LucyBlue is back from China......

I moved back to the States on October 7. It is now November 24 and I still have no job. Great. I miss my home in Beijing and I miss teaching kids. I miss all my great student friends. I read about reverse culture shock but honestly didn't think it would affect me. I was wrong.....

Basking in Beijing!

Photos from a trip to the Summer Palace.

Still loving life in Beijing! :) This blog is now unblocked in China so I thought I'd make a quick post. For up to date posts on my life in China, go to www.tinchina.typepad.com. The capital city of Beijing is gearing up for the 2008 Olympics! Spring has sprung here and there's many beautiful flowering trees and shrubs. The trees are full of newborn green-colored leaves and folks have shed their heavy coats and scarves in favor of light jackets or no jacket at all. Recent rains have washed away a lot of winter's dust and grime and the city looks like a car that just went through the car wash. Life is good.

Poor Lucy Blue....

It feels so strange not being able to see my Lucy Blue blog from China. As I said, I can write entries, I just can't see them. Things are fine here in China and I'm enjoying keeping up my "TinChina" blog. I want to post here every now and then just to keep it alive and well. I'm off work this week due to National Holiday week in China. National Day is October 1. I begin teaching again this Saturday, Oct. 6. I'm looking forward to it because I can only watch so many movies and play on the computer for so long. It's a little frustrating not to be able to communicate with anyone here. Like today, for instance. After arranging to have a water cooler sent to my apartment tomorrow, I walked quite a distance to a shopping center called West Point. There were many people out and about. Sometimes folks try to engage me in conversation but I just have to stand there like an idiot and tell them I don't understand. You can imagine how difficult it is for me because you all know how much Lucy Blue likes to talk, right? :) So this week has been a little lonely since I don't have my work friends around me. But I should probably just enjoy it because we won't have another vacation week like this until Chinese New Year in early February (or thereabouts....it's according to the Chinese calendar). I hope all is well with everyone who reads this blog and do tune to www.tinchina.typepad.com for a look at my life here. LB

Hello from Beijing!

It's really weird to post on this blog now since I can't actually see it and here in China.....the site is in Chinese! It was hit or miss to figure out how to log in! ha
So keep checking in on the other blog, www.tinchina.typepad.com, because that's where all the news and pics will be. I'll post here every now and then just to keep things going and hopefully the blogspot sites will be unblocked before too long! :)
Good night from Beijing! Lucy Blue

Countdown to China!

Today (Friday) was my last day at UT. It was a little hectic as I had a lot to do but that is now behind me. We even had red velvet cake in my honor this afternoon! Delish! Now the push is on to finish up the house, get everything in storage, move things to Nick's apartment and....oh, yeah....wash clothes and PACK! All before 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning when I will leave for the airport.
Because blogspot.com is currently blocked in China (I'm going to ask them nicely when I arrive to please unblock blogspot)....I have a new blog hosted by a company that is not blocked. My new blog, exclusive to my time in Beijing is www.tinchina.typepad.com. "T" in China. Get it? Only us older folks know the phrase, "I wouldn't do that for all the tea in China." Oh well. I thought it was a little catchy. I'll try to post a blog in China as soon as possible to let folks know I arrived. I will most likely continuing posting on this blog, just a bit more infrequently as I can post...I just can't SEE it. So tune in to www.tinchina.typepad.com for more complete and interesting blog entries, okay?
Lucy Blue is very excited about her new life adventure. She's just exhausted from the preparation to leave the country for an extended time. There's a LOT to think about and prepare for. I think I must have one of every kind of over-the-counter medicine every made! I bought things for ailments that I've never even had. You never know, right?
Time for bed now. Don't forget to leave comments on the other blog and let me know how you like it. And PLEASE email me when you can. I will LOVE hearing from family and friends in the States. And big, big points to anyone who will send me long emails about Big Brother (Joyce?). I hope to be able to access the NBC site to read about it but I won't know if that's possible until I get there and try it. Yawn! I'm really tired......

I'll miss you Altruda's!

Dinner last night with my "home girls" was fun and delicious! I would tell you what a few of them gave me as a "parting" gift but let's just say it's something you just can't find in China! ha I ordered my wonderful sausage eggplant dish....yet again....and loved every bite. It was good to spend a little time with this beautiful group of women before I leave.

I'm still going crazy trying to get everything packed!!! It's really unbelievable. Each time I move....it's just harder and harder (which is understandable as I am older each time). Each time I move I say it's the last time. Each time I move, it turns out to be NOT the last time! :) I'm predicting anywhere from 5-10 more moves before my story ends.

I have my visa now so it's official. I'm going to China! I have not been kidding when I've said that the 13 hour plane ride from Chicago to Beijing may be the first time this week that I can actually relax and get some good sleep. I wouldn't mind sleeping the entire flight. Oh, if only I had one of those business class seats that reclines almost to a bed!

I'll try to write one more time before getting on the plane but if there's no time then my next entry will be around September 5 or so and will be from Beijing! :) Keep me in your thoughts as I spend all day Sunday and well into the next morning on an airplane. I don't have a huge fear of flying....just a little tiny one! :) Don't forget to email me every now and then in China!!! I promise to respond. If you don't know my personal email address then leave a comment here and I'll get back to you.

This is How I Feel!

Funny....yet not! :)