Hello everybody! I have some VERY exciting news! I have only shared this news with a few select people so far, and now, I am going to share it with all of you!
On Friday the first, I finally purchased my plane ticket to China!!! Today I started crying when talking to my boyfriend about it, because I am just so overwhelmed with joy, complete happiness, and relief, that I will finally be returning to the place that my heart yearns for!
It's been three years since I have been in my beloved homeland, and it feels like an eternity.
On Friday the first, I finally purchased my plane ticket to China!!! Today I started crying when talking to my boyfriend about it, because I am just so overwhelmed with joy, complete happiness, and relief, that I will finally be returning to the place that my heart yearns for!
It's been three years since I have been in my beloved homeland, and it feels like an eternity.
I finally saved up enough money to buy my round trip plane ticket to China, but when I went to buy it, I couldn't find anything under $1,600, which was more money than I had planned on spending! So after a day of freaking out, and trying to figure out what to do, I finally accepted that I just wasn't going to go. The next day I decided to check one more time, and I found a site that I hadn't looked at before, Vayama! So I checked on there, and found affordable tickets! I immediately bought them!
Last Monday I filled out and printed my visa application form, printed out my plane ticket confirmation, booked a hotel for my first two days there, and printed out the hotel confirmation (since 2012, it is now required to send in your round trip plane ticket confirmation, and a hotel reservation confirmation when you send in your passport for your visa). On Thursday, I got my Visa picture taken, and mailed in all my documents to get my Visa!
Last Monday I filled out and printed my visa application form, printed out my plane ticket confirmation, booked a hotel for my first two days there, and printed out the hotel confirmation (since 2012, it is now required to send in your round trip plane ticket confirmation, and a hotel reservation confirmation when you send in your passport for your visa). On Thursday, I got my Visa picture taken, and mailed in all my documents to get my Visa!
(The Bell Tower, Downtown in my beloved Xi'an)
I will be leaving Ohio on April 10th, and getting back May 16th. It's not as long as I wanted it to be, but this is the amount of time that works with this point in my life right now, and I am grateful for any amount of time that I get to be in China!
I will be leaving Ohio on April 10th, and getting back May 16th. It's not as long as I wanted it to be, but this is the amount of time that works with this point in my life right now, and I am grateful for any amount of time that I get to be in China!
I'm not completely sure what my time in China will look like, and that's the way I want it! I'm getting ahold of some good friends there, and will for sure see them, but as of now, I'm not even sure which city they are in! So I'm going to Xi'an (the city I lived in) with no agenda, just letting whatever happens happen (that's how some of the most fun things can happen)!
I do know that I will be eating lots and lots of food, doing a TON of shopping, and walking, taking buses, and riding motorcycle taxis all over the city!
I've debated over this, but I have decided that I will not be taking my laptop with me. I want to travel really light (I hate checking bags!), and don't want to have to lug my laptop around with me. So I will not be on here a lot, but I will make sure that I go to an internet bar every once in a while to check in, and let you know how my trip is going!
I do know that I will be eating lots and lots of food, doing a TON of shopping, and walking, taking buses, and riding motorcycle taxis all over the city!
I've debated over this, but I have decided that I will not be taking my laptop with me. I want to travel really light (I hate checking bags!), and don't want to have to lug my laptop around with me. So I will not be on here a lot, but I will make sure that I go to an internet bar every once in a while to check in, and let you know how my trip is going!
(Me at an internet bar in China 3 years ago)
You're all probably wondering, "How on earth can a waitress, that only works 3 days a week, save up enough money to go on a Cruise to the Bahamas in February, and then a month long trip to China two months later?!!" I guess when you put it like that, it does seem pretty crazy haha! I get asked this all the time, and so I have decided, that when I get back from China, I'll let you in on my secret! I'll most likely write a couple different posts on it, but I am very excited about this series, and you should be too!
I have exactly a month before I leave, and I don't know how I'm going to wait that long! :D
Until next time!
You're all probably wondering, "How on earth can a waitress, that only works 3 days a week, save up enough money to go on a Cruise to the Bahamas in February, and then a month long trip to China two months later?!!" I guess when you put it like that, it does seem pretty crazy haha! I get asked this all the time, and so I have decided, that when I get back from China, I'll let you in on my secret! I'll most likely write a couple different posts on it, but I am very excited about this series, and you should be too!
I have exactly a month before I leave, and I don't know how I'm going to wait that long! :D
Until next time!
Peace Love and CHINA!!!
Jess <3
Jess <3
