I guess after overpacking coming home from Japan (a long nightmare-ish story I might add) and the fact I survived out of a rolly carry on suitcase for a whole month throughout Europe might do the trick. Packing and having to carry all the shit around from just 2-3hrs to 40+ days has an effect on a person. Trying to look suave while carrying more than you weigh can only lead to frustration. Throwing out unneccesary shit, bringing only a few pairs of jeans, watching what souvineers you buy all add up. Probably not every girl can pack like me, but I guess I'm not really girly either. LoL and the guys in the Belgium program actually had larger luggages than the girls when it came to pack for the 2week trip around the Balkans. I wonder what they had in there.
Thus, as my 4th time out there in the world (I count backpacking and belgium separate), I decided to bring even less. I have some feeling that after being in oh so cheap asia, I'll probably also need the space. And currently, I have filled up half of the rolly duffel bag, which was packed to the brim when I went to Europe. I haven't put in my school textbooks in, but I think that's about all I'll bring. I thrive on tank tops since I'm not a fan of t-shirts, so I guess I'll just have to buy some in China. :) That'll mean i'll have about another bag and carry on to bring back lovely designer knock offs. My Paradise.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
So It's Settled
Where to find me:
Aug 22-Dec 17: Beijing, and occaisonally other parts of China
Dec 18-Jan 2/3, '07: Hong Kong, unless I get to party with my cousins elsewhere
Jan 3- Feb 3, '07: Thailand, baby!! Teaching English in Koh Chang 4hrs a day, 5days/week. Then spending the other time elephant trekking, beaches (note the plural), scuba diving, national parks, and trekking over to Cambodia. Afterwards, eating, pampering myself, meeting new people. Totally psyched that I got my placement there, it's just the perfect plan after a million other ideas.
Feb 4-Feb 17th: I want to be in Malaysia, maybe Singapore?, then fly to Vietnam. Using the train to go into Hong Kong. I wanna hit Laos, but time!!!
Feb 18- Feb 20: Celebrating Chinese New Year!
Feb 21: Going back to Jersey, USA. How boring.
Feb 22- March 20?: Either going to Venezuela to visit Cristina or staying in NJ to get some spending money for Japan.
March 20- early Aug: Japan! (that is if life goes the way i planned).
Other places I want to fit in this year but probably can't: South Korea, Aussie, Kiwiland, Fiji, Indonesia.
So there you have it, my year in a nutshell. It's going to be another wacky year, hoping to meet lots of crazy weirdos (if you are one, that's a compliment), and learning about life.
ps. for not so exciting news, I got new glasses in Chinatown today. Pretty spiffy for $100 total incl ultra thin lens. Might get designer frames when I'm in Hong Kong just to add to my once a year vanity appearance.
And my oh so fav Dim Sum restaurant Grand Harmony on Mott St. is closing down for half a year for renovations after today. ;( They have the best chicken feet in Chinatown, and the ladies wheeling the food carts were so nice giving us extra food since it was the last day. I'll definitely go back there once I come back to the US. Hopefully those people will still be working.
Aug 22-Dec 17: Beijing, and occaisonally other parts of China
Dec 18-Jan 2/3, '07: Hong Kong, unless I get to party with my cousins elsewhere
Jan 3- Feb 3, '07: Thailand, baby!! Teaching English in Koh Chang 4hrs a day, 5days/week. Then spending the other time elephant trekking, beaches (note the plural), scuba diving, national parks, and trekking over to Cambodia. Afterwards, eating, pampering myself, meeting new people. Totally psyched that I got my placement there, it's just the perfect plan after a million other ideas.
Feb 4-Feb 17th: I want to be in Malaysia, maybe Singapore?, then fly to Vietnam. Using the train to go into Hong Kong. I wanna hit Laos, but time!!!
Feb 18- Feb 20: Celebrating Chinese New Year!
Feb 21: Going back to Jersey, USA. How boring.
Feb 22- March 20?: Either going to Venezuela to visit Cristina or staying in NJ to get some spending money for Japan.
March 20- early Aug: Japan! (that is if life goes the way i planned).
Other places I want to fit in this year but probably can't: South Korea, Aussie, Kiwiland, Fiji, Indonesia.
So there you have it, my year in a nutshell. It's going to be another wacky year, hoping to meet lots of crazy weirdos (if you are one, that's a compliment), and learning about life.
ps. for not so exciting news, I got new glasses in Chinatown today. Pretty spiffy for $100 total incl ultra thin lens. Might get designer frames when I'm in Hong Kong just to add to my once a year vanity appearance.
And my oh so fav Dim Sum restaurant Grand Harmony on Mott St. is closing down for half a year for renovations after today. ;( They have the best chicken feet in Chinatown, and the ladies wheeling the food carts were so nice giving us extra food since it was the last day. I'll definitely go back there once I come back to the US. Hopefully those people will still be working.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
23 days, but who's counting?
Got some email exchangings going on with a guy going to be on the program. It's pretty cool, but at the same time I wonder if I should do my exchange a little differently this time. To actually hang out with Chinese students, really try to be immersed in China and speak the language. I will probably need a pampering buddy to hang out with though, that's for sure when I go get those foot massages and hit up all those tasty restaurants. ah well, life will go on.
Friday, July 28, 2006
24 More Days...
It's not like I haven't gone through the procedure before: cleaning up, packing, throwing junk away...but it always seems like I don't have enough time at the end. I still have to finish up my Japanese application for Ritsumeikan, some Japan scholarship, pack, work, meet up with friends...which is the main thing I need to squeeze in between working, and getting a korean body scrub. Not to mention nag some Austrailian guy who has my photos to pleaaase mail them to me. it sucks not to have lost my photos...twice. in one trip. who could be more stupid than that? Guess it's just me.
Thoughts and feelings about China? Definitely don't know what to expect. I may be Chinese, but I have no clue how to live like one. Good news though, I decided I'll be volunteering in Thailand for a month in January, to pump up my resume just a little bit more, and to boost up my points for government fellowships. Okay, that and knowing I've done some good deeds in the world, and I want to try and get a scuba diving license while I'm at it :) Plus good food. I think that's my only requirement to travel to some country. Now you also know why I want to go to Vietnam. Of course to try those Vietnamese noodles! ^_^
Thoughts and feelings about China? Definitely don't know what to expect. I may be Chinese, but I have no clue how to live like one. Good news though, I decided I'll be volunteering in Thailand for a month in January, to pump up my resume just a little bit more, and to boost up my points for government fellowships. Okay, that and knowing I've done some good deeds in the world, and I want to try and get a scuba diving license while I'm at it :) Plus good food. I think that's my only requirement to travel to some country. Now you also know why I want to go to Vietnam. Of course to try those Vietnamese noodles! ^_^
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