I had to say goodbye to a bunch of really awesome people, which kinda sucks, but now I have friends all over Southeast Asia, which is pretty cool. I really loved Cambodia, but I am very excited about finally going to China. The visa process has been pretty stressful and confusing, but I think that's normal. Hopefully everything works out and my 3 days in Hong will be uneventful and relaxing. I think they have a Disney World there and I know they have Starbucks...talk about magical!! I haven't seen that wonderful, green mermaid logo in 4 weeks. When I was in Russia, there wasn't a Starbucks in St. Petersburg, but there were a few in Moscow. I was only in Moscow for 4 days and I think I went to Starbucks 8 times...I would go see some awesome piece of history and then follow it up with a венти холодний чай (Iced Venti Chai). The baristas knew my drink by the second day, now that's legen...wait for it...dary!! It's amazing how a little taste of something so familiar can make you feel at home, even when you're on the other side of the world. It was also the only place in Russia that understood the phrase "customer service." There might be a Starbucks in Xi'an, but according to my latest google search, there is definitely not one in Jinan. Fortunately, I will be in the land of tea, so I should be able to find a satisfactory local substitute for my addiction.Saturday, December 19, 2009
The End in the Beginning
The first part of my journey is almost over. Today is my last day in Cambodia and I really can't believe four weeks went by that fast. I finished my TESOL course yesterday and received my little certificate saying I'm qualified to teach English. I have already updated my resume and everything, so its really official. And with the continued devaluation of bachelor's degrees, this certificate might actually be the most useful piece of paper I own. Anyway, I will be traveling to Hong Kong tomorrow to apply for my Chinese visa. I'll be there for 3 days and then I go to Xi'an (Shaanxi province). I'll be in Xi'an through the end of February and then I'll move to Jinan (Shandong province), which is where I will be for a year (I've included a map for your convenience).I had to say goodbye to a bunch of really awesome people, which kinda sucks, but now I have friends all over Southeast Asia, which is pretty cool. I really loved Cambodia, but I am very excited about finally going to China. The visa process has been pretty stressful and confusing, but I think that's normal. Hopefully everything works out and my 3 days in Hong will be uneventful and relaxing. I think they have a Disney World there and I know they have Starbucks...talk about magical!! I haven't seen that wonderful, green mermaid logo in 4 weeks. When I was in Russia, there wasn't a Starbucks in St. Petersburg, but there were a few in Moscow. I was only in Moscow for 4 days and I think I went to Starbucks 8 times...I would go see some awesome piece of history and then follow it up with a венти холодний чай (Iced Venti Chai). The baristas knew my drink by the second day, now that's legen...wait for it...dary!! It's amazing how a little taste of something so familiar can make you feel at home, even when you're on the other side of the world. It was also the only place in Russia that understood the phrase "customer service." There might be a Starbucks in Xi'an, but according to my latest google search, there is definitely not one in Jinan. Fortunately, I will be in the land of tea, so I should be able to find a satisfactory local substitute for my addiction.
I had to say goodbye to a bunch of really awesome people, which kinda sucks, but now I have friends all over Southeast Asia, which is pretty cool. I really loved Cambodia, but I am very excited about finally going to China. The visa process has been pretty stressful and confusing, but I think that's normal. Hopefully everything works out and my 3 days in Hong will be uneventful and relaxing. I think they have a Disney World there and I know they have Starbucks...talk about magical!! I haven't seen that wonderful, green mermaid logo in 4 weeks. When I was in Russia, there wasn't a Starbucks in St. Petersburg, but there were a few in Moscow. I was only in Moscow for 4 days and I think I went to Starbucks 8 times...I would go see some awesome piece of history and then follow it up with a венти холодний чай (Iced Venti Chai). The baristas knew my drink by the second day, now that's legen...wait for it...dary!! It's amazing how a little taste of something so familiar can make you feel at home, even when you're on the other side of the world. It was also the only place in Russia that understood the phrase "customer service." There might be a Starbucks in Xi'an, but according to my latest google search, there is definitely not one in Jinan. Fortunately, I will be in the land of tea, so I should be able to find a satisfactory local substitute for my addiction.
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