Winter Wonderland

For those of you who don't follow me on FB I am hoping to restart my blog. Eventually, I will be changing to a different format (stay tuned) but I couldn't wait to start writing again. Writing is very therapeutic for me. I know I'm not a professional writer, but I hope you follow my journey anyways!

Welcome to the restart of Choosing Happiness! Eventually this blog will become a combo of positivity and updates about my travels. I've started making plans/outlines and once I have the funds to start on a new platform, its going to be GREAT! I cannot wait to see where this new journey leads. 

I am still in China and still loving life. Don't get me wrong... this semester HAS NOT been easy. But, that is ok! It has provided me with opportunities to grow as a person and as a teacher. I have definitely gained more patience these past few months, and I look forward to what the future holds.

But, lets look at the here and now! My students and co-workers were all telling me it was going to snow last weekend. I woke up on Saturday morning and was SOO disappointed when the world was not covered in white fluffy stuff (so much for that whole patience thing I was just talking about). So, I stuck to my usual Saturday routine. I planned a new lesson, worked on some things for my small business, talked to my family and had some good chill time (( I just started watching This Is Us and I am HOOOOOKED )). Shortly after lunch the snow began to fall. I had convinced myself it was a fluke and it wasn't going to stick... boy was I wrong!!! 

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. 

I had been feeling a little homesick lately and this was the perfect pick me up! 

Ed suggested we go for a walk so I could get some photos. I don't have any editing software on my computer (it's an ancient Macbook, but it gets the job done) but I still love how they turned out!

We met some friends for dinner at the canteen on campus... which is actually pretty good and then we continued our walk. We bought a teeny tiny Christmas tree to take home. We also got some lights for it. Have you all seen the LED Christmas lights?? Holy Moly, if we ever get snowed in we can use them as a distress beacon. They are pretty, but SUPER BRIGHT!

Then it was time for some hot cocoa yummmmm! 
It was seriously the greatest evening I have had in awhile. Snow, Christmas Tree, Hot Cocoa... what more could a girl ask for??  

We finished our walk home and spent the evening playing Dos (its like Uno) and sipping wine together with our friends. 

It was one simple weekend out of many. But, it brought me so much joy. 

Last weekend helped me to relax and to let go of things I cannot change. When I was walking through the snow with my husband, I wasn't thinking about all the little things that are usually on my mind. While I was sipping hot cocoa, I was thinking about how great chocolate is, instead of how my future will turn out. And while we were enjoying time with our friends I was just happy, and living in the moment. 


Walking through the snow cost us NOTHING, but it was more romantic than any 5 star dinner could have been. Why? Because my husband suggested it because he knew it would make me happy. He wasn't trying to impress anyone. He just wanted to see me smile. How great is that?

This weekend I want you to find joy in something, anything, and tell me what made you smile. I can't wait to hear what brings you happiness. 

Was It Worth It?

For those of you who don't know, it was a long and demanding process to get the green card. We started in 2015 and didn't get it until the beginning of 2017. It was not only difficult for us, but for our families as well. There was a lot of paperwork. The paperwork in itself wasn't much of a surprise. We had expected that. However, some of it was difficult to get because we weren't in our home countries. We had to rely on family to help us get and send out some of the documents. Beyond gathering all the documents, each step of the process had a fee. So, by the end, we ended up paying a lot for the green card. Time, money, stress, joy, tears, excitement, and disappointment all played a role when we were applying. 

Then it happened... we (Ed) was approved! We were in England at the time and I had to leave. I was only allowed to spend 6 out of 12 consecutive months in England. So, I went back to America and waited for Ed to arrive. We were excited and ready to "start our new lives". 

When I arrived in the States it was pretty easy for me to find a job. It was not as easy for Ed. He ended up taking a job below his qualifications, just because no one was calling him back. It is UNBELIEVABLY frustrating to see companies advertise vacancies for weeks and never call you or respond in any way (even after you have been reaching out in multiple formats) ... but this is a whole different topic ha ha. Before Ed was offered a job it was obvious we were going to need a second income. So, I took on two jobs. It is HARD to settle in America. Stuff is expensive... like everything is. The majority of our furniture was either from second hand shops or passed down from family members. We were super lucky to be given a head start from my parents. They had recently moved to AZ and let us live in their home back in WI. I honestly don't know what we would have done if we had had to make rent payments. Because Ed was new to the States and hadn't had a job yet, he didn't qualify for state benefits. I found that the health insurance offered was actually more affordable through my employer.... which really confused me. Why would something that is supposed to be offered to help you, be more expensive?? 

So, basically, we had it good (I had two jobs and we had a roof over our head) and it was still hard. We didn't want to give up though. We are not quitters and did not want to admit defeat. Eventually Ed found a steady job and I was able to work just one. But, this then lead to its own complications. Ed ended up taking a job in a paper mill. This meant long and tiring hours. He worked shift work. So, some days he worked 7am-7pm and other days he worked 7pm-7am. This is quite common for people in my hometown. We have a lot of different manufacturing plants. But, because I was a teacher working during the day we would go days without seeing each other. When we did see each other we were generally too tired to do anything fun or interesting. This was not the kind of life we wanted to live. 

Ed got the green card. But, because of the work schedule we had. He has only seen one of the 50 states and not very much of it. People we had met while we were abroad kept saying, "come visit us here" (several different states)! But, we couldn't. We couldn't get time off and even if we could get the time off we couldn't afford it and wouldn't be able to for several years. We weren't alone though. Our friends couldn't come visit us for the very same reasons. 

Being close to my family was nice. But, even though we were close in terms of distance, we still barely saw them. Flights to England were cheaper from the States and the flight time was shorter... but if we couldn't visit California there was no way we could fly across the ocean. I genuinely think I saw more of my family and friends when I visited from abroad then when I lived across town from them. 

So, was it worth it? Was getting the green card the right choice?? I don't know. It took a lot of time, money and stress. But, without having gone through this experience we wouldn't know what we know now. We probably wouldn't appreciate the opportunity we have in China as much either. Being here brings new opportunities everyday! We are able to see and do things we wouldn't normally be able to. We are not the only ones who feel this way either. There are a few others we know who have left China and returned because life just wasn't working out in their home countries. These are people from ALL OVER the WORLD. 

One thing people keep asking me about is what I will do for my retirement. I don't know. I really really don't know. But, don't take this to mean its not something I don't think about. I do. But, I also know that many of my peers and fellow co-workers don't know either. Who knows if social security will be around when I'm eligible (probably not)? Most companies offer a 401k or some other plan. But a lot of people in my generation are too busy paying off debts in order to invest. I'm not saying its true for everyone. But, this is a truth for many Americans in my generation. I am not going to sit there, living a life that makes me miserable in order to hope to maybe someday retire comfortably. Life is waaaaaay to unpredictable for me to put myself in a situation like that. 

Sooooo we are in China. I don't know if this is where we will stay for long. I can tell you what we do know. Right now, there isn't a life for us in America. It's a wonderful place to visit, but not where we want to spend the rest of our lives. The American dream is not OUR dream. 

Opportunity

It's funny. America is known as the  "land of opportunities". For some and maybe even for many, this may be true. However, Ed and I did not find this to be the case. 

Here in China Ed and I have an interesting life. We are able to meet new people (almost daily) from many different cultures. 

Recently, we were able to reconnect with some old friends. They are currently living in South Africa, but were visiting Shaoxing for a few weeks. It was great to see them again. We were able to talk about how much life changes and how quickly it does! We even talked about the possibility of visiting them in the future, before they move from South Africa to another country. We were also able to attend their anniversary celebration. If you have never been to a party in China.... you need to go. The food is SPECTACULAR! I believe there were around 20 dishes brought out. Yummm..... 

Speaking of food, have you ever tried ShaoKao? It is Chinese barbecue and its pretty darn great. They have everything from potatoes to squid. Ed and I are obsessed with the veggies and tofu and we especially love the EGGPLANT. NOM NOM. American barbecue is pretty good. Not going to lie, I love brats and burgers on the grill. But HOLY COW... you've all got to try this stuff. 

But enough about food, back to the opportunities we have. This week I was able to visit a school in the countryside of Shaoxing. I was the first foreign teacher to visit this school. It was so amazing to see the contrasts in such small area. This school was in the middle of fields and near a river. Yet, the classrooms had recording equipment, smartboards, and a one way window. The English teachers from the school sat on the other side of the window to watch my class. They wanted to learn more about western teaching strategies. This is an opportunity I would not have had in the States. 

Actually, our job in general is a pretty great opportunity. We were asked to teach at the number one highschool in our province. That's pretty cool. The students from this school attend the top universities in China, as well as schools all over the world! We hope we can be an inspiration to them.

One of the coolest parts of living here is that we actually have time for all these opportunities. Unlike before, I'm not dreading going to events because it takes up the 2 free hours I am supposed to have with my husband. In fact, a lot of the opportunities we have here we can experience together. What can be better than that? 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I don't know what the future holds. I'm hoping an OPPORTUNITY comes along that we just can't pass up. You never know what life has in store for you. 

Hello Again!

Sorry for the lonnnnnng delay in posting.... but WE MOVED! We are officially back on the other side of the planet. When I was a kid we used to do super cool things like dig holes. What were these holes for? Who knows? But, you can guarantee there was a joke made about that hole going all the way to China. Well everyone, if you really could dig a whole to China, you could come visit us!

Its been a roller coaster of a year. When I first started this blog I was not in a good place. I was safe, I was fed, but I wasn't happy. WE weren't happy. Both my husband and I decided that the life we were living in America wasn't for us, at least not now. Who knows what the future will bring... not me. We did what we could to try to make things work. We applied for other jobs. I took other jobs. But, it still wasn't working. 

We got an offer to go teach abroad again. We are living in the same city we were before. We are actually on the same campus. We are working for a different company though. This was NOT an easy decision to make. We were unhappy and knew we needed a change. But, was this going to be the change we needed?? So far, I can say yes. This was definitely the right decision. I get to see my husband everyday. I get to socialize here. We have the opportunity and time for travel. So far, so good. 

All this being said, of course we miss our friends and family. WE ARE SO LUCKY to have such wonderfully supportive people in our lives. We have people who genuinely want us to be happy, no matter where we are in the world. 

So, we did  it. We chose happiness. We may not have a lot of money. We may not know where life is going. But, we have each other and we are happy. I wish all of you happiness. I hope you continue to follow us on our journey through life. 

Pros :: Cons

I don't know about you all, but I am a LIST MAKER. I currently have 63 notes in my phone and I just downloaded a new app for my watch for making lists. 

Ed has officially been in the US for 10 months today. 
So, here is a list my husband and I came up with. This is a pros and cons list for having a Green Card in America. 


Pros:

• Ability to work in the US: This doesn't mean you will get a job or that it will be easy to find one. But, it means you are legally hirable. 
• Able to get a drivers license in the US: You don't have to rely on public transportation or others to get you around. We live in an area where public transportation isn't super convenient or affordable. So, this was important. 
• Sense of achievement: It is a long and difficult (plus expensive!) task. So, when you finally get approval it is a pretty great feeling. 

Cons: 

• Taxes: Not only paying taxes on what he earns here (totally get that), but if he earns a certain amount or has a certain amount in the bank abroad we will be taxed on that. Not only from the UK but here as well. This also  includes any inheritance he may receive in the future. 
• Lack of Flexibility: We used to be able to travel wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Now we have to be careful with how much time we spend overseas. This means we are limited in the time we can spend with his family. It also means if/when we are offered job opportunities we need to consider his residency obligations in the States. 
• Healthcare: HOLY BUCKETS, it's expensive. We pay every month/pay check to have health insurance and yet when we go to the doctor we still have to pay quite a lot. I got a sinus infection a few months back and on top of my health insurance costs, I still paid around $200. Coming from a country with free health care, this was quite shocking for my husband. 

These are the main pros and cons we wanted to share with you today. There may be more for you or less depending on where you are coming from. But, this is how WE currently feel about having permanent residency. We decided to apply for the green card after having visited for one summer. We don't mean to be down on the US. It's just that its a very different lifestyle than we were used to. It's also very hard to "get settled" here. We thought this was something that we wanted. But, it seems like we miss the flexibility of our old life.  If we want that again while living here, we are going to have to wait a long LONG time (or win the lottery). We are lucky to have had this experience and to have had such supportive (amazing, wonderful, loving) family to help us along the way. It hasn't been a great one for us. But, thats ok. We aren't going to sit around and complain though. We are looking into different options for our future. This has been a learning experience and has made us better, stronger people. We know that whatever life throws at us, we will get through it together. 

Annnnd GO

This week has been busy, but good! I feel like everyday has been filled with something. Tuesday we had a great time! We met our friends for tacos at a local bar for Taco Tuesday where tacos are a dollar and then we went bowling! It sounds kind of lame when I write about it... but it was really fun!! I can't remember the last time I went bowling. We went with our friends Tifani and Ben and their daughter! It was her first time bowling and I think she loved it! This girl is THE CUTEST. She is also super SUPER well behaved. We also met them for dinner again tonight. Our experience there was not as fun... the restaurant was not very busy and yet we waited about an hour for our food and then they got one of the orders wrong. But, L was great! She sat so nicely. I think I was more impatient than she was. 

Friday I had a few girlfriends over and Ed went out with the guys. Us girls sat around drinking wine and chatting having a great time. The guys took Ed out for the WI "dive bar" experience. They then decided they needed to come home and take their wives out. I am not really into going to bars, but with my mother in law visiting... well ... we had to go! I think everyone had a great time!

We have a week left to spend with my mother in law and 16 days until our next big adventure. I can say that we will be moving at the end of this month. But, I won't say where yet. We don't really have a whole lot of time for relaxing and preparing. Which makes me sometimes feel overwhelmed. But, that's just who I am. I overthink things all the time and they end up turning out fine. Moving is hard to prepare for. You need to pack, but can't pack too much because you still need to live... any tips from anyone?! Any expert packers/movers out there? I know one of the last rooms to be packed will be the kitchen. I need my cooking stuff. Of course, we also need clothes. So, that will have to be packed late as well. Like I said, I overthink things... I know everything will turn out fine. 

A Dual Purpose

Thank you Mother Nature! Ed's Mum is visiting from England. When we found out she was coming we wanted to plan things to do.... well... things are expensive. Almost immediately after she arrived it started to snow A LOT. This gave us something to do today! We went to the water and took some pictures and looked at all the snow. BRRRRR and pretty!

We are hoping to make our way down to Madison, thankfully we have some awesome relatives we can stay with. But, beyond that we will probably just be hanging out. Don't get me wrong, it's great to hang out. I just wish after she travelled so far we could show her more.

We thought of visiting my parents in AZ... the flights were kinda pricey. I'm guessing because it is warm there and cold here.

We thought of heading up to Door County and touring a winery... one night in Door County even at an AirBnB isn't all that affordable. Especially, when you add in food and gas expenses. 

Chicago is just a few hours away. So, we considered going there for a few days. FORGET ABOUT IT! The "attractions" and hotel prices were way more than we could afford. 

You may be looking at this list thinking we must make pennies if we can't afford any of this. This isn't true. I know plenty of people who make what we make and are able to visit these places. However, this is after planning to visit these places for awhile. We like to plan. I am DEFINITELY a planner. But, when we lived in China we didn't need to plan sooooo far in advance for these trips to make it work. On top of that, we've got other expenses this month that have to take priority over the fun stuff. 

For those of you who don't know. This blog serves a dual purpose.
1) I can update my friends and family on the weekly goings on in my life.
2) For those who are thinking of emigrating to America, I can give a first hand account of what it may be like.

When it comes to #2, this doesn't mean that this is what it will be like for everyone. But, when researching it myself I couldn't find much. There is TONS of information and help when you are going through the green card process. But, not so much afterwards. This is our story, I'd love to hear others!