renyouwei

Introduction

Posted 2007-08-21 11:23:39 | Comments (1)

Hi!

My name is Evan.  I am from Marietta, Georgia (USA), a suburb of Atlanta (remember the 1996 Olympics?).  I recently graduated from the University of Georgia (December 2006), and beginning in September, I will be studying Mandarin in Harbin, Heilongjiang (China).

I am very excited about moving to China.  Previously, I have made two trips to China, both for language study.  Both times, I lived in Beijing, the first time in Haidian the second time in Chaoyang.   Living abroad can be an adventure: learning about the new city, the new customs of its and their unfamiliar lifestyles.   New movies, new TV shows, new music, and, my favorite, new food.  Chinese food. Mmmmmm.

Living abroad is not all fun, it can also be very intimidating.   For example, in America, I am accustomed to small towns and owning my own car.  Moving to Beijing, I had to learn about public transportation, for the first time in my life!  Life can be stressful.  One can become easily overwhelmed with all the "unknowns"... where do I buy a bicycle?  am I paying too much? where do people my age hang out?  how do I make Chinese friends?  what is polite behavior?  what is impolite?  and... of course... you begin to miss home. 

Right now, in America, I am beginning to think about the things I will miss: unfettered access to American blogs, news sites and encyclopedias.  I will miss fresh bakery-made bread with butter and homemade jelly.  I will miss being near close friends and family.   So, I, right now, I am eating the foods I will miss, talking to the friends I will leave behind, and visiting those websites that I cannot access in China.  Packing is not the only preparation one makes before living abroad.

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