More like H2-NO!

Sorry for the recent radio silence (is there an internet-equivalent for that phrase?). I have been really really busy lately as the end of the semester approaches, and I had to ban myself from using VPN-powered internet in order to keep focused and productive. I am going to take a break from the backlog of posts in order to tell you about my life in its current state.

That… and because irony never escapes me.

China and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Let me tell you about my day…

I was supposed to observe one of my Chinese colleagues at eight this morning. I awoke at 7:15 to a severe la duzi (拉 肚子) fit—so I cancelled that. Regardless, I wanted to make the day worthwhile. I worked through the morning: washed a load of laundry, ironed my trousers, graded midterms, organised and tidied up my flat and even found a website to watch the last episode of The Walking Dead.

Other than cancelling to spend too much time on the porcelain throne, I would have to say all in all, a great morning. Then I left for a lunch date I had made with a couple of PCVs and another foreign teacher at my university. I successfully ordered some zi ran tudou pian (孜然土豆片) over rice, and it was delicious.

At this point, China turned on me. It was no longer a good day...

Anchorman Reference.

I wrote this on 5 September, right after teaching my first class.  Enjoy...

En Route Reflections

As frustrated as I was during PST about not having the ability to post my blogs, this exercise of posting them months later has been quite delightful. I have enjoyed being able to look back and review/reflect on what I was going through. Even if the post was nothing more than a snapshot of the instant when my fingers were on the keys, it has been interesting to compare my thoughts and feelings from then to now. The following is one of those snapshots—digitally scribbled as I transitioned to the toughest job I'll ever love. 

And, as a blogistic note (you see what I did there??), the backlog of blogs is nearly finished. I'm ashamed to admit that I did not write a lot during my first semester of teaching. In the coming weeks, expect those blogs, then the most recent blogs about my travel and vacations. Hopefully, I'll be posting in real-time before the semester is over.