Progress...

My contact, Lisa, informed me that the paperwork is well on it's way to being finished and should be arriving in my eager hands "soon". Oh. I don't really know how long "soon" is, but I'm hoping to have it by mid-July, about the time I will be arriving in Texas.

Today is my last day at the Courtyard by Marriott. It's a bittersweet feeling. I've met so many great people here and I will be sad to leave them. I will never forget fosse, that's for darn sure. On to bigger and brighter things though, eh?
My wonderful coworkers threw me a party last night at a local bar, Rafters. We ordered many a chicken wing and drinks. There were basketball competitoins, pool competitions, air hockey competitions. Chatter abounded. In the late night there was even karaoke. All in all, it was a wonderful night and I am very appreciative of those who came out to say farewell to me before my new journey begins.
Pictures will be posted at a later time.

This morning I recieved an e-mail from Lisa about the classes I will be teaching. I shall be a professor-ish of oral English, with about 40 students around the age of twenty years old in each class.
I look forward to the challenge, but I don't promise I'll learn everyone's names.

Tonight, chores must be done. Errands will be run, things will be packed, furniture will be disposed of, and I shall attempt sleep. Three days left in Massachusetts... I can hardly believe it.

In the beginning....

As I'm not in China quite yet, I thought I would just start off by describing where I am going, what I am doing, why I am going, etc.
So, let's get to it!

Where I am going:

Jiujiang City is located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River and in the northern area of Jiangxi Province. It is a popular tourist destination (mostly for Chinese tourists, I imagine) and contains few westerners. It's wikipedia page is rather sparse, but I intend to do some editing on it once I get over there. I'm posting the official Jiujiang website here, so you can read more about the city if you feel so inclined.
From what I have read, Jiujiang is about eight hours, by bus, away from Shanghai. That is just.... super, really. Hopefully Nathan will be working in Shanghai, in which case, it won't be too terribly difficult to visit him. Huzzah.

What I am doing:

I shall be teaching English for a year, I believe, at Jiujiang University. I have a complimentary apartment in the foreign teachers dorms, complete with furniture, and internet. I don't know yet how large my classes will be, whether or not I am teaching oral English or a standard class, nor how many other foreign teachers reside there. I think this is all part of the fun, and I shall continue to think that until I am thrown into an unfavorable situation (although I hope that doesn't happen).

Why I am going:

I have a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Anthropology. For the past year I have been working in a hotel, and I feel, not really utilizing my degree. Now it is time for me to embark on a new adventure, meet even more new people, and fulfill my dream of returning to China. That's it really.


Where I am at the moment:

Currently I am still in Massachusetts, packing up my apartment, and working my last week and a half at the hotel. I've been rushing to sell all my furniture, plan my roadtrip to Texas, and still keep my sanity. I will be happy for the two week vacation I am taking in Maryland at the beginning of July.
My visa paperwork is in China, and after I turn in a couple more documents, should be processed and on it's way to me. Once I recieve it I must buy a plane ticket, head to the Chinese Consulate in Houston, and get the rest of the paperwork I need. It's a long, tedious process, but once it's all done I will be so very happy.

So, that's about it for now. Once more progress is made with the visa and everything else, I shall update.