green tea heaux

Hey! I'm originally from NYC, but I've been living abroad on and off for two years. This blog is a place for me to talk about my experiences in whatever country I'm in and all the good and bad that comes with living abroad. Last city: NYC (home 😊) - Current City: Taipei, Taiwan

[theawkwardtraveler]

Finally made it to Japan around 2:30 yesterday...and found out today that I have pneumonia.

[theawkwardtraveler]

At the family function

Cousin That Barely Speaks To Me: Hey! I heard you’re going back to China!

Me: Nope, I’m actually going to Japan this time! It’s my first time going there.

Divorced Twice Aunt That’s In Everyone’s Business: Are you excited about going to Korea?!

Me: I’m...not; I’m actually going to Japan. But yeah, I’m excited.

Politically Incorrect Great Uncle That Just Won’t Die: Hey, I heard they got lots of [offensive term for trans women] out there in Thailand. Don’t get fooled!

Me: Okay first off, I’m gay. I don’t know why I have to remind you every time I see you. Secondly, I’m not going to Thailand; I’m going to Japan.

Non-Related Person Who’s Literally Only There For The Food: Hey! Bring me some kimchi when you come back home, yeah?

Me: Um, you’re thinking of-- wait, who are you again?

Uncle That Makes Every Woman Within a Five-Mile Radius Uncomfortable: Hey, aren’t you going to...Vietnam or something? You know I went there on a tour--

Me: I’m going to Japan! Not back to China, not to Korea, not to Thailand, not to Vietnam, not to the Philippines, not to Indonesia, not to Kazakhstan! J A P A N. I don’t know why y’all think all these countries are the same!

Uncle That Makes Every Woman Within a Five-Mile Radius Uncomfortable: Isn’t Kazakhstan in the Middle East?

Me:

[theawkwardtraveler]

Eating with Taiwanese students

Dillon: Al, where are you from?

Me: Where do you think?

Ryan: Miami

Me: Nope

Charlie: Los Angeles

Me: Nope

Tyler: Russia

Me: What........no

Everyone: Wakanda! *does Wakanda salute*

Me: 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 No, but good guess!

Me, internally: At least they didn't say Africa

[theawkwardtraveler]

Change in plans: I’ve been offered a position as an ALT in Japan. If all the paperwork goes right I’ll be off to Saitama in mid-May!

[theawkwardtraveler]

So I left China...what’s next?

After spending the past two years in China, I’m ready to relax and regroup for a bit. Not for too long, though! Okay, so my plan is to:

Hold down these two jobs (substitute teacher and online English teacher) until the summer

Quit the substitute job and work at this English camp for a bit to make some quick money

Go somewhere...

Where? I don’t know. I’m leaning towards Thailand because the language and the country seems so cool, but my friends think I should choose a country that is “a step forward”? which seems kinda racist/classist, but whatevs I also really want to go to Japan because that was my original goal country, and have applied for several positions, but I haven’t received any answers 😰 My friend just landed in Seoul and that reignited my interested in living there since I met quite a few people that are currently living there. Taiwan and Vietnam are on my list too. I guess I have some time to think about it...if you guys have any suggestions let me know!

[theawkwardtraveler]

I keep thinking about how my mom was talking to me a week ago about all the people around my age and how none of them achieved their dream. Two of my friends from high school had dreams of becoming a lawyer and a marine biologist, but they both work jobs that their uncle got for them; my ex wanted to be a police officer, and now he’s a car salesman; my mom’s ex’s older son was wanted to be a professional football player, and now he’s also a car salesman. Then she mentions how the only person she knows who is following their dreams is a friend of mine who lived across the street. She’s going to grad school in California and is pursuing a career in speech pathology. It sucks how much control a parent’s judgment can have on you because all I could think was she didn’t even mention me? I couldn’t help but feel a way because teaching English abroad was something I’d wanted to do since I started college. At times it was the only reason I stayed in college, and at times it was the only reason I stayed alive. I worked hard, did everything I needed to do, and I achieved my dream. I might be at home for the time being, but that’s because I was tired of the environment that I was being forced to work in. I don’t plan on staying home for long and am sure I’ll be able to find a better job somewhere else...it’s all a matter of what country I want to live in next. Having the power to pick up and go to another country, experience another culture, meet new people, and live comfortably is awesome to me and something I’ve always wanted, but because it’s not a “traditional” path it doesn’t count. My achieving my dream doesn’t count and that makes me feel inadequate.

[dearbento-blog]

And the end result!

[theawkwardtraveler]

My mom always asks if there's anything I miss when I'm in the US and I never could think of an answer, but I just realized it's this. I miss this so much.

[theawkwardtraveler]

A few days ago I had a staff dinner and one of my co-workers asked if I was angry all the time because I never smile and always look like I’m ready to fight someone and I wanted to be like “that’s because Simon and Maryanne can’t stop talking about how much they hate Muslims and love Trump, oh and yes, I am ready to fight someone who uses ‘gay’ pejoratively keep your lilywhite mouth shut Simon and if you hate it here so much Maryanne maybe you should go home”, but instead I was like “*forced laughter* no, this is just my face”

[geniebysnsdmp3]

I love my job. I love teaching kids. I want to do this for as long as I can. I want to teach in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and anywhere else I’m qualified to do so. I want to learn and master different languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. But I also have this fear that when I go to these countries I’ll have an experience similar to what I’m having living in China. I’m afraid I’ll feel alone because I’m the only black person at any given event. I’m afraid I’ll be ignored because I’m the only black person at any given gay event and everyone there is only interested in getting to know white people. I’m afraid I’ll have a rough time dating because the gay men in that country only want to have fun with black men as if we’re an amusement park ride, but won’t ever take me seriously or choose dating me over dating someone white or of their own nationality/race. I’m afraid I’ll sink into a depression and no one will understand how I’m feeling because they can’t, or have never even bothered to see things from my point of view. Most of all, I’m afraid that I’ll go home feeling broken, like I wasted the greater part of my life living in a place where everyone wished I’d gone home sooner.

[geniebysnsdmp3]

Yesterday I went to my kindergarten class and I had a bandaid on my hand since I cut my hand the night before and as soon as I sat down in front of the kids they all looked very concerned and we’re talking to their head teacher in Chinese. I had completely forgotten about the bandaid on my hand, so I’m wondering what they’re all talking about because the only word I can understand is the word for “sick”. So I ask the TA what they’re all talking about, so she asks the children and then tells me that they’re worried that I’m sick and hope I’m okay 😊

[theawkwardtraveler]

My mom’s always like “you should come back to the States!”...like, here I can get my dry cleaning done, eat out every night, take taxis to school, and still save up for the iPhone X. Why would I want to leave?

[geniebysnsdmp3]

I’m screaming so I was listening to “Gashina” by Sunmi for the thousandth time on this Chinese app and I noticed her name on it is 宣美 (xuān měi). 宣/xuān means “to announce something publicly” and 美/měi means “beautiful”, so her Chinese name is basically “HEAR ME HEAR ME REAL GOOD…I’m cute af that is all thank you”

[theawkwardtraveler]

I can't possibly be the only foreigner in China on Tumblr, right?

[theawkwardtraveler]

Got my passport! Now to send the stuff I have in storage to Shenzhen, pack all my stuff, and have my company get me a plane ticket~

[geniebysnsdmp3]

whenever i’m stressed or depressed my friends are always like “why don’t you just take a walk to clear your mind” like i can’t really take a relaxing walk when it’s 90 degrees outside and EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

[theawkwardtraveler]

*random Chinese person waves at me*

Me, a dark-skinned black man who hates interacting with strangers but also feels he can't leave a bad impression of dark-skinned foreigners on Chinese people: *awkwardly waves back*

[femaleidols]

[geniebysnsdmp3]

“why haven’t you traveled more? i’ve only been here for four months and i’ve already been to 28 provinces and 6 countries”