Beijing Job Fair

Last Friday my Chinese professor was nice enough to cancel class and take us on a little adventure to a job fair. As always, I didn't really know what to fully expect. My expectations were pretty low though as my professor told us that we didn't have to be in full professional dress; casual was fine.

The job fair was generally targetted towards those in the IT industry. The venue was quite small and only had a few booths. Although the event didn't exactly align with my major and career aspirations, it was still a great experience to attend a job fair in a different country. I have realized that many of the job opportunities in China are IT, service, and sales related. Interesting, right? All of the companies and recruiters were extremely laid back and not many of them were dressed in professional suits. When I sat down to talk with them it had nothing to do with the job. I'm pretty sure they were more interested in talking to an American than actually hiring me.

Overall, it was a great experience. I'm really looking forward to one of the job fairs in April with multinational corporations. I will be all over that.

Pinterest Wednesday

Being in Beijing has made me miss my room and organization. The parentals are probably laughing at this point. My room at home isn't always particularly clean and spotless but there are times where I just get in the mood of completely reorganizing the entire space. While abroad, I have...nothing. Pretty much one single tiny glass display class for storage. Bummer, right?

When I think of organization I dream of IKEA, Bath and Beyond, and the Container Store. I absolutely love cute boxes and bins. If I could, I would move one of the IKEA displays directly into my house. I've been pinning away different organizational ideas so that when I get back to the States, it will be my summer project! One of my goals for the year is to keep my room clean and organized at all times. For some odd reason I can keep my life, planner, and schedule organized but not my room. But let's be honest, I'm only in my room less than 6 or 7 hours a day and I'm out of there. Commuting is not a joke friends. It keeps life busy!

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What a great idea to use jars to keep all beauty supplies in one central place. On top of that, what cute labels.

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FINALLY! A way to organize all of the cupcake liners that I have.

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As a goal-setting type of person, I totally approve of this organizational tool. This is a great way to keep yourself motivated throughout the week.

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Perfect and practical for my rapidly growing ribbon collection.

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I'm a total stationery addict and my desk is filled with different cards and designs. Love this little stationery station!

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This is the ultimate organized desk and inspirational space.

Have any organizational tips for me?

Are you following me on Pinterest yet?

Tuesday Tunes

I am absolutely in love with John Mayer. He is and has been one of my favorite musicians throughout my life. His last album, Battle Studies, was a bit disappointing in my opinion. I think my dissatisfaction towards the album had a lot to do with his Rolling Stones interview that was released around the same time. It was just a very big turn off altogether. On top of that, the sound just wasn't the same "John Mayer." What happened to the classic John Mayer? I missed the old him.

A few weeks ago it was announced that John Mayer was going to release a new album on May 22nd. Excitement began to brew and then the new single was released. I was a bit hesitant at first but after a few seconds into Shadow Days I was in love. The old John Mayer is back! ...at least in this single. Give it a listen. It's FANTASTIC.

I'm a good man, with a good heart
Had a tough time, got a rough start
But I finally learned to let it go
Now I'm right here, and I'm right now
And I'm open, knowing somehow
That my shadow days are over
My shadow days are over now

John Mayer, my friend, and I on my 16th birthday at his Continuum tour. It was a beautiful night!!

Counting down the days until the release of Born and Raised on May 22nd. Can't wait! In the meantime, give Shadow Days a listen.

Happy Listening!

Busy Tourist Weekend

After a rough week, I really wanted to get off campus and have a little bit of fun. It was quite a weekend being the ultimate tourist. The entire weekend consisted of walking, some more walking....and some more walking. My legs are incredibly sore and I woke up Monday morning feeling absolutely exhausted. But, it was all worth it as I had a wonderful time!

Saturday: Tea Market and Silk Market
9 hours. I cannot believe I spent nine hours shopping on Saturday (but do take into account travel time!). Two of my friends and I decided that it was time to start gift hunting for friends and family so we hit up the tea market and silk market...all in one day. It was very surprising that when we showed up to the tea market, it was empty. There were a couple of people here and there but for the most part...nothing. After walking around for a bit trying to pick which vendor to go to, we began the full tea market experience. The tea lady was so sweet and so patient with us. We tried all different types of tea and she definitely put on a show for us! She explained each tea very thoroughly and let us sample whatever we wanted. As a tea lover, it was a dream come true. At the end when we decided which tea we wanted, we were shocked to find out how inexpensive it was! I will be bringing tea back for my family and friends!!

Having a fabulous time tea-tasting

This woman has officially been dubbed "My Tea Lady." She makes tea like so fancy!

After picking out a few bags of tea, we hopped on the metro towards the Silk Market. I was definitely not mentally prepared for the Silk Market. It was overwhelming to say the least. So many natives, tourists, and the vendors were all over us. It felt as though I was being pulled by vendor to vendor. During my first negotiating encounter, it was clear that my negotiating skills were lacking. I felt terrible negotiating for something that was originally 300RMB to 20RMB! I overpaid at the first transaction but as time went on, I got more aggressive and made some GREAT deals! These vendors were interesting. Not only did they price items ridiculously but they knew what seemed like a million different languages--Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, English, Swedish, Russian. You name it, they know it. After perusing three floors, we finally decided to call it a day. I walked away a happy girl with a few cute purchases. I will be back Silk Market!

Sunday: Tianjin

My friend Rachael and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Tianjin. We left around 7:45am to catch the bullet train out. These bullet trains run every 15 minutes to Tianjin and took only 30 minutes. It blew my mind that it takes 30 minutes to get to another city while it takes me an hour to get to work every day. The trains were so clean, quiet, and there was more leg room than that of airplanes. Beautiful!

I went into Tianjin with low expectations but at the end of the day, I was so happy that we decided to go. Well worth it. The city was gorgeous and I think it was even more beautiful with a sunny spring day. The city was quite random though because on the same block there would be Western buildings and then a random Eastern influenced building. That's how it was throughout the city. Confused city?

The city seems to have never heard English or seen Americans. People stared...all day. When we asked for directions, they seemed to not know where anything was and we were sent in circles. Can you believe it took us close to two hours to find this one Thai restaurant (it's supposedly the best restuarant in the city)? After following a million different directions for this restaurant, we finally stopped at a Westin hotel for clear details. Lesson learned: when in need of help, go to a Western hotel.

This man is drawing this out of carmalized sugar. So impressive and the five-year old kid next to me was BEYOND excited. Too cute!

Old City Museum

***pictures aren't loading. will update later!***

All this traveling this weekend has made me fall in love with getting on a train and going somewhere. Even flying to Fuzhou was exciting. I can't wait for more weekends filled with traveling!

Mid Mid-Life Crisis

***delay in post due to internet problems. sorry!***

At 20 years old, I had a mid-life crisis this week. Hence, mid mid-life crisis. Get it?

Long story short, I've been a total wreck since the beginning of the week. I completely broke down on Monday and didn't have a single clue as to what I was doing with my life. In the eyes of many of you, I'm that Type A, worry-wart, OCD, "must plan five years in advance" kind of person. The idea of having step-by-step plans excites me!

But, this week I completely hit a wall and fell off the wagon for some odd reason. The stress level began to increase over what seemed like every single aspect of my life.

What was I stressed over?
1. Life...in general.
2. Priorities in life.
3. School.
4. Next Semester.
5. Graduation.
6. Myself.
7. Future.
8. Job.

Yeah...everything. My dad is awesome. He's pretty much the most patient person when it comes to my nonsense and attempted to help calm the nerves. Nevertheless, I'm still freaking out but slightly less. It's just very tough for me to let go of control and let things happen. Like I said...I'm a control freak. But, I definitely need to learn to step away sometimes because I don't know how much more of this my body, brain, heart, and sleep schedule can take.

Always Be Prepared

Lesson learned.

Last night I was completely caught off guard by a dinner invitation from a family friend. I had been up since 6:30am going to class and then my internship. Around 5:30pm I received a phone call from this family friend's secretary saying that I was invited to a dinner. When I asked what time dinner was going to be, he said that someone was already on his way to pick me up. Talk about short notice! I had no time to even get ready for dinner! My nails were a mess, no make-up, hair was up in a pony tail and I didn't even have a nice outfit on! At least I had a blazer on? I pulled myself together as best as I could and was swept up by the driver.

Lesson of this entire story? ALWAYS be prepared no matter what. For all you girls out there, carry around a little bag in your purse with some emergency essentials!

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1. Hairties

If your hair is a hot mess, simple way to fix it would be to pull it up into a ponytail or a clean and simple bun.

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2. Facewash

Nothing better than a fresh face!

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3. Makeup

Ok, so maybe not this much but do carry around the basics. Anything is better than nothing!

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4. Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Nothing too crazy or bulky. Those travel sized ones at any drug store or supermarket works just fine. Who doesn't want a nice fresh smile?

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5. Business Cards

You should always carry a few in your purse because you never know who you'll meet!

See? 5 simple things that you should always carry around so that you're never caught off guard. You'll be ready for any meeting, dinner, lunch, or date! 

Pinterest Wednesday

I'm still waiting for this so-called "spring weather" to grace Beijing. Nothing yet but in the meantime I'm trying to experience Spring through Pinterest. Dresses, skirts, mint, colored denim, and cute blouses are definitely catching my eye. I totally wish I were in the States shopping right now but for now, I will save up for a huge shopping trip when I get back!

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Stripes, navy, mint colored denim, sandals, and a piece of statement jewelry!? PERFECT.

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Let's talk about my love and adoration for this outfit. Get in my closet. Somebody please find me this skirt!?!?

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Oh LC how I love you and your sense of style. Please come be my personal stylist?

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I'm slightly obsessed with blazers. I wear my black one ALL the time. H&M is terrible for me because they have blazers in almost every color. So tempting. Blazers just pull an outfit together!

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CUTE and I'm loving the print top with the neon pink skirt and gold accessories

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I have a thing for stripes and this striped dress is perfect for Spring

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How adorable is this skirt? The coral color and print!

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Some of my favorites: blazer, stripes, skirt, and teal. YES PLEASE.

I better stop right here. If these outfits would all magically appear in my closet, I'd be quite happy. Just sayin'...

Are you following me on Pinterest yet?

Tuesday Tunes

Happy First Day of Spring!

...or at least that's what my planner tells me. It surely doesn't feel like it in Beijing. There never seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel with this weather. Beijing likes to be cold...cold...and even colder. All I'm asking is for some sunshine, clear blue skies, and a little bit of warmth. Is that asking for too much?

I'm a huge fan of Spotify for checking out new music. You all should definitely give it a go! Whenever a new album comes out, Spotify is my go-to place to click through the tracks and see if the album is worth buying on iTunes. It has definitely been a money saver and as a college student, every little penny counts! In order to celebrate Spring, I created a "Spring Playlist." These aren't necessarily the ONLY songs I'll be listening to for the next couple of months, but they are some new, catchy tunes recently released!

Hope you enjoy these tunes as much as I do! If there are any tunes you think I need to check out, for sure leave me a note!

Happy Listening!

Back to Reality

What a "Monday Blues" kind of day. My flight back to Beijing last night was delayed a bit so I didn't get back to campus until 10pm. The second I walked into my room I hit the books (after I Skyped with my mother of course). It was a complete shift in mentality and it was back to reality for me. Some of you may think that I wasn't too smart in putting off my work till the last minute but I wanted to truly have a break from school. No regrets whatsoever. But, the Type A side of me did get some studying in throughout the week. There was no way I could've felt comfortable leaving EVERYTHING for the last night. Staying up late the night before my first day back in class was definitely not what I expected. I woke up exhausted (I will never get use to the sound of an alarm clock) but at the same time completely rejuvenated. My Chinese professor probably thought so too as I participated more than usual and did well with my presentation.

Yup, burnt the midnight oil translating my resume into Chinese. Took quite awhile...

Time for my body to get back into the swing of things. There's a week full of classes, assignments, presentations, events, and interning that there is absolutely no time to waste. Only 6 more weeks of official class and then the study trip! Counting down the days...



Spring Break

Walking home tonight, I passed by three wedding receptions. I guess it's wedding season?

As you all know, I spent the past 6 days in Fuzhou for Spring Break. There are three words that best describe this past week: food, family, and relaxation. It's been wonderful (hence the lack of posts). Fuzhou is completely different than Beijing. The past two days have been nice and hot with 70 degree weather while Beijing is not so nice with cold weather in the 40s and 50s. The weather called for snow in Beijing today...is this serious?

Other than the weather, Fuzhou is so much cleaner, the air is WAY better, its less crowded and there's also something else that I can't put my finger on. But, I was able to stuff myself with delicious food, including nice green vegetables. Oh, how I've missed my vegetables! One other thing that I will cherish from this trip would be spending time with family, for sure. I was lucky enough to visit my great-grandparents twice this week. They're getting up there in terms of age so any time that I get to see them, I jump at the chance. I was also able to meet one of my uncles for the first time...ever. Weird, right? We all went out to dinner tonight and he is hilarious and like I said, time with family is always my favorite!

I guess I should throw in some pictures. One thing I need to work on is taking pictures. I don't take nearly enough! Such a pity...

View from my room

I got a haircut while in Fuzhou! Don't know if you can tell but it's a lot shorter, thinner, lighter, and it has a few layers.

Clams anyone?

My ride around town the past few days. Oh how I held on for dear life on this thing.

Compilation of the photos my grandparents have of my brother and I. Can't believe we've changed so much through the years...but thank God we did.

One of my supermarket finds--Birthday Cake Oreos. yummmm

Cherry Blossoms at one of the parks we went to

Bakery. Absolutely DELISH

Family! Aunt+Grandma+Cousin

Hope you all have/had a wonderful Spring Break!



Pinterest Wednesday

So...I lied. There won't be an update on my Spring Break trip just yet. That's because it's Pinterest Wednesday! Nonetheless, I'm thoroughly enjoying my oh so very relaxing Spring Break trip. Update for sure tomorrow!

I've been starting my own stack. So far I've got a super cute watch and bracelet that go incredibly well with one another. Pinterest has got me on the hunt for new additions to my arm candy. One thing about me is that I'm very picky and it takes me awhile to make a decision because each piece HAS to work well with one another. Come on, that's the meaning of a stack, right? Cohesiveness?

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How beautiful is this Michael Kors watch?? Drooling over this piece.

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LOVE these. I'd totally go for the rose gold colored ones. It'll match the rest of the pieces.

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Follow me on Pinterest! I'm quite the pinner!

I also want to make a shout out to my friend Miss Shannon Hansen! It's her 23rd birthday. This lady means so much to me. She has been there by my side since my freshman year of college. I miss our spontaneous coffee dates, constant laughter, and silly-ness in general. She is one of the most encouraging people I know and never fails in cheering me up when I'm feeling down. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANNON! ...I would post a pic of her but then I realized we have no pictures together. Is this serious??

Tuesday Tunes

DAVE BARNES NEW ALBUM!

I have been awaiting this day for months now. It is finally here and this album is BLOWING MY MIND. It's been on replay for the past 54 minutes (the download started promptly at midnight) and I absolutely can't get enough of it. The entire album is phenomenal and there are no filler tracks whatsoever. Dave Barnes, you never fail me. It's his sixth album and he still finds a way to amaze me time and time again. Do you think my grandparents will be humming Dave Barnes by the end of the week? Most likely!

I love the title of the album Stories to Tell. The album is just that, Dave Barnes singing stories to us. It's beautiful and quite intimate. We're getting a little glimpse into his life and what he has experienced. They may be his stories but it's so relatable to any person. You've loved someone before right? You've missed someone before yeah? You're growing up aren't you? You've left home before? See, it's such a relatable album!

Picking a favorite will be tough. Each song is its own story and is so well written, recorded, and produced. I honestly can't pick. I've been sitting here thinking and debating and I CAN'T! Maybe in a few weeks a favorite will emerge. You all, seriously go and check it out. When have I ever failed you all when it comes to music?

Don't you all love the album cover? It's simple yet totally approriate!

Happy Listening!

PS I'm also loving the release of Passion 2012 album, White Flag. The song "White Flag" is just amazing!!

PPS Spring Break Day 1 and 2 update tomorrow!

Spring Break

Chinese midterm in less than an hour...freaking out right about now. You are all probably wondering, "If you have a midterm in less than an hour, why are you blogging?" Well, to clarify, I actually have had this post written up in advance, thank you very much. I can't wait to be done with this three hour midterm. The second I turn in this exam I am officially on Spring Break! I will have to dash back to my room, grab my luggage, and head straight to the airport.

I'm hoping that getting onto the plane and to Fuzhou will be a breeze. I have this knot in my stomach and am terrified that something will go wrong. Let's hope not? How tough can a two and a half plane ride be?

I am beyond excited to be in Fuzhou for Spring Break. I desperately need to get away from campus and the school environment. A week with family sounds perfect. In Fuzhou awaits family, relaxation, HOT weather (it's nearly 60 degrees there compared to the 40 degree weather in Beijing), delicious food, endless amounts of seafood, and great shopping. Don't get me wrong, I will still have homework to do seeing that my professor thought it'd be great to assign an essay over break as well as a quiz on the day we get back. Thanks buddy. But, at least I will be able to relax while doing homework!

Cross your fingers that I do well on this midterm, get through check-in easily once at the airport, and arrive in Fuzhou safely. Prayers would definitely be much appreciated. Hopefully I'll also be able to blog through the week in Fuzhou. Not too sure about the internet situation at my grandparents!

If I don't update within the next week, I wish you all a FABULOUS week.

Great Wall

My dad and I via text this morning:

Dad: Get on Skype.

Me: No. I can barely move.

Dad: What happened?

Me: The Great Wall happened.

 

 

This is no joke. I cannot move at all right now. My entire body is insanely sore from yesterday's trip to the Great Wall. Not completely sure why my arms are also sore. Nevertheless, all this post-day soreness was well worth it! I am grateful though that I am able to breathe again. After sitting on a jerky bus for an hour and a half, we finally arrived to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. We were all so excited, "oo-ing and ah-ing" at every tiny thing. Little did we know, the toughest part was about to come. I don't think any of us were expecting that long and steep hike up to the actual wall. We really weren't prepared for all of that...including the cold air. The rapid altitude change was alright for me but I had such a problem breathing because the cold air filled my lungs.

 

 

When we finally got to the top, the view was INCREDIBLE. To be honest, it was more than "incredible." There simply aren't any words to describe the view. It was one surreal experience. You can't fully grasp how vast this wall is. It's 5,000 some miles long and we only walked a few miles of it. So crazy to think that!

The wall was awesome and just thinking "wow, this wall is MAN-MADE. People died building this wall that I'm walking along." But, what stood out to me was a few conversations that I had with the locals there. Along the wall there are a few vendors who are selling water, snacks, and beer. (Funny story: they were trying to sell a bottle of water to my friends for 10 kuai. However, when I went up to buy a bottle for a friend they told me the water was only 5 kuai. It helps being Asian!) These vendors were asking me if I was with the Americans and I told them yes, I'm actually an American-born-Chinese. We got to talking and then they told me that in order to get all of their inventory up to the wall, they have to carry it on their backs every day and carry it back down every night. That was kind of a humbling moment for me. Life in China definitely isn't easy. Life ANYWHERE isn't easy. I have taken so many things for granted while these individuals have to carry close to 50 pounds of bottles and food up that trail in order to make a living. My friends think they made have said that to guilt-trip us into buying food and drinks from them. Nevertheless, they still do this for a living even if they don't carry things up that trail. They still have to walk up that steep trail to get to work everyday and then sit in the cold for almost 10-12 hours a day. Talking to them was great. They were all so sweet!

Mountains, mountains, and some more mountains.

Oh, hello Great Wall.

All the American University students! (I am far too short to be standing in the back.)

Time to start climbing...

***For some reason Blogpost is being moody and won't let me post pictures. There will be an update tomorrow with added pictures!***

Visiting the Great Wall is now crossed off of Bucket List. PERFECT.