Big Day - by Chris Schave, CE Adviser in China

For those that don't know me, I am a very organized person and though I may not show it, my future is generally very planned out. This may seem like a contradiction, but I am also as spontaneous as I can be.

Today was a pretty big day for me. I purchased my plane tickets! On the 15th I will fly up to Portland, Oregon to see my family before I leave. For the record, I have the best, most supportive parents, and I'm really looking forward to seeing them. Since I joined the military I usually see them only a few times a year. I'll be in Washington for 4 days, then head back to Portland on the 19th of may. I'll fly to LA, then to Guangzhou Baiyun, then to Guilin. When I get to Guilin someone will pick me up there and I will go to the town of Yangshuo. This is my final destination.

So when I get to Yangshuo my schedule will be as followed:

Week One: Introduction week
Week Two: Village volunteer week
Week Three: Cultural week
Week Four: Trekking week

After that I may be doing week of rock climbing and Tai Chi, then spend a week in the Sichuan Province with a Volunteer Panda Program. Not sure what that entails, but it sounds pretty awesome. After about 7 or 8 weeks I will go to Yantai and teach. As of right now, I'm hoping that this schedule is how everything plays out.

Here's a picture of the Pandas in Sichuan. Until next time...

-Chris