They say “all things happen in threes” and the other day was my third invitation to China. The first one came from a slightly spendy travel agency, although they provided tons of useful information and a highly detailed itinerary; very professional, but not quite what I was aiming for at the time. Second, the major 3D-printing company, Winsun, invited me to their expo in Suzhou. Most recently, a lovely Chinese lady on my same flight back from London chatted with me at length about a great many topics, and enlightened me to work and teaching options in China which I had only barely heard bits of before.
So what were those three invitations, when reassessed?
- impersonal and expensive, though still very interesting and persuasive
- direct, professional, directly applicable to my city construction plans, and potentially lucrative, although initially cost-neutral
- fully personal, as specific as ever, and certainly lucrative, with the most exploration options by far
It feels like the right time to go.
I’ve already plotted pyramids, ruins, and other amazing creations all across China, and made preparations to spend a few weeks there at first, then a few months, and finally a full year. My focuses are the following:
- teach English in numerous towns, helping to cover the cost of my expedition
- learn to at least speak, if not also read and write, Mandarin
- start studying acupuncture and Chinese herbalism (hopefully with monks at a monastery, maybe even one in Tibet), with the intent to one day be a master of both disciplines, if not also have a certified practice in my city (Inisfree)
- go with new Chinese friends to all of the adjacent countries and beyond, completing as much of my ‘Asia 48’ mega-expedition as possible within a few years
- likely visit a megalithic ruins site in Russia just north of where Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China meet
Are you from China? Do you live there, or know people who do? If you can provide firsthand advice, and/or put me in touch with others who would like to, I’m all ears.
中国，很高兴见到你！
