, Fatima said, "you told me that you loved me. Then you taught me something of the universal language and the Soul of the World. Because of that, I have become part of you."

"You have told me about your dreams, about the old king and your treasure. And you've told me about omens. So now, I fear nothing, because it was those omens that brought you to me. And I am a part of your dream, a part of your Personal Legend, as you call it."
"That's why I want you to continue toward your goal. If you have to wait until the war is over, then wait. But if you have to go before then, go in pursuit of your dream. The dunes are changed by the wind, but the desert never changes. That's the way it will be with our love for each other." (Coelho, 97)