Big Jess, Little China

Not China quite yet

Corfu

09.09.2012

As I turned 22 this week as my mother turned 50 I was offered place on a family trip to Corfu, fully paid for by my mum and stepdad. So as any self-respecting and penniless 22 year old wanting to embrace their own financial independence would do, I wholeheartedly accepted and spent a week being bought ice creams and being taken on trips and absolutely loving it.

Corfu was absolutely gorgeous, staying in the peaceful seaside resort of Agios Georgios I had a chance to relax, swim, sun bathe and eat virtually every type of delicacy Corfuit cuisine had to offer. I am getting a little concerned that this is just going to turn into a blog entirely centred on the delicious/weird/wonderful things I have eaten so I’ll keep it short and sweet: gyros, kleftiko, stifado, halloumi, watermelon and big fat chocolate ice creams.
In Paxos we met this entrepreneurial shell seller, suffice to say his cuteness managed to extort several euros out of me and my mum and we left looking like gullible tourists happy with a handbag full of shells. Although now i look at it all i remember was him putting our money in the cute toy cash register on the right, rather than the gun on his left, less cute.

We also visited the smaller and less known coastal village of Agios Nicholous and Notos, its beautiful beach. Right next to a stunning tropical olive grove studded with hammocks and loungers are the clear blue waters of the panorama beach. A path leads past the restaurant and through the trees to a cove looking out to the faded view of mainland Greece. This cove used to be used only by the women of this coast due to its shaded and hidden nature, men seen within the area would be chased away and have stones thrown at them. The water is dotted with large white statuettes that give the bay a magical appearance.We enjoyed the woodland and the calm waters without having to throw rocks at any wandering greek perverts but the idea was tempting when a boat trip from Kavos pulled up and ruined the atmosphere a bit.

So all and all a gorgeous week in Corfu celebrating my 22nd and getting ready for the decidedly less tropical and relaxed lifestyle i'll be taking on in China. Still can't wait!

Posted by Jessica_l_ball 01:43 Archived in Greece Tagged me landscapes beaches skylines beach corfu paxos Comments (0)

First post

Getting ready for China

29.08.2012

Well its official, the tickets are booked and I will be leaving the UK for a year on September 8th.

Like many recent graduates I have found myself with limited job prospects in the UK, so up against the option of working in a call centre, I came up with the choices of travelling or penning a bestselling piece of literotica. I’m neither perverse nor patient enough to produce the next 50 shades of Grey so travel it was.

I’m going to be living in working in Wuhan in Hubei province, China. I’ll be working as an English teacher in a large primary school. Wuhan seems to be a nice mix of old and new China, I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it when I finally get there.

On wandering through the China town district of Manchester on my trip to the visa office I found myself surrounded by several elderly Chinese people. This could have been a beautiful moment of consideration and acceptance of the lifestyle change I was soon to be making or to reflect on how different my life would be in a couple of months, but all my mind could come up with was “Christ they are going to think I am a giant monster”. I towered above these people, their delicate waists could have been encircled by my humongous paws. They are going to run screaming whilst their drinks shudder at my approach.

Everytime I tell anyone about moving to china the first question I seem to get is Why China? My response tends to be ‘why not?’
I’m not totally sure why I chose China, here are some of the possible reasons I’ve come up with:

A nice fresh start

I want new adventure and a chance to experience new things also as a girl whose only real deal breaker with a man is that he should be exceeding 6 feet, I’m starting to think that my subconscious has decided to push me towards a country where the height of the men is likely to prevent me from being attracted to anyone. Maybe this is my subconscious shoving me in a celibate direction after a few pretty useless years spent on pursuing those who turned out to be a pretty big waste of time.

I love the food

Many comforting nights spent with flatmates and much deep-fried food from the local Canton kitchen might of created a hidden desire for China and its many culinary delights.

I really really want long fake bright pink bedazzled nails

As people keep telling me, oddly, apparently Chinese ladies are very good at nail extensions.

Anyway I am incredibly excited and looking forward to starting my new likely to be nun-like lifestyle. Lists are being made and disregarded at an impressive pace and I am being a real girl by continuingly worrying about which shoes to pack as I have a suspicion that the petite people of China will be unable to supply me with footwear suitable for my bulky clown feet.

So I suppose in conclusion to the question ‘Why China?’ I have three responses: because I needed the adventure, I bloody love sweet and sour chicken, I live to travel and because subconsciously I chose to eradicate my romantic life and take solace instead in my extended gem-encrusted claws.

Posted by Jessica_l_ball 12:47 Archived in England Tagged china teaching new_start Comments (0)