So I'm going to China

So now that it's all out there, I can finally talk a little bit about China. I would've gotten into this earlier today, but both my trucks decided to have problems today. Long story short, I pushed a truck through the snow and waited while Autozone puzzled at my truck, but finally managed to make it back home.

With that minor vent out of the way, let's talk a little bit about China and why I'm headed there. You see, I'll be headed to a school in Shenzhen, a coastal city right next to Hong Kong. I've been researching it for months and I desperately wanted to work there, so when a job with the right pay and right location came up, I jumped on it.

I'm well aware of all the challenges in front of me. No, I don't speak Chinese, Mandarin or Cantonese. But I'm trying to learn, my job will offer me lessons, I have translation software that doesn't need internet, and it's a Tier One city, so English is fairly prevalent. I'm already taking care of everything from shots to accomodations, so for anyone concerned that this is coming out of nowhere, I promise we've been doing homework.

But why? Well, I'll share with you the same thing I shared with my interviewers. You see, I've always kind of wanted to teach. I mean, I'm part of the NAU journalism program teaching aspiring reporters and editors the ropes for a living right now, plus I've been training wrestlers for a couple years with KAW. I've naturally drifted into a role as a teacher or mentor so many times over my life without every intending to. But as for being an actual teacher... well... we all know the money isn't great. I have so much respect for all my friends that have taken up the noble pursuit of educating the youth, but even they have to admit the Red for Ed protests and strikes had a point. Teachers don't get paid much and they're expected to take on so much. So... I focused on writing and filming.

But then I stumbled into this whole "teach in China" thing. I researched. I watched videos. I scoured the internet for testimonials from expats. And you know what? China's cost of living is significantly lower than here. With good pay and cheap living, we can finally make some headway, earn a little extra cash, pay off our student debts, and hey, maybe I can afford an editor or two to help make The Paladin all it can be.

Don't get me wrong, it's not all about money. I went to the Netherlands for the experience and I have never regretted the time I spent there. China will be another grand adventure. Furthermore, it's in a perfect location to open us up to do even more exploring. So beware, all my Dutchie friends, you may be seeing me around Breda once more. 

I hope that answers a few questions. I'll talk more about the process as I go, but for now... I think I need to just crash. This whole process is draining.

​DFTBA