OR NOT

So, my brother (who lives in China) has informed me that the Chinese also block Blogger in China so I set up a blog here instead:

http://mrblisschina.tumblr.com/

Hopefully that one doesn't get blocked.


Also:

Knee How Ma?

The Summer has rolled around once again and that can mean only one thing for me and the rest of your teacher buddies...that's right, you guessed it! Life just got super super easy for us! And by "super," I mean they pay us the same amount as they do during the rest of the year to do absolutely jack diddley for two and a half months! It's the easiest! I mean, half of the days the hardest thing we do is try and figure out what the heck we're going to do that day! Can you imagine it?! What a scam! I really hope that a political party doesn't find out about this and start bashing us in the media. That would be terrible.

Anyhoo, I was getting really exhausted trying to figure out what to do with all my spare time so I applied and was accepted to participate in a trip to China as part of a Fulbright-Hays program administered through the federal government and the National Committee on US-China relations. That’s right, try and wrap your brain around this Jewel of knowledge:

I will be representing the United States as an ambassador for teaching in a foreign land.

This is how the dog reacted when I mentioned it to her:

I'm in San Francisco right now, in fact, as I type this, learning Chinese and getting lectures on China as part of a three day pre-orientation before our departure for Shanghai on Saturday.

I've been reading a ton about China and can't wait to begin exploring!

Three things before I go:

#1. In China, foreigners are referred to as yang ren, or Ocean People. I think that's cool.

#2. The name for the peasantry, or the rural population, is lao bai xing, which means “old hundred names.” I also think that’s cool.
#3. Courts in China have a 99% conviction rate…not so cool?

China is changing at such a massive pace it is hard to even begin to envision what I will encounter there. I’m excited to go but will miss spending the summer with my girls:

Girl #1:

Girl #2:

I'll try and post my experiences and expectations here as much as possible along the way but I’m not sure what internet access will be like. The same guy who runs the internet at Hillsboro High School must run it in China. There is no Youtube OR Facebook. Sheesh!

Two little panda bears reading comic books with flashlights under the covers, and covering their mouths when they laugh so they don't wake up their mom and dad and just being so excited to be awake still,

Sincerely,

Kimbo