Update

*This is an exceptionally long post as I have 2 months of updating to do...I've tried to make it brief!
Hello All!
I really would have been much better at updating this had I been able to. I don't have complete access to blogspot in Shanghai. I don't have complete access to facebook or youtube either. I say complete access because it is just that...I have to go to a proxy site, type in the url and then I can see it. I can log in to facebook and look at everybody's profiles, but I can't search for people (very recently this happened....that's truly how that was formed in my head...China does these things to you!...I suppose it should be "this happened only very recently"), write on walls, view the home page, view my message inbox, send a message, update friend requests and other various requests...so, basically, I can look at your page, see that you wrote to me, and either email you or wait until I leave the country (like now) to respond. As for youtube, I can get to the site but I can't watch anything. Blogspot, I can read other people's blogs, but I can't comment and it won't allow me to log in...STUPID!
So, here I am now, waiting for Tommy in Singapore...with free OPEN internet access. An update is in order.

Ok, so September til now...wow.
Shanghai celebrates Golden Week during the month of October. It is a national holiday that I believe originated to give the working class a few days off. So, for the holiday, Tommy and I went to Italy to ride motorcycles with his parents. It was a great trip, and there where only a few snafoos (sp?) along the way. I was stranded at the airport with no phone, then Tommy and I were driven off the road by an old Italian guy. Yes, we were pushed off the rode ON A MOTORCYCLE in a foreign country! It was a bit scary, but now it just makes for a good story...I also became an expert in landing on my feet when a bike is laid down...don't worry, it was stationary both times...neither time was Tommy's fault...We rode from Milan to Pisa, Pisa to Rome, Rome to Salerno or Sorento, down the Amalfi Coast (beautiful) to Cosino, and back to Rome. We took the train back to Milan where I got on the wrong train to the airport, Tommy lost his parents, and we all made it back to our respective countries without any major damage. :o) There WILL be another trip to Italy in the future. *ahem* Mom and Pete *ahem*

Since then, I have begun the all too familiar job search; which still isn't easy in the middle of a school year, no matter what country you live in...I started taking Chinese lessons, and I can now somewhat successfully take a taxi, order food in a restaurant, make a reservation, call for take-out, have very simple conversations (more easily with a child as they talk slower), go for a haircut, make plans with someone, count, and talk to my Ayi (housekeeper)...You'd think that would all be great, but it isn't so awesome when I freeze up and suddenly forget all that I've learned. But in all seriousness, I have enjoyed learning the language, even if I'm at the level of a 7 year old...which should be perfect for me if I do get a job sometime in the near future. (Which I will, I'm determined to stay positive!)
My lessons run for three hours 3-5 days a week. I just started a new course and it meets 3 times and the 1st one met 5 times a week. During the afternoon, I usually wander around the city and take it all in. I get on the subway, and get off a random stop and get out and explore.
I have way too much free time on my hands; and unfortunately, none of it has been spent on decorating our apartment...I will get around to it eventually...Chinese people have such different taste in home decor, so that is one of my current excuses for having an apartment that is less decorated than a hospital room...yes, I'm serious.
Although I am on the other side of the world from all but one of my loved ones, I am still really enjoying it. I get frustrated daily by the Chinese, mainly because their culture is so different and what is acceptable to them is not the same to me; but I suppose it is all part of the experience.
For Thanksgiving, Tommy and I are planning to have some of our friends over and make a Thanksgiving dinner...only the turkey will be prepared and cooked by one of the local restaurants and then have a potluck kind of thing for the rest of the stuff. I'm really looking forward to it!
I can't wait to come home in December. I will be in Odessa on December 5th. I hope to make it up to Lubbock for a few days and then back to Odessa. I will then fly to Houston on December 18th to see Tommy's family on his mom's side, then back to Odessa on the 20th with Tommy, then BACK to Houston on the 23rd to stay with Tommy's parents and have Christmas in Crockett. Then I will be back to Shanghai on December 29th...so a very short trip, but it will be so good to be in TEXAS!!!
So, all in all, I am doing great. Tommy is doing great, and we are still getting along swimmingly (I love that phrase!) I'm sure relationships aren't always this easy, but so far we only mildly annoy eachother from time to time, which is fine by me...
Miss everyone and hopefully I will get to see some of you in December. Maybe I'll even be able to update one more time before I get back to Texas...

Finally Hit Me!

So I created this blog almost a month ago to update people on my new adventure. I'm pretty sure I've also had my suitcases mostly packed for the same amount of time. A bit over-prepared, am I? Just a little. But really, you can never have too many clothes! As I put away clothes in my mom's guest bedroom, I really realize I have a lot of clothes. I will argue that I wear them all when the occasion arises, so I will keep them until I find I no longer need them or fit them.
I also realized just how real this all is. I never thought it was fake or not happening, but once I got my apartment packed up, and my stuff stored away and housed at my mom's, I thought, "holy moly, I'm moving to China!" So now I am just really excited. I am a bit jealous of all my friends who are finally getting to set up their own classrooms, but I have to remind myself that I will get the same chance too. Some day. But right now, I have another adventure to embark upon.
I will do my very best to keep this thing updated when I have something to actually blog about.
Talk to you when I've got something interesting to tell you!

Chapter 4: China

Why Chapter 4? 4 is my favorite number...that's really the only reason.

For those of you who don't know the back story, I dated Tommy, one of Drew's best friends for a year and a half while in college. Two years ago, his company moved him to Shanghai, China to work out there. We broke up because he moved but we've stayed in contact over the last two years. In December, Tommy told me he wanted to fly me out for a visit. We made plans for the first week in July (right when I got my week of paid vacation at my new job). We saw each other for the first time in two years in June on a camping trip and I pretty much knew then what the outcome of my trip to China would be.
I need to back track a little more and tell you that when this all first happened, I said, "I've never had any interest in going to China and I would certainly NEVER actually MOVE there!" (Hence the title of my blog.) So now I'm living amongst boxes and suitcases and tons of random stuff all over the place...

This is definitely a new chapter in my life. I will be moving to China on September 9th and once I'm settled in, I will begin Chinese Lessons and also get a part time teaching job. I plan to get a full time teaching job in January, and I'll see where life goes from there.
Crazy? Yes. Brave? I suppose. Excited? More than you know!

Assuming I remember to update this thing, I plan to use this to keep in touch with the important people in my life that I will be missing dearly. I will likely have limited (if any) access to facebook, so email, msn messenger, and this blog will be the best way to contact me until I set up a Chinese cell phone. jpaxton87@yahoo.com I use that as my email and my msn messenger name. Now for the fun part.

For the supporters: Thank you so much! I love you and will miss you a lot! I know this isn't going to be easy on any of us, but it's part of life and it's not forever. Your love and support mean the world to me, and knowing that you'll be there for anything is such a comfort!

For the skeptics: Yes, I have thought long and hard about this. I realize what I'm getting into, and know what I'm doing. (For the most part!) This is my life, not yours...so while I respect your opinions and concerns, it isn't your decision to make.

For the critics and cynics: This could be a disaster, or the best thing that's ever happened to me. Lord knows I can't tell the future, but if I never do it and take the chances, I'll never know and regret it forever. So again, I respect your opinions and concerns, but it's my life.

While I could go on and on about things I need to do here and things I can't wait to do there...those things needing to be done here need to be done soon, so I will go. I hope you find at least some entertainment out of this and I'll post to you soon!