Real quick, here are a few more shots I took recently. The first is of the "above ground subway" that was only completed in the past 6 months. This brand new, bus only bridge runs through the most important sectors of the island...and also happens to have a station a block from my building. Very convenient and actually cheaper than the normal bus lines...clocking in at 30 chinese cents per ride...so cheap i haven't even bothered to figure what that works out to USD...probably a penny or so.


I spotted this little Christmas tree in a storefront window today. Its decorated with little red cards, which is the traditional gifting method for Chinese during their New Years celebrations. One simply slips some cold hard cash in these red babies and passes them around to friends and family.

While walking down Zhong Shan, the main shopping street, I clicked a shot of the giant new mall they are building as well as a billboard of a very familiar face...he's doing a good job picking up where MJ left off eh? Lebron WorldWide.

Tonight, I'm heading out for a good bye drink with one of my best friends from home, Chas. He's been studying here for the month of January and is leaving tomorrow back to Eckerd to finish up his studies. I'll probably be seeing him again in as soon as 4 or 5 months.

More soon!

Safely in Xiamen, China!

Hello everyone,

Well school is out, my degree is in hand, and its time to put all that studying abroad to use. So I'm back in the city that has always treated me the best: Xiamen, China. Compared to my stint here in the Spring, I can safely say I am off to a much smoother start.

I've uploaded a video below that gives a tour of my new apartment. This apartment is much better than the one I had in the spring in every sense. The location is right smack in the middle of the island, right in the heart of the business district (where I graduate ought to be). No more rats greeting me every evening outside, no more 8 flights of stairs to march up everyday. Instead, I scan my fingerprint in the lobby, opening the door to my super fast elevators that shoot me up to the top of the tower. Of 32 stories, my apartment rests comfortably on the 30th floor, giving me an amazing view that really almost isn't fair. Take a look at the video I attached and you'll have a better idea of what $350 USD a month can get you with some diligent shopping around.

I was also fortunate enough to land a job interview by my third day on the ground. If all goes as planned, I should be starting an English teaching position within the next two weeks, after the Chinese New Year winds down.

I'll be posting more soon. Please leave me a comment or any questions you'd like answered about where I am, what I'm up to etc...

More as it comes. Xin Nian Hao! Happy New Year!