TeamWaWa and their crazy adventures

Hello friends, family members, and passerby’s! We got the chance to do a marketing event in Qing Feng Park. It was an hour by bus from our apartment, but it was such a pretty park. You could rent bicycles, rent boats, fly kites in the grass, and even put your toes in the sand. Don’t go overboard, it’s a fake beach. We taught some colors and animals to groups of kids. Some too shy to even look at us. And others with good enough English to ask where we were from and what we were doing. It was a long day. Especially after the 25k the day before. Here’s some pictures. Enjoy. #krisandMatt #changzhouchina #qingfengpark #shaneenglishschool

Hello and good bye! These greetings are more than words on a screen. Sure, you might say HI to someone in the same checkout line or bus stop. But, when you say it to a friend or family member it means so much more. Being an expat in China, you see many other foreigners come and go. There are some "lifers" but mostly it seems 1-2 years is the norm. We've been in China for over 9 months. In that time, we've personally known 7 people who have come and gone. It's bittersweet. But, the highlights are the going away parties. Cheers to Tas and Thom. May your next adventure be just as fun!

Happy Teacher's Day 9/2017! I remember bringing my Teacher's an apple or a handmade card as a token of appreciation. I never imagined I'd be on the receiving end. It was Teacher's Day this weekend, and the students' showed their love. It was so touching to receive the flowers, cards, and chocolates.  Kids said "Happy Teacher's Day" and even gave hugs. To all our former Teacher's: Thank you for all your patience and encouragement. Happy Teacher's Day! #wefeelloved #eslteachingmoments

Hello! It's almost September, 2017. The weather still feels like summer is in full swing. However, I suppose, that's another blog post. We've recently had the pleasure of Skyping with family. It was great seeing and talking with them, but also a little sad. Guess you could say bittersweet. While we are off living a dream  (not really, but sounds cool right?!), our friends and family are living their lives. Our parents, sisters, brothers,  nieces and nephews are all growing up. We are missing birthdays' and picnics and family vacations. And in the case of Kate, an Ireland wedding! Yes, our pros and cons list does include a line item family. And only one header has it for a pro. We have so much more we want to see and do. Kristin worked with global companies in a corporate job where the struggles to the climb the ladder were real. Matt working in small family owned shops and teaching fitness had wanted to experience something big. See the world. Meet new people. Expe...

Hello friends and family! With our month long intensives completed, we celebrated at an Australian bar, Ok Koalas, in the Xinbei district. For those of you familiar with Changzhou, it's near Wanda plaza. The owner, Craig, is an Aussie and does a good job of reminding us that we are true Westerner's. Hahaha! Oh how we missed the fried foods and good dressings. We had onion rings, chicken nuggets, salad, pasta and pizza. Ranch dressing, thousand island and caeser. We were in heaven! Thank you Craig for a great night. Thank you fellow teachers for your friendship. Enjoy the pictures.