Y’all, it’s been a whirlwind few weeks leading up to our China departure! Andrew and I crashed with friends and family for the better part of a month since we FINALLY got renters (who are awesome, btw) and made the most of our time off of work. It kind of felt like summer vacation, although we didn't do much resting!
During the past month, we visited parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends across six states. In our spare time, I started a new business (selling lipstick if you care to know—and I’ve already sold $1,000 of product! I mean, half may have been to myself, but still…) and a new video series! And, most importantly, we finally received our Chinese work visas just two days shy of our departure. Talk about cutting it close!
This month has been rejuvenating and an awesome opportunity to appreciate the people in our lives and the beauty surrounding us in our own country every day. A lot of people asked how we were feeling as we approached our departure date. Andrew was a very practical and understandable 50/50 split between excited and nervous. I found my split to be closer to 90/10—and the 10% nerves are manageable. The pollution concerns both of us and there will be some adjustments and difficulties, but there is something about stepping outside your comfort zone that provides a resilience, or at least an adaptability, to a majority of situations. I’m sure we will have tough times, but I will also relish the opportunity to stretch my boundaries even more—plus I’ll have my awesome life partner by my side!
It’s crazy to think that this whole adventure started in an Airbnb in Hell’s Kitchen last year during a girls’ weekend. We were all hopped up on mimosas and our youthful ambitions when I received the email informing me I had an interview with Disney English. Honestly, I had kind of applied on a whim—I hadn’t really even spoken to Andrew about it yet. But that weekend rekindled the part of me that my girlfriends knew so well in college—the person who takes risks and always craves a challenge. So, that weekend we toasted to living life to the fullest and commemorated our rededication to be true to ourselves—some of us by getting tattoos and some of us by deciding to move to China. And maybe some of us both.
We have now arrived safely in Beijing for training before we head to Shanghai. We don’t know where this new journey will take us or where we will end up on the other side, but we are dedicated to building the life of our dreams—one filled with happiness, love, and adventure. Stay tuned for our Asian adventures!
Happy Travels!
*Check out my new YouTube page! I will be uploading Vlogs and videos from our time in China.