So Glad I Live In China Right Now

 It has been a while since my last post so I have a lot to cover. 

On October 19th I judged a speech and debate competition at my school. It was my first time doing this.  I learned a lot and enjoyed myself.  I also got compensated for my time earning 140USD for about 6hrs of work.  

The rest of October was slow going.  I started rehearsing with the CNY band but ended up backing out because I did not want to commit to practicing on Sundays and they picked a shitty set list.  

I started using a new branch of my gym which opened up across the street from my job.  It is super convenience because now I don't need to walk so far to get my workout on.  

On November 2nd I had my first dentist appointment in 2 years.  It went well.  The view from the office was nice.  

Although I was cavity free they filled a couple teeth that were particularly sensitive because of exposed dentin near the gums.  Now they are markedly less sensitive. 

From November 5-6th the high school students attended a field trip.  I was originally scheduled to chaperone the 10th grade trip but was removed from that trip because they had too many chaperones.  I was asked at the last minute to chaperone the 9th grade trip because another chaperone, the head of school, backed out due to illness.   The trip was fun.  The location was the same as last year so I didn't take any pictures.  Students did team building games and competed in various games.  I participated in some just for fun.  I also took on the master of ceremonies role and had a lot of fun with that.  

The high school field trip was a nice distraction from American politics.  I will get into my feelings on that later in another post.  Let me just say that I am glad I live in China right now.  I am even more glad I signed a new 3 year contract.  

Faye and I went to Bangkok from November 8-10th for some shopping at a massive flea market.  I enjoyed the pleasant break from routine and an escape to somewhere I could indulge in my favorite herbal substance.  

We arrived at about 2am om the morning of the 9th after a late night flight from SZ Bao'an airport.  Our flight was slightly delayed but it didn't make a huge difference.  We stayed in the Urbana Langsuan.  I originally booked a studio suite but we got upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite.  

We arrived at about 2am on November 9th and took a taxi to our hotel.  We stopped at a dispensary along the way.  The Urbana Langsuan, where we have stayed once before, is a great hotel.  I originally booked a studio suite but we were upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite.  

I called my mom and talked with my brother.  Then Faye and I talked for a couple hours about the concerns and fears I have for my country.  While it was cathartic and helpful to get some of that stress out and talk about it, it got me too worked up to sleep.  So, I tossed and turned for a couple hours before finally deciding to get breakfast at 8:30am. 

I ate, then got some breakfast for Faye, and then went back to the room where I soundly slept until we both woke up at around 3 in the afternoon. 

Then we got ready to head out for dinner, shopping, and some fun.  

We started the evening at an Ethiopian restaurant called Taye.  I had not eaten it since summer time and Faye had never tried it so it was a good treat for both of us.  We were so hungry by the time it came out that we just ate and forgot to take a picture until we were nearly done.  It was a shame to let so much food go to waste but we could not finish and since we would be walking around in the heat for a few hours I did not want it to cause us to get sick.  

After dinner we went to the Tokyo Collaborative Thailand Flea Market.  Faye enjoyed the shopping, and so did I, but I eventually tired of it.  So I sat down and just relaxed for a while as she shopped.

When we had finished shopping we decided to go for some drinks and dancing.  We opted to go to gay bars since Faye had never been to one, the DJs tend to be top notch, and we wanted to catch a drag show.

We returned to the hotel to drop some things off and then went to the White Rabbit Bar to start.  

The DJ was great, the cocktail delicious, but there was no dance floor or drag show so we went next door to DJ Station.  This scene was a lot more energetic. The drinks were weak but the place was packed and had a good atmosphere. 

Once we were all danced out we headed back to the hotel for some rest.  We slept well, then the next morning I went to breakfast while Faye slept in.  When she woke up we got lunch at the hotel restaurant and then went for a massage at De Rest Spa.  

It was a good move getting a massage before our flight.  We returned to the hotel after the massage and took a grab to the airport.  

We landed back in Shenzhen late at night and then we had to work the next day. 

This coming weekend we will be going to HK to enjoy the All China Nash Hash.  This once annual event is held in different Chinese cities each year and involves drinking, running, and partying.  We will be there from Friday night into Sunday.

Our next trip is at the end of November during the Thanksgiving Break and we will be going to Koh Samet in Thailand.

I am already in the process of arranging trips over the December and CNY breaks. 

Stay tuned.