Departure imminent!

Originally posted 21st August 2009

About 2 months ago I was ringing up i-to-i to enquire about their courses and now I’m only 5 days away from a 5 month trip to China! It’s been a busy couple of months, doing the course, sorting out everything I need for the trip and fitting in the usual nights out and reunions that coming home from Uni signals.

I am, as far as I’m aware, prepared: 120hr course… check. Visa for China… check. Ability to speak any Chinese (apart from hello)… pending, though when I think about it not knowing how to communicate with the majority of people I will be around for the next few months isn’t, strangely, the most daunting prospect. In just a few weeks time I will be stood in front of a class students potentially 100 strong! Despite this my overwhelming feelings are that of excitement and anticipation, I always planned to go travelling after university and now it’s just around the corner. I really don’t know what to expect though, I’ve never been outside of Europe so I’m sure there’ll be a fair amount of culture shock, It’s all going to be very new that’s for sure! I find out where I’ll be placed and who I’ll be teaching during my orientation in Beijing. So soon enough the veil will be lifted and I can start to see more clearly what to expect from my trip.

That’s about all for now,

I’ll start the blog in earnest once I’m in China.