YEAR 3 :: My last year of travel

“The journey is my home.”
– Muriel Rukeyser

February 26th 2020 I had officially been travelling for three years straight. My “Round the World Adventure” was drawing to a close and even though I was incredibly happy (and a little proud) that I managed my stated goal of travelling full time for three years, the nostalgia was setting in… I don’t like it when things are drawing to a close, I don’t like it when things end…

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Wedding shoot at the Great Wall

China :: The Great Wall Mutianyu – Second visit

“If you want to know where the Great Wall is, it’s at the bottom of people’s hearts.”
– Chinese Proverb

It means: if the people make a concerted effort, and their wills unite like the Great Wall, the people will overcome all troubles together.

Other than that, this post isn’t about Chinese proverbs or uniting to overcome obstacles, it’s about my second visit to The Great Wall of China (first visit – click here).

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CHINA :: Xi’an – Great Mosque, City Wall Bike Ride and the Terracotta Warriors

”I was over that in about 15 minutes, to be honest…”
– Jess, about the Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors were on my bucket list and when Rachel, Jess, Nero and I ended up planning a trip to Xi’an together during the one holiday we got from our teaching job, it was primarily to see them. At least for me. It never dawned on me that it might not be as interesting to the others *lol*

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China :: Teach and Travel China (TTC)

”One of my students realized he could clap too, like I do when I want them to be quiet. That was the moment the line between student and teacher got wiped out… This kid… His face… It was like he… like almost FERAL.”
– Joshua Cremer

How do I sum up five months living and working in China? I don’t even know where to start…
I can sum up one night of work Rachel and I had to do, where the Chinese aid told us:
“You have to go on stage and maybe teach, maybe singa song, maybe teach animals. We have cards with colours, maybe sing a song, maybe Baby Shark, maybe? All foreign teachers sing Baby Shark, maybe we have cards for colours and cards for animals and maybe ten minutes before the play you sing a song…”

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China :: The Forbidden City

“It’s important to be comfortable with uncertainty.”
– Xiaolu Guo

I stayed in Beijing for two weeks preparing for my teaching assignment and during that time I checked off several bucket list items. The Forbidden City was nr. 2.

The Forbidden City was designed to be the centre of the ancient, walled city of Beijing. The former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty (1420-1912), it now houses the Palace Museum. The Forbidden City served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years.

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Shamelessly stolen from Wikipedia

China :: Arrived safely in Beijing

“When I was in Moscow I saw Lenin… and he’s in good good nick for being over 100 years, but he still looked rank. He was just sent off to Pyongyang to be re-pickled.”
– Joseph

I have arrived in China and I’m fine. Internet is shit, but my fellow teaching interns are awesome. We’re a good group.

I can’t log on to Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram or WhatsApp though. Trying to get around it, but it might be six months…

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