#backtochina

[tracy198911]

First attempt of the travel blogger airport post ✈️🇨🇳#backtochina #kunming #airportootd #perfectingthejourney #rimowaessential #m2ktekno (at Kunming Changshui International Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz2fwklgl-e/?igshid=l68negcorpm2

[whereismona]

回国真是一波三折

[lamontecristo]

Last day in Australia spent well. Always a pleasure to spend time in the Aussie great outdoors 🌲 ☀️ 💧 #nature #living #BackToChina #Shanghai #puffingbilly (at Emerald Lake Park, Victoria, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsMOIWDDNM_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=y6jjlybn6syc

[alessandrolenzini]

#me and #master #jianzhoucun #tuishou #tanglang #tanglangquan #chuantong #wushu #neverendinglearning #neverstoplearning #neverstopstudying #piaceridellavita #salvatorecafiero #jinan #china #cinaarrivo #backtochina #culturacinese #palestravita #ccaawushu #merate (presso VITA srl)

[fotoblg]

Was a great summer Toronto, till next time ✌🏾👊🏾 #willmissit #timetowork #backtochina (at CN Tower)

[vickyzmm]

Expecting your first long flight?😝 . . #IrvingWen #babyboy #1y2d #longflight #backtochina （在 Sydney International-T1 Departures）

[mrdphayes]

Returning to China

September 17, 2016 Coming back to China as a non-Peace Corp Volunteer is a bit surreal. I felt a sense of emptiness when I had to leave the Peace Corps coupled with a disappointment from being unable to complete the entirety of my 24 month service. Thus, coming back felt more like a necessity. This isn’t to say that I didn’t want to return but to wax poetically, one could say that I had left without writing the end to this chapter of my life.  

Since my arrival I’ve scoped out a gym, started practicing Chinese again, settled into my lucrative teaching gig and begun writing again. While in the Peace Corps I was unable to really splurge a lot of money on activities but coming back as a contract teacher enables me to spend a bit more money on things that are not necessary but can elevate my quality of life. Would I like a nice coffee in the morning, or the more occasional western meal as well as the money to travel more often? I can’t say that it’s not welcome. It’s nice but at the same time being in Chengdu compared to Chongqing is different. The parallels extend in that Chongqing and Sichuan are next to each other geographically but Chengdu has a plethora of foreigners relative to where I was previously in Daxuecheng. The population density surrounding my abode is also substantially higher, which wouldn’t bother me so much except for the fact that it means using the Internet is exceptionally slow sometimes. It was far faster and more responsive in my lesser populated Peace Corps site. It also means that using a VPN to do things like update my blog are more difficult. But it’s so small when one pans out to see how developed Chengdu is relative to areas of rural Gansu or Guizhou.

There are pros and cons of my new life here. Making a list I’d surmise off the top of my head that they look something about like this: Pros: -More spending money -A really nice gym close to my work that I can use every day during my 3 hour (yes 3 hour) lunch. -I can actually save some money for later use. -The ability to go where I like when I would like and not report to an authority figure. -I don’t have to worry about a myriad array of rules, even if they are put in place for my own benefit.

Cons:

-Healthcare isn’t anywhere near as good or responsive as PC healthcare. They were amazing. -Less of a network to rely upon. -No free books from a really nice PC library. -Less time to myself as I teach 5 days a week now as opposed to perhaps 3 heavily packed days or 4 slightly packed days. -Less friends to see in the PC. -Worse Internet in my neck of the woods.

There are more but these are the ones that quickly come to mind.

[april-dawn-official]

The moment when you have to choose between two important things... #blonde #nofilter #bow #green #tan #ily #inlove #instagirl #girly #girl #newyork #backtochina #or #california #friendship #bestfriends #uriah #missshelton #idk #whattodo #f4f #waves #model #dancer #followme #choice #missyou #hey #afternoonfun #babe #pic #photo #back #silhouette #sweet #white #room #april #aprildawn #summer #selfie