Houston, we have a problem...

Hello all,

I'm writing from San Diego, CA at Alexa's apartment. I've been here for nearly a week now preparing to leave for China. We've been running errands, packing and repacking and catching up with as many people as we can. We were originally planning on leaving tomorrow (July 31) but Alexa's employer encountered some delays with her paperwork and it looks like we'll be here in the States for at least another week or two. Oh well, San Diego is certainly a nice place to be stranded. We've been toughing it out at the beach lately. Rough life, I know. Luckily, we've found a great site to get cheap tickets to China (www.zuji.com) and we'll be able to book a last minute flight for less than an arm and a leg.

So that brings us to today. Just a couple hours ago, my future employer emailed me. He informed me that I no longer have a job because he has decided to shut down the school in the month of August. He cited personal economic difficulties as the reason but I'm not very inclined to believe it. During our negotiations several months ago, he raved about the expansion he was planning and how there's so much demand for English schools. He made it sound as if I could be managing other teachers within a year if I was interested.

Needless to say, the email I wrote back to him was fierce. I reminded him that moving to China was not a casual decision on my part. I quit my job, said goodbye to family and friends and committed to this adventure abroad, all on this promise of a job. I reprimanded him for his lack of transparency and reinforced how much I've invested in this commitment. I told him that he ought to pay for at least my one-way ticket and a month's salary so I have money to both set up an apartment and look for a job. I'm not expecting all of that, but I'm hoping to at least be reimbursed for the airline ticket.

Luckily, I still have some contacts interested in interviewing me over there and I'm reasonably assured that I'll land a job after a while. Unfortunately, with the tourist visa I have, I'm required to leave the country in 30 days from my arrival. So, as soon as I land, the clock will be ticking. I need to find a job and start the visa conversion process. Honestly though, if I had to, I could simply renew my visa by exiting and reentering the country. Regardless, it's going to be a big mess...

One could say that I was naive to commit to moving overseas without a signed contract, but I feel that the opposite would be true. Had I signed my year away site-unseen, I could have been in for a huge shock. I didn't want to be shackled to something I really knew nothing about. Besides, this is common practice with overseas job recruitment. Alexa hasn't physically signed a contract either. We've both had explicit agreements both through email and on the phone/Skype though, and that is about as much as you get when moving to China.

No one said that moving to China was going to be easy, but I certainly didn't expect to lose my job before I had it. I'll be sure to update the blog again with any developments.

Miffed,

Ryan

Goodbye Ann Arbor

It's 10 pm on my last night in Ann Arbor. After three important years on campus, I am finally leaving tomorrow. I'm nostalgic, though on many occasions I didn't think I would last this long. Every other day I was itching to get out of here, to taste the world.

As I was walking home from a friend's house in the balmy night, I started compiling a list of what I would miss and what I would be happy to live without.

Things I will miss:

- Big Ten Burrito - Ryan and I literally eat there three to four times a week. Where else can you get a huge, healthy meal for $3.50? It will not be my last time to btb.

- Being able to walk everywhere - Sometimes it's "stupid cold," sometimes it's like we're in Florida in July, but for the most part it's fair enough outside to walk to wherever you need to go.

- Our funny triangular-shaped apartment - It may be a noisy little fishbowl, but it has character and we made it our own.

-My friends Emily and Geraldine - Even though everyone is leaving on their own adventures, it will be sad not to be able to just pop over for a chat.  

- My coworkers - I spent the last 9 months working for Dorothy Gotlib Photography and had the privilege of getting to know some fabulous people. Dorothy, the owner and head photographer, taught me so much about photography and how to run a business. Joan, who I spent the most time with in the office, taught me the photoshop basics and so much about politics and current events. She is one of the most informed people I know! In our new office, James, the boss of the company with whom we shared a room, taught me how to play Mario Kart Wii and the wonders of No Thai. I'll be lucky to ever have a boss as kind as he is.

- Clean air - Living in suburbia does have it's perks. I know I will not have such luck in China. Every time I think of this, I take a deep breath and am grateful for it. 

- The quirky, liberal, academic feel of Ann Arbor - It's become endearing to me. I always feel like I can relate to someone here. I recognize that it's a little bubble of America. 

Things I will not miss:

- The insane climate - I will never get used to the dramatic range of temperatures. 8 degrees in the winter, 90 in the summer. The humidity, the gray skies, not getting enough vitamin D - I'm ready to forget it all. 

- The bugs - Killing one of those uber disgusting silverfish before you take a shower should not be a daily activity. 

- Our ridiculously finicky toilet - Ryan and I say to each other that when we strike it rich, we will import super Japanese toilets for our home. It's just not worth living without one. 

- The loudness of college kids - Who blasts "Song of the South" out their bedroom windows at 2:30 am? And why?

- The small town feel - I'm ready for something bigger, something more intense. 

I know I don't make the big move for at least a couple of weeks, but this still feels like a drastic change. I will miss the above, but I feel ready. I'm giddy at the thought of moving to Shanghai. It's going to be so challenging, but so invigorating. No one said moving to China would be easy, but almost everyone thinks it will be worth it. I know it will. Even if we hate it. This is the stuff that makes your life, that changes you forever.

I recently heard the old adage: "You can never go home again." Of course, Michigan and California will always be there. But, it will never feel the same. Ryan and I will never be the same again. The next time I'm in Ann Arbor, I will be transformed. It's what I've been waiting for all these years and I can't wait any longer.

Goodbye Ann Arbor,

Alexa