ni hao!

hello followers!
yes - i am OFFICIALLY back in action.
after finally getting my VPN all set up, i had a "mac-tastrophe"! (i am a nerd.) my macbook started freaking out which meant a 24hr whirlwind experience of finding an apple store, getting it fixed, etc...
anyways -- i know you are all dying to hear the details, details, details.
here they are - kinda condensed because i am ready to be blogging about the present and not the past.

here goes...
long flight. no sleep. awesome movies. beautiful views. luggage found. met up with shaun.
van ride to orientation ... "i really made it. i really did do this :)"

orientation week...

filled with many activities like eating at fun restaurants (minus the vegetarian place ... it was gross!), an acrobat show, going to the Bund, and the World Expo!!

Eileen and I. I taught her how to braid. We were twins!

crazy acrobat skills.

me at the Bund - downtown Shanghai

my Expo ticket

Hai Bao - Expo mascot

sickest. noodles. ever. but cool nonetheless.

we wear our sunglasses at night. (world expo!)

dinner at Sichuan Folk. diggin the Yin Yang dish.

Jasper, me, Eileen, Mac (roomie)

after orientation i moved into my apartment (pictures to post later - once i take some :). let's say though - i LOVE it. huge loft, kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom. buuttt... you have to walk outside to get to the bathroom. let me just leave ya hanging on that one :)

also - mackenzie & i are living together!!! it is so amazing to have someone to explore with. i am so happy about it.

i LOVE my school. it is called Wunan Kindergarten. It is located right next to the US Embassy. It is also an international school! Mainly Chinese but a mix of other nationalities too! I teach a 3 year old class and a 6 year old class. i love my teaching partners too!

isnt it amazing! i will also take a picture of the front. its so cute! its HUGE! i really lucked out. :) 

of course - thats not all, but i can only blog so much.

i PROMISE i will keep up with this now. i can't wait to have you all on this journey.

...and tomorrow i'll see the moon from half way across the world.

i was walking out of my house today to run one last minute errand to target (gotta have those headbands), when i came to the realization that tomorrow, well monday night, i will see the moon from a place far away from anderson. but, it will be the same moon. i looked at the moon, took a deep breath, got in my car and started to cry. but it was happy tears. i realized, in a few short hours i will be fulfilling a dream i have had for a long time. i realized, i am proud of myself! i needed to be taking this all in i was told by a friend :).  in 5 months, anxiety is going to look slightly different. in 5 months i will be anxious to come home. this current feeling will be something of the past i can look back on.
i am laying in my bed right now. my macey girl :) is laying next to me. my room looks like it always has, but with an emptier closet. i drove around anderson and thought, all this will be the same when i come back, but i will be different. i will have seen the world and be back with new eyes, thoughts and dreams. i will have stories to tell.
i love my family. i love my friends.
continue to read this blog and share in my experience with me. if i could, i would have ALL of you visit (and please do, seriously).  the next time i blog i will be in shanghai!

in some way or another, all of you have made some impact on my life. thank you. keep in touch.
and please... follow your dreams. i did :)

new hair for my upcoming adventure.

so, whaddya think? i love it. it's new, it's fun, it's short. maybe, but only maybe, will i not stick out like a sore thumb in China. well, that won't happen :), but it's a fresh start to my adventure rapidly approaching. tomorrow makes it ONE day until i leave. can you believe it? i know i can't. it's been such an amazing week though, i would not trade it. i've spent so much time with friends and family, more than i ever have! i think tomorrow i am going to be a wreck. i don't even want to think about sunday morning. it's not that i am not excited about going, but leaving for a long time in general is just a hard thing to do. i am ready for it to be over with. i am ready to be on that plane, taking a deep breath and saying ... "I did it. I am on my way."
:)

can't sleep. picture update.

daddio and i :)

colts training camp - manning.

mom & i at the indiana state fair.

deep fried oreos. amazing!

favorite part of the fair.

american gothic gets big.

my last week in the states for 5 months.

the title of this entry really freaks me out. every time i think of 5 months it seems longer and longer and longer... this is my last week! this is my LAST week! i just keep thinking that in my head about every, i don't know, 5 MINUTES! i am very excited but it's turning into being scared as well. i just keep thinking.... ok, tomorrow is my last monday in America for awhile. then tuesday will be my last tuesday in america for awhile. and so on, and so forth with the days of the week.
but goodness i have so much to be excited about! my orientation schedule and my visa came this week! 
here is a little sneak peak and what my days will look like during my first week in shanghai:

              

Breakfast 07:00 - 08:30 a.m.

Survival Chinese Lessons 09:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Break 10:00 - 10:15 a.m

Simulated Class by Experienced Teacher and Q&A 10:15 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.

Lunch 12:15 - 01:00 p.m

Briefing: Logistics of Living and Working in China 02:00 - 03:00 p.m

By ACS, U.S. Consulate in Shanghai

Excursion: the Bund 03:00 - 05:00 p.m

Dinner at Vegetarian Restaurant, Jujube Tree 05:30 - 07:30 p.m

Acrobatic Show 07:30 p.m. 

 -- and this is my Wednesday to be exact. sweet right? yeah, i thought so.

tonight, a girl who is also going to be teaching at New Jazz, who I have gotten to know through facebook, was talking about how we will all become like family over the next couple months living so close together.

i'm excited to be able to call new friends family. 

this last week is going to be bittersweet, hard, exciting, nervous and most of all... one step closer to a life changing experience and pursuing my dream. my passion. :)

last day of nannying.

spent the entire summer with these kiddos.

& wouldn't have traded it.

11 days.

gonna make them count.

let's celebrate - mexican style!

pictures were all that is really needed for this post. enjoyed a fun dinner at my favorite restaurant in anderson with some of my favorite girls :) oh, and favorite little boy ever! I can't believe I won't be seeing these people for 5 months. it's hard thinking about my life without seeing them or driving to their places just to mess around, gossip, giggle...

but i am officially ready for this adventure to begin! bring it on.