Adventure..Changes..Peace Corps..

Earlier this week, a group of us went to the Expo Center in Shenyang. It is a large botanical garden that has many different gardens from different regions in China and different countries of the world. The gardens were cool, but that wasn't the best part! There was a large water park where there were many obstacles of how to get across the water - all with the intention of you falling in. There were rope swings, barrels, tires that sank as soon as you stepped on them, team ones where all four of us had to work together to avoid the water and many other different things. It's always fun to get out and play and be active for a day! In addition to the gardens and the water activities, there were rides. Oh, how I love rides. We went on the 'crazy train', where I was too small for the seatbelt and was tossed around in my seat the whole time. Bruises and all, Chinese rollercoasters are so fun! We were all exhausted and worn out by the end of the day, but it was definitely a really good day. A special thanks to the students who took us there and showed us around all day!

Changes. It seems there have been so many changes lately, and so many more to come in the next few weeks.

I don't know how many of you I have told, but I got nominated to a position in the Peace Corps last week. The position is business advising in a French-speaking country in Africa leaving in June of 2010. After thinking about it a lot, praying about and it talking to many people...I am going to pursue going into the Peace Corps. This is my dream job, and something I have been hoping would happen for a few years now.

This means that I will not be coming back to China to teach for another year, and leaves me with 6 more weeks in Shenyang. Even though I am so excited about the opportunity to do economic development in Africa, it seems that my 'plan' for the next few years dramatically changed...Asia to Africa. There is so much more I want to do in China, and I know these last few weeks will be filled with many more adventures with those of us here.

(Jensen, in the middle, and the guys in Dalian.) Today is Jensen's last day in China. He is heading back to the US for his graduation from Brown and to go on to medical school there (smarty pants). It is weird to think that as a group, we are beginning to go our own ways and all we did here together is starting to end. We have definitely had a ton of fun together exploring China and hanging out in Shenyang, and will definitely miss Jensen's quirky and witty comments that make us all laugh. I am sure these next few weeks will be filled with many 'lasts' but I know all of us have enjoyed the time we have had together in Shenyang.