Almost 2 Months?

So I haven't updated this in forever... The end of the trip got a little hectic so I never got around to updating on the end of the trip on here, sorry if you checked this often hopping for an update and seeing what was going on over seas. The ending of my trip was bittersweet. I was ready to get home and away from the entire group and see old friends that i missed, but at the same time didn't want to leave, cause I wanted to travel more and see so much more. O well.

Anyways i can't believe it's almost already been 2 months since i've been home from my trip, it feels like just 2 or 3 weeks ago that, i walked off the airplane in Chicago, and jumped on a bus to head back to Bethel. I def miss everyone, and the trip itself, and at times catch myself kinda sad about being home and all that. It just makes me want to travel more and not be home.

But other than that my brother's wedding is coming up only a week away from this coming Friday, crazy to think he's going to be moved out, and married, and i'm going to have a sister. It should be a good time, i'm getting to make their slideshow, and all that, plus i have the duties of being the best man. So that's all the excitement right now in my life, planning the bachelor part, which for him is going on for two nights, wed and thursday before the wedding. A good time is planned for that. His apartment is coming together very nicely, they just bought a couch, and they are slowly getting their apartment all set up. I keep messing with him that I am going to be over there all the time... which I might be over there sometimes, but not that often. O and I almost forgot, being the Best Man, means I have to get a darn speech, YEAH!!!... not. Not to excited never been a fan of microphones, and speeches, so hopefully that goes well. I convinced my brother that I was just going to wing it when i got up there and made him nervous. I was completely messing with him cause there is no way I would get up infront of a whole bunch of people and wing a speech infront of everyone... cause knowing myself I would mess up or say something I didn't want to. Anyways that speech is slowly coming together.

So yeah my life since being back has been going non-stop, a three weeks class in May, working 4 days a week, and just getting ready for my brothers wedding, and all that jazz. It's been fast, and it saddens me cause it's been forever now since i was over seas having the trip of a life time. So hopefully someday I will get to experience all that again, in other countries and some of the same ones. I can't wait for that day, but until then, I can deal with the US, and good ole' Indiana... Until next time, and I promise to try and no let it be 2 months,

Keep on Living...

Let's Speak English!

So on today's event's we headed to a college, where we visited an English class and got to help the English students speak english and work with that stuff. I'm not the most outgoing person on this trip and was afraid of going and having to talk the entire time. Let alone my throat was sore, my head was draining, and I was not very coherent. So with all that on my plate didn't really make me wanna go anymore badly than I already didn't want to go. Not sure if that last sentence made sense, but yeah i hope you all get the idea. Anyways, today while at the college we walk into the classroom, and we get applauded. A very interesting way to get introduced to the class if i do say so myself. While there we got to be involved in 2 classes, both doing the same thing, which was sitting in the class and getting to talk to the Chinese students and learning from them. We were able to help them learn more about America, and the English language. In the end I'm glad I got to go to the college and do what we did, it was very different and interesting, but very nice to get this experience.

On other hands I'm not the healthiest at this moment in time... kinda sucks. My head has been plugged up the entire past 2 or 3 days so that's rough for me. We have a few days here left in the apartment before we leave for Xi'an, which I'm very excited for I can't wait to see all the country and the history of china outside of Beijing. This trip has been something I've been waiting for and needing since we've gotten here, something to get out of the same routine of doing everything. The studying, going to classes, and all that jazz we've needed a good trip that we haven't had yet, like we had every single week in New Zealand or Australia. So we leave Sunday around 6 pm and we won't be back for a week. I prob will have limited to no internet access so I won't be able to got on so that's all for now. Take it easy, and we'll talk to you all soon. Until next time Keep On Living!

DVD movies and Regions suck...

So today i officially started buying stuff... and well i told myself that i wasn't going to buy movies, but I went to a store that sold ligit movies. Went the largest mall in Asia according to Rob, and well let's just say it was a good size. I went there with Rob and Allisa to find new shoes, but couldn't find the right size in the shoe i really wanted. I need to find some new ones soon, so that i can break them in for my mini marathon. Monday should be the day that i get some new ones, prob Mizuno's cause that is the closest to something i might get back in the states.

Anyways after looking and trying on shoes, i failed so Rob took us to a bookstore that had real ligit DVD's. So i figured hey why not they are still pretty cheap so i'll pick up a few that I wouldn't want to pay full price for back in the states. I figured hey tonight i'll watch and make sure they work and all that, but guess what there is a Region code that u have to make sure that works for your region of the world... and guess what... THEY ARE THE WRONG REGION! If you can't tell this kinda made me tick, i mean i spent money on them and i was like yeah getting some good DVD's but nope wasted about 40 bucks on movies... o well that's what happens. So guess what i'm not doing for the rest of the trip... yep that's right I'm not buying movies anymore, unless i check the region code to make sure it works. Well that was my story for today.

Tomorrow we head to the Pearl Market for Chinese class which should be exciting. Were we will be shopping and bartering in Chinese with our Chinese professor and friends. This should be and exciting day, lunch, and shopping, let me know if there is anything that you would like to receive. Well I hope all is well and for now that's it more stories to come i'm sure since i still have a month left. Have a great weekend. Until next keep on living.

Crowds are something special...

So the past two days i've been on subways, busses and cabs, and guess what they all have been crowded. I thought when i heard that the busses were crowded i never thought as crowded as here. Getting onto the busses and sub ways, at rush hour is just a pointless mess trying to get through. First off, lets just say if u haven't seen it look up Japanese pusher on the you tube, and that's basically what i kinda felt like...

Ok well not exactly but close enough, I def got very close to some chinese people and the other people on the trip from school. As we see the train or bus come up we cross our fingers, please let it not be so packed and please don't let all these people be getting on the same bus. Of course they do, but every-time i don't see it as a bad thing, it's an experience. I do have to say that i'm getting used to the smell and the closeness of people than i usually am. One thing about the bus and subways when they are packed is they get a little warm, plus it's been in the 60-70's the past few days so, it's made it even hotter, so.

Classes are going well, def helpful and practical for our chinese class, our teacher is just teaching us some practical stuff so we can buy and barter, and be able to get around and home from when we are out. So far I have enjoyed myself, and this is def, and interesting experience. I haven't bought a lot from the markets, but i plan to get some stuff and a second bag for the trip home, so that i can bring everything back that i'll need. Other than that, that's all for now, experience everything, and soak it all in is what i've been told before going on this trip, and well that's what i'm doing so, until next time, keep on living.

Great Wall!

So today we headed to the great wall... Lucky for us it was a nice day sunny a little hazy, of course from the smog, and a good day to get a little sweat going. Here are some pictures:

Humidity, and Cleanest City

Just made it into our next destination which is Singapore, which so far it's very humid, but very clean. Just looking around the entire city it's amazing how clean it is just looking from the bus we road in on. I'm excited to see the city which I'm sure we will see plenty of, because of the 6 hours of walking that is planned for tomorrow on the city. I'll post later on here about our day out on the town when i get the chance.

Anyways I'm enjoying the trip so far, and for everyone that wants to know my favorite part prob. is Australia, even though we were only in it for a week or so. But I do enjoy everything that I have done so far, and can't wait to see what is in store for the next to places we go. Well for now that's all, I'll do a longer post tomorrow maybe if not later when I get into China. Until then Keep on Living!

Final 2 days in New Zealand...

Only 2 days left till I head to Australia. Where I'll be for about a week, then head off to Singapore for a few days. At that point I won't have internet access, so yeah. But Chinese let me tell you is way to much memorizing for myself. It's not to hard of a language, it's just all that dang memorizing that I can't handle. One more mid term here this morning at 11:00 for Chinese then I get a break for a little bit.

Finally finished my book I started on this trip, and it was a very well done book, which I may suggest to anyone who may be going through a rough time, this book will def. open your eyes. The book is called Half-Life/Die Already, check it out if you want something to change your perspective on tough times your going through... I'm thinking about starting it again, and trying to learn even more from it the second time I read it.

Other than that, that's all that is going on in my life, I only have today and tomorrow, for me that's Saturday and Sunday, that I have internet access so if you want to get a hold of me e-mail me or what not and we can chat otherwise you prob won't be hearing from me for a week or so. Other than that Keep on Living!