How I ended up living in China for a year
It all started with me getting laid off from the “stable” museum job. I legit thought I was going to work at this museum forever. I mean I even pictured having my retirement party here. I had graduated with a bachelors in art history with the goal of going back for my masters so that I could become a curator at said museum. I’ll never forget the day they let me go. It was 4:45pm on a Friday when my boss asked me to meet with her. Instead of going to her office we headed to HR…I had that sinking feeling you get when you know shit is about to go down. There was no one else in the office, which was strange. I mean I worked with 6 other people who were all gone. At first, I thought I was going to be reprimanded for watching videos on my work computer. You know, first it's just listening to music, but then you get bored and start down the rabbit hole of Youtube. This was 2018, by the way, so short form videos weren't a thing yet. It was when I stepped into the HR lady’s office, that I knew it was more than just a slap on the wrist. They explained “due to budget cuts and me being the last hire” (I had only been there 6 months) that unfortunately they had to let me go. I was so stunned, as much as I didn’t want to, of course I cried. I was professional and thanked them for the opportunity of working there, took a minute to collect myself in the bathroom, and then went back to my desk to collect my things. They already had a box and a security officer waiting for me. I guess people sometimes go crazy when they get fired lol. It felt like a scene out of a movie. I had all my pictures and a desk plant in a box as I walked into the apartment I shared with my then boyfriend at the time.
Funny enough, things before this were going well, so we were moving into a new apartment and were going to go sign the lease THAT VERY NIGHT. I can fast forward and tell you that, that in fact did not happen. I had to call and apologize, but we would not be taking the apartment. Instead we moved back to my hometown and once again I was living with my parents.
A lot of people say that getting fired was the best thing that ever happened to them. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit doesn't it? Well…I hate to tell ya, but it was in fact the biggest turning point of my life. Was it hard? Yes. Did I cry almost everyday? Yes. I felt lost and the fear of starting over consumed me. But time doesn’t stand still just because something shitty happens. So you form a plan, something even as simple as applying for one job a day helped keep me accountable. One day a posting came up to “Teach English in China! No teaching experience needed!” I had always wanted to travel and I thought why not? I probably won’t get hired or ACTUALLY go to China. I mean that’s crazy right?? It was crazy when I got the phone call to set up an interview. Crazy when I did the interview over skype. Even crazier when they offered me the position and I accepted. It was really happening. I got a job in China and my departure date was set for March 2019.
Let me tell ya, it was not easy. There were multiple times I cried over the visa process. It took a good 6 months of planning and saving to actually make it to China. So while I might have applied on a whim, it did take work to actually make it happen. I took it one step at a time and told myself that when I’m walking on the Great Wall of China, all of the paperwork and tears will be worth it. For many of us we see these great monuments of human history only in our textbooks at school. Not only did I get to walk on the Great Wall, but I also got to bring my mom over and we walked it together. Not the whole thing of course lol! It’s a moment we still talk about to this day. I still talk to the friends I made while I was over there and I can’t wait to go back 20 years from now and see where I lived, my favorite hot pot spot, and the river I used to bike along to work.
If you take anything from this story, let it be that rejection is just redirection. This has become my motto in life. Whenever something ends and I feel sad, I think of my time in China and how there’s something bigger and better headed my way. I’m just a normal person from a small town in Ohio. If I can do it, so can you. I believe in you, so it’s time you start believing in yourself because that “safe” job, relationship, etc. is not safe, nothing is. We can only take things day by day, but when that day comes…to answer the call for an adventure of a lifetime…will we take it?
Resources:
Learn more about the company I worked for in China here.
I watched TONS of videos about living in China mainly from @LaurenWithoutFear on YouTube!