I cannot believe it's already May 13. Today is....
The day after Mother's Day (I love you, Mom!)
One of my best friends' birthdays (HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLEY!!! BNF4LYF)
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Can you believe this was three years ago?
You know you've found a true friend when your friendship has lasted over three years,
but you've only been on the same continent during one of them.
I love you, girl! |
Four days 'til my dad's birthday (I love you too, Dad!)
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Although I don't think we will ever beat this birthday party...
Can you say, "Party Bus"?!? |
And around two months away from when I leave Zhongguo (Chinese for "China")... for good.
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| I <3 U, China |
I can't decide if it's a good or a bad thing that this month is going to fly by. Either way, one thing is for certain: it will fly by. May has quickly become my busiest month of the semester - I'm totally booked!
It started with my awesome trip to Beijing, where I did things like see the Great Wall, eat dog, and see the infamous Chairman Mao.
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| Da Wall. |
As soon as I got back from BJ, I went right back to teaching. In addition to my normal teaching hours, I am now also choreographing an opening dance number for this big English-talent-gala-thing which will take place on May 28th. Rehearsals are every Thursday night for about 2 and a half hours. This means I'm teaching until 8:30pm on Thursdays, only to turn around and teach again at 8:20 on Friday mornings. GAH!
This also seems to be the month of judging - I am seriously judging some sort of competition
every week this month! Last week (on Wednesday), I was a judge for a Model United Nations session (which was funny because I know close to
nothing about the UN).
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| The organizers and judges of the Model UN |
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| You know I had to get them to do a crazy pose too... |
This Wednesday, I'll be judging an epic English speech competition. And on Sunday, the 26th, I'll be judging the campus-wide English singing competition (also expected to be epic).
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This is when Rachel and I judged the English singing competition last year.
She was Simon, I was Paula. Duh. |
Do I seem busy yet? Because I'm not finished. I've also been invited to give my "School Spirit" lecture at another local university, which I'll be doing in two Wednesdays, on May 22nd. (This is actually really exciting because I'll be getting paid, heyy!)
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| Only the fourth time I'll be doing this lecture... |
Add all of the above to my usual lesson-planning, plus trying to figure out final exams, attempting to book my darn flight back home, updating my resume, applying for new jobs and making my final China travel plans, and you have got one stressed-out and overwhelmed Olivia.
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| When did writing a resume get so hard?!? |
I'm trying so hard to appreciate all these experiences as they come flying at me because I know they'll be my last (for now, at least). Yet I also know I need to start thinking more seriously about my future and what'll be next for little ol' me.
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| Lookin' to the future, baby! |
My dad is a huge fan of the John Lennon quote, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." And I like this quote - I love the message. I agree, we need to appreciate our day-to-day life. But how does life happen at all if you don't make any plans, ever? I don't think it's possible (or, at least, not very smart) to only live in the moment - we have to prepare for the future, too, otherwise, we might not have any moments to live in. But I also see how easy it is to overlook all the little, daily things in life that one day I'll look back on and think, "Why didn't I appreciate those things when I had them?"
Trying to figure out the balance between these two things - living in the now while planning for the later - is way more challenging than people give it credit for. And I can feel the pressure of finding that balance pressing on my shoulders and my chest and my head and it would be so easy to just
not do either. But I think that would be the biggest mistake of all.
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| The balance is impossible! |
I'm no stranger to these feelings - they always come on strongest during times of transition. Thanks to my dad's position in the Army while I was growing up, I got to experience these kinds of transitions on a regular basis (moving between 7 different states will do that to you). Not to mention transitioning from high school to college, college to "real life," America to China. And while I know to expect this pressure and stress, and I know it'll eventually go away, it doesn't seem to get any easier.
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| Dis is my stressed-out face. |
And so, I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it and give my best effort. I will keep on attempting to appreciate my last months in this crazy, hectic, wonderful country, and I will try not to forget about what's next either.
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| I'm comin' back to Amurrica, y'all! |
Maybe someday, transitions will become easier... but even if they don't, I guess I don't mind, because even though transition-time can be mega-stressful, it always ends up worth it eventually. I've learned so much and grown so much from all the changes in my life (haven't we all?) - I wonder what I'll learn during this next change...
Happy Transitions, Everyone!
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