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Housing, Work, and All Things Nice

Exciting news...We have an apartment, and I have a teaching gig!  Bad news, Amanda is still waiting for a contract and we are unsure how all the money is going to work.  Since we've had no orientation, I keep pushing on our boss for information.  I think he is a bit frustrated with me for pushing so hard, but I need the details.

Yesterday was great, we nabbed the boss for a few hours in the morning to nail down the apartment situation.  We looked at 4 apartments and found one that really looks nice.  It's a one bedroom with a courtyard view.  The only trouble with apartments in China is that they want three months rent up front, a month deposit, and an agent fee (this was news to us).  For our apartment, this means 18000 yuan or $2800.  I'm glad that I have been saving for the past two years, because as a result of the past few days, our savings and budget have been smashed.  The company agreed to pay the three month fee and to continue each billing cycle so they could keep the apartment after we leave.

After apartment hunting, we had an interview with the Beijing Normal University.  I landed a teaching job for students who want to learn to write well enough to attend American Universities.  It's about 8 hours a week and pays pretty well.

Things to think and talk with the Captain about:

1. Teaching jobs for Amanda and me (although I have one, we need to be at 20 hours each and I'm at 8)
2. Income - we will have it, I just don't know how it will all work yet.

One Night in Beijing

After a full day in Beijing, I've learned a few lessons:

1. Although it says Starbucks, it doesn't mean they take Starbucks cards, even when they advertise the exact card you are trying to use.
2. Just because your general manager says you will figure out the housing situation when you get here, doesn't mean that anyone will help you find lodging in any real way.
3. Not knowing Chinese really makes doing anything tough.
4. Pedestrians always cross at their own risk, but when you have 22 million people, you can make even the most aggressive driver slam on his breaks for a green light.
5. Sometimes you just need peanut butter and chocolate Skippy.

More things to think and talk to the Big Guy about:

1. Lodging - still numero uno
2. Bank - we will be getting a Chinese account, hopefully it will be one that allows international transfers
3. Interviews - we have one tomorrow and Saturday

You can email us at our normal accounts and Skype at zachary.banker and speedboatgirl.

China - The Grand Adventure

I'm not sure what each day will bring, but one thing is for sure, Amanda and I will have grand adventures.  We might not know where we are living or what we will be doing exactly, but each day will bring excitement and frustration.  If this company doesn't work out for some reason, no worries, we will just get jobs somewhere else.

This morning, Amanda went running and I made sure our connections with the world were working right.  As you may have already seen, we can connect to Facebook thanks to a wonderful secret connection, but unfortunately we cannot make the Google phone calls we were hoping to make.  Our Voice numbers do work for texting and voicemails, so please call and leave a message.  We will call when we get Chinese numbers.

Things to think and talk with the Boss about:

1. Housing - Our immediate need is to secure living space
2. Grocery Shopping
3. Subway and general mapping of the city
4. Curriculum
5. Set teaching schedule
6. Chinese bank
7. Cell phones

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Spirit

SPIRIT
 

Spirit. It cannot be broken and it cannot be stolen away. A victim in the throes of despair might feel otherwise, and certainly the victim’s “master” would like to believe it so. But in truth, the spirit remains, sometimes buried but never fully removed.
 

The physical powers of the body cannot be separated from the rationale of the mind and the emotions of the heart. They are one and the same, a compilation of a singular being. It is in the harmony of these three – body, mind, and heart – that we find spirit.
 

How many tyrants have tried? How many rulers have sought to reduce their subjects to simple, unthinking instruments of profit and gain? They steal the loves, the religions, of their people, they seek to steal the spirit.
 

Ultimately and inevitably, they fail. This I must believe. If the flame of the spirit’s candle is extinguished, there is only death, and the tyrant finds no gain in a kingdom littered with corpses.
 

But it is a resilient thing, this flame of spirit, indomitable and ever-striving. In some, at least, it will survive, to the tyrant’s demise.

Spirit. In every language in all the Realms, in every time and every place, the word has a ring of strength and determination. It is the hero’s strength, the mother’s resilience, and the poor man’s arm. It cannot be broken, and it cannot be taken away.
This I must believe.

-Drizzt Do’Urden (paraphrased exert from part 5 of

RA Salvatore's Exile, Book 2 in The Dark Elf Trilogy)

Life as an Admissions Counselor

Don't question God's provision.  Sometimes, this is the best you get.