My first experience with China was as a young American consumer. Throughout my childhood and into early adulthood, China was a source of goods consumed in my daily life, but beyond that, China remained a mystery to me. Until five years ago, when I visited China as part of a Ball State University delegation. During that trip, I had the opportunity to visit five amazing Chinese cities and meet many students, educators and business people. The image I had been expecting was shattered when I saw the modern Jin Mao building in Shanghai, the beauty of Beijing’s Summer Palace and The Great Wall, the history of Xian’s ancient Terra Cotta Warriors, the enormity of the Three Gorges Dam and crossing Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour for the first time. After that first visit, the mystery of China changed to intrigue.
When a job opportunity arose in Shenzhen, I jumped at the chance to move to China and began my new life exploring China as a resident. A new job in a new city in a country where I didn’t speak any of the language led to some interesting and frustrating experiences. More importantly, these experiences have helped me to broaden who I am both personally and professionally, while allowing me the opportunity to share China with my friends, family and colleagues in America. I love living here and over the last five years my love for China has only deepened.
Every day is a challenge; my comfort zone is expanded; my cultural knowledge is broadened and best of all I grow each and every day. Not a day goes by where I don’t learn something about myself and others. While I still dream, my life is now about goals and establishing the necessary steps to achieve them.
This blog has several purposes. One, it is therapeutic by giving me a place to write about my life and sharing my happiness, frustrations, successes, dreams and the craziness we all find in our daily lives. Second, it is a way for my friends and family to keep up with what is going on in my life. And finally, just maybe someone will stumble upon it and offer me a book deal.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the rants and stories of this big kid who lives and works in China; enjoying this journey we call life with my best friend, confidant, partner and soulmate.
