My transition to China is complete!  So happy to say.  This transition began around November 20, 2008 when I started getting rid of most of my personal belongings.  Following my first trip to China in July 2008, and after selecting Chongqing as my favorite city, I had chosen to risk everything I had in order to make my life worth living.  This was my ultimate chance.  It was now or never.

At the end of November, I left my temporary menial part-time job to prepare for the move.  By the first week of December, I had finished setting up the software on my new laptop PC, and gave my old desktop PC to my parents, along with some of my furniture and other items.  That Saturday I removed most of the things from my Oklahoma City apartment and stayed at my parents' house in Edmond for a few days.  I got rid of the remaining furniture and devices in my apartment that Sunday and Monday.

On Tuesday, December 9th, I cleaned up the empty apartment and handed in the keys to the office.  I also transferred my car title back to my parents, because the car hadn't sold yet.  I started packing my two large suitcases that next day (December 10th), and stayed at the Oklahoma City Marriott on NW Expressway to celebrate my final night of residence in Oklahoma.  I walked on the Lake Hefner Dam late that night for the last time.

In late morning on Thursday, December 11th, I checked out of the Marriott and returned to my parents' house in Edmond -- driving my '97 Pontiac Grand Prix and listening to its huge sound system for the final time.  (I had spent the previous 15 years of my life building up the sound system, and this was the third car I'd had it in.)  I then went for my final walk as a resident of Oklahoma -- around my old neighborhood where I grew up.  Afterward I finished packing, took a shower, and loaded everything into one of my parents' cars to head to the airport.  Upon pulling out of the driveway at 4 PM (sitting in the backseat with my mom and dad up front), I waved goodbye to the house and my old car.

We arrived at the airport at 4:30 PM, checked in my two overweight luggage bags, and I hugged my parents a sincere and heartfelt goodbye.  I passed through security with my heavy coat, my travel pouch, a heavy backpack, and a heavy laptop PC bag, and arrived at the gate with five minutes to spare before boarding began.

Departure was at 5:15 PM on Southwest Airlines, but takeoff didn't occur until 5:35.  I relished my final look at the city as I flew off into the sunset.  It would be nearly 24 hours until seeing daylight again.

I changed planes in Phoenix and headed to Los Angeles International Airport.  I retrieved my luggage and had fun dragging everything I owned across the airport for the next half hour!  I finally showed up at Air China's check-in desk, checked in the two overweight luggage bags, got my boarding passes for the next two flights, then went through security again with all my other stuff.

I had a fun chat with a college student while waiting at the gate, who was returning to Beijing to visit her family.  She ultimately wanted to teach Chinese in L.A., and was delighted to hear about my plans to teach English in Chongqing.

Departure was on time at 12:40 AM, December 12th.  I sat in the very middle of the front row of economy class behind a wall.  The leg room was a bit cramped, but it was quieter than sitting by the window.  Upon taking off around 1 AM, I looked toward one of the small windows and thought, "Goodbye, country!"

I then set my watch ahead to 5 PM for China's time, and prepared to get some rest during the 13-hour flight.

The plane finally landed in Beijing at 6 AM on Saturday, December 13th.  I passed through the immigration checkpoint, took a train to another section of the terminal, and retrieved my luggage.  While passing through customs, I asked if I needed to register or pay tariffs for my gold bullion coins, and they said no.

So I hauled all my stuff up a long escalator to the upper level and found a cart to put it on.  It was 7 AM, and the flight to Chongqing wasn't until 12:20 PM.  I also wasn't allowed to check in my luggage until three hours before departure.  So for the next two-and-a-half hours, I sat with everything I owned and watched the sun come up.  It was a brand new day, indeed.

I checked in my two large suitcases just after 9:30 and passed through security one last time.  I ate a second breakfast and waited at the gate.  The last leg of the 32-hour journey finally occurred, and I touched down in Chongqing around 3 PM.  I picked up the luggage and met my friend Rosanna in the lobby, whom I'd met the previous summer.

We took a taxi and found the hostel along the Yangtze River, and I checked in.  It was a simple accommodation and only the bedrooms had heaters, but the staff was friendly and helpful.  I also retrieved a rented cellphone that had been delivered to the hostel.

Throughout the next five days, Rosanna showed me around town and took me to some of the public schools to inquire about English-teaching positions for the upcoming semester.  All the public schools had no heaters, the bathrooms were gross, and they only hired foreign teachers through agents.  But that Wednesday, I interviewed at a new private language school for children, called CocoPaul.  It was located in the center of the city at Jiefang Bei.  It was heated, the facilities were nice, and I was impressed.  They invited me to come to their Christmas party that following Saturday at their children's clothing store, which I accepted.

On Friday (Dec. 19th) I was on my own to interview with an adult private language school at Jiefang Bei, and to search for another one in the area.  The first place was Web International English, located in one of the towers.  The interviewers asked if I could teach a demo class for 30 minutes later in the day.  I replied that I would wait until February after returning from my English-teaching training course in Beijing.  I wanted to have the confidence and skills in place first.  They understood, and said they'd keep in touch with me.

So then I searched for the next adult language school, called Meten English.  With some help I found it, and two staff members named Dianni and Sprina met with me.  I was thoroughly impressed with the school and the staff, and also told them I could do a demo class after returning from Beijing in February.  They seemed very interested in me, and promised to keep in contact.

Thinking I was finished for the day, I meandered the streets around Jiefang Bei for awhile.  But I encountered a marketing tent that Web International English had set up beneath their building.  One of the marketing girls informed me of another prestigious language school in that same skyscraper for children, called Owen Education International.  So I rode up the elevator again and spoke with one of the administrators named Dave, who was from Seattle.  He was really nice to talk to, and told me that as long as I could successfully do a demo class, the job was mine.

So I went home that day, feeling very successful.  I went clubbing that night for fun, and attended CocoPaul's Christmas party the next day.  At the party I had fun singing carols with the kids and the staff.  The manager of the school spoke with me afterward, and said he'd like to hire me.  I thanked him for the offer, but told him that I wouldn't accept any offers until after returning from the training course in Beijing.  I wanted to know which group of students appealed to me more:  children, or adults.  The training course would give me a better idea.

When returning to the hostel I sent some thank-you e-mails to the interviewers I spoke with from each of the schools.  They all replied to me within the next few days.  Sprina from Meten said that she hoped to meet me again, and that she "believes I will be a good teacher."  The rep from Web stated, "We hope you can become one of us."

Needless to say, it felt great to have one explicit job offer and three implicit ones after my first week or so in China!

I relaxed during the next few days and did laundry, and on Wednesday (December 24th), Rosanna came and helped me purchase my own cellphone, SIM card, and international calling plan.  The hostel had a fun Christmas party that evening with about 50 people in attendance, and I sang a few pop songs for everyone.  I told them that this move to China was a present that I'd given myself:  a new hope, and a new life.

I spoke with my family on the phone the next morning.  They were excited to hear about my success thus far, and missed me.

Later that same day, I received a call on my rented Chinese cellphone from the rental company.  They told me to mail the rented phone to their U.S. office after I returned to America from my "vacation."  I laughed out loud and explained why that wouldn't happen!  So they gave me their Shanghai mailing address to send it to.  The hostel staff wrote some instructions on a piece of paper, and I took it to a post office the next day to mail the phone.  That evening I packed my bags to prepare for the trip to Beijing.

I left the hostel by taxi the next morning (Saturday) with all my belongings and headed to the airport.  The flight was at noon, and landed in Beijing around 2:30.  After retrieving my luggage I met the taxi driver that the hostel in Beijing had arranged for me.

The scenery on the 30-minute ride was enjoyable.  Beijing was full of fancy, modern buildings, but had fewer skyscrapers than Chongqing.  Everything seemed to be more spread-out.  And the winter climate was very cold and dry, which I disliked.

The hostel was nicer than the one in Chongqing.  It was heated, and more finished.  I also enjoyed the fast high-speed internet in my room.  That evening, I bundled up and browsed the streets, and found the building where the training course was.  I also explored one of the main shopping streets, named Wangfujing Street.

On Sunday I prepared for class, and showed up at 9 AM Monday morning.  I had fun meeting the trainers and other trainees.  One of the trainers was an older gentleman from France, who spoke English just like a native British-English speaker. The other trainer was in his late thirties, from Australia.  The course was called CELTA (Certification of English Language Teaching to Adults), which was sponsored by the University of Cambridge in England and accredited by the British Council.

There were 12 trainees (myself included).  Most were young adults from all over the world.  Some had prior teaching experience and others hadn't, but most wanted to find positions in East Asia.

Each day involved a morning of lecture, an afternoon of teaching practice and trainer/peer feedback, and an early evening of lesson preparation.  There were two groups of 12 adult students whom we taught:  an elementary level, and intermediate.  (I taught the elementary-level group during the first two weeks, and the intermediate throughout the last two.)  The course was *very* intense.  I found myself averaging about five hours of sleep each night during the weekdays -- working on formal lesson plans and written assignments.  It felt like a four-week war.  My to-do list included 10 regular lesson plans, two activity lessons, and four written assignments.  I often worked in my hostel room late in the evening and early in the morning to keep up with the class.

But overall, it was an *excellent* training course.  I learned a great deal about how to teach English, how students learn, and built a solid foundation from which to launch a teaching career.

The final Friday finally came, and I was feeling quite relieved that the war was finished at last.  I went out to dinner that evening with the other trainees, hung out at one of their apartments, then went to a dance club called Shooters (located in Beijing's Westerner-section of town).  We had a lot of fun together.  I then returned to the training office around noon the next day to retrieve an official letter stating that I had passed the course, and that I'd be getting my CELTA certificate in the mail in six to eight weeks.  I then went back to the hostel to take pictures, do laundry, sample and download music on the fast connection, and pack.

I left the hostel at 9 AM Sunday morning (January 25th) and arrived at the airport around 9:30.  I expected the place to be crowded because of the Spring Festival, but it wasn't.  I checked in my bags, went through security, and waited at the gate for quite awhile -- while listening to the new songs acquired the night before.  One of the tunes had lyrics that said, "You're probably on your flight back to your hometown."

Takeoff was after 12:30 and I landed back in Chongqing around 3.  I picked up my luggage and took a taxi back to the Yangtze River Youth Hostel, and was happy to be back in my new hometown.  I ate dinner in the lounge that evening with the staff and other guests to celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year/Spring Festival.  Afterward I rode the cable car across the river and walked on Nanbin Road for the first time.

The view of the colorful city skyline was spectacular, and people were shooting off New Year's fireworks everywhere.  I decided to make this my regular walking place in Chongqing.  I later returned to the hostel and hung out for a short time.  But around 11:45 PM, the fireworks outside started getting louder and louder.  So I walked out onto the 4th-floor balcony area of the hostel with a good view of the river, and stood in absolute awe for the next 60 minutes.  There must've been 300 people on both sides of the river for miles shooting full-sized fireworks simultaneously!  It was unlike anything I had ever witnessed in my life.  Midnight was the official start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and it transpired with a........bang!  It was a thousand times better than the best fireworks show I'd seen, and was at least 10 times better than the fireworks shows in New York City and London on January 1, 2000!  It endured for a breathtaking 60 minutes or so, and I even called my parents and left a voice message.  (It was so loud that it sounded like static on the recording.)

It was indeed a new year, a new life, a new hope, and a new chance at making my dreams come true.

I relaxed around the hostel during the next several days and put together my personal Year-End Music Charts for 2008.  I also finished organizing a personal homemade compilation album from recently-acquired songs.  That Friday I started to explore the city again, and took the monorail/subway train to Yang Jia Ping.  It was a pretty shopping area, which included a huge tree sculpture made from 7-UP bottles.  That evening I visited the Yikeshu Viewing Platform across the river, situated on a mountain, featuring a magnificent high view of the colorful metropolis.  I explored Jiefang Bei during the next afternoon and evening (Saturday), and on Sunday, I took a trip to Chongqing's Public Security Bureau office to inquire about what was needed to extend my tourist visa for an additional 30 days' stay.

Also throughout those three days, I delightedly bought six Chinese disco albums -- each with three CD's apiece -- from different music shops.  I paid 30 RMB (less than $5) for each of them, and gradually sampled and became familiar with them during the following week.  Three of the albums were all in Mandarin, and the other three contained songs in various languages from all over the world.  The music was awesome and I was in disco heaven!

Monday morning (February 2nd) arrived, and it was finally time to deliver my demo class at Meten English.  I arrived at the school at 10 AM and was given 30 minutes to prepare a 20-minute lesson.  The lesson plan was already laid out for me, and I needed to think about how to teach it.  About 10 students and staff members joined me in one of the small classrooms at 10:30, and I began the lesson.  The topic was simple banking and financial vocabulary.  I executed my CELTA-acquired skills and the lesson went well, although my nervousness was apparent.

Following the lesson, the staff told me that it was "obvious" I'd had some "good training," and were impressed.  Their only significant criticism was, "Don't be so nervous!"

They said they'd inform me within the next week if they wanted to hire me.  So I left, feeling hopeful.  The staff seemed very professional and I appreciated the excellent communication with Sprina (the foreign teacher assistant) throughout the previous five weeks by e-mail.

I went back to the hostel and contacted Web International English about scheduling a demo class.  But they couldn't do it until the following Monday.  So that afternoon I decided to open a checking account and a safe deposit box at Bank of China.  I wanted to put away my Chinese cash and my remaining U.S. traveler's checks (converted to RMB), and needed to start using my old debit card from my U.S. checking account (at an ATM) to pull over some extra cash (also converted to RMB).  I would need to show the Public Security Bureau that I had the required funds necessary to extend my tourist visa, so this was part of that preparation.  Finally, I desired to put my gold bullion coins into a safer place.

So I removed my bag of valuables from the hostel's front-desk locker, donned my travel pouch, and took a taxi to Jiefang Bei.  I entered one of the Bank of China branches there and spoke with one of the employees.  But they told me that foreigners must go to the main Chongqing branch of Bank of China, located at Guan Yin Yan, west of Jiefang Bei.  I took another taxi there and entered.  One of the assistant managers spoke good English and was extremely helpful and friendly.  His English name was Oliver, and when mentioning that I also wanted to rent a safe deposit box, he exclaimed with a big smile, "How long do you plan on staying here?"

I told him about my job hunt and he was very encouraging.  He helped me get a Bank of China debit card with my new checking account, showed me how to instantly deposit money using an ATM, and helped me rent a safe deposit box.  It felt great to finally put my beloved gold coins into their new refuge.  The box's security was tighter than in the U.S., too -- with multiple "keys" of different sorts needed to enter the vault area.  My new debit card's security was also better.  When using it to pay for merchandise at a store, my pin number was always required, plus a signature.

I finally thanked Oliver for all his help and he gave me his business card.  I took a bus back to the hostel afterward and called it a day.

I spent the rest of the week getting new passport photos, making copies of my passport page with the current entry stamp, transferring some extra money from my old U.S. checking account into my new one in China, sampling more of my brand-new Chinese disco albums, and exploring Jiefang Bei.  On Thursday I obtained an official certificate from my new bank, stating my account balance.  I then submitted all the paperwork to the Public Security Bureau office on Friday morning to extend my tourist stay.  It was promptly approved, but they needed to keep my passport until the following Wednesday in order to apply the new visa to it.

That Friday evening (February 6th) was incredibly exciting.  I was expecting a phone call from Winston Wu (the creator of the website HappierAbroad.com, whose site helped inspire me to explore the world outside the U.S.)  But just prior to the phone call, I decided to check e-mail.  Sprina from Meten English sent me a note, asking if I could sign a full-time teaching contract with Meten the following Wednesday afternoon!  (The contract would begin March 1st.)  I immediately replied, asking which location it was at.  So feeling very excited, I received the phone call from Winston and had a good two-hour conversation.  He seemed satisfied to know that he's influenced others to make positive changes in their lives by seeking happiness abroad.

Sprina replied to my e-mail late the next morning, informing me that the position was at the Jiefang Bei location!  So after my late breakfast, I called her.  I proclaimed, "Next Wednesday afternoon, you and I *will be* shaking hands."

She was pleased to hear my acceptance of the offer.

I called my parents next, who also were delighted about the news.  Shortly after I hung up, Sprina called me back and requested that I teach some classes that afternoon and evening for a teacher who was out sick.  I said yes, and although I was feeling eager to celebrate, was glad to get some extra teaching practice nonetheless.  I taught a few more classes the next day as well, and sent some e-mails to the other language schools to tell them I'd accepted another job offer.

Monday and Tuesday were spent ripping my new Chinese disco albums onto my laptop PC, converting them to MP3, and copying them to my iPod.  It was thrilling to finally have 299 new great songs on my iPod to take and play wherever I chose.

Early Wednesday afternoon, I retrieved my passport from the Public Security Bureau office (with the new tourist visa) and went to Meten to review and sign the teaching contract.  The staff also informed me that they'd help me find an apartment within the next week, and told me about the procedures for getting my Chinese work permit visa, which would be completed by the end of February.

So I was very, very pleased that it was finally "official":  I had a job in the heart of Chongqing!

I walked along Nanbin Road that evening to my new music and had a blast.  I relaxed and did laundry the next day, and taught a couple more classes on Friday evening for a another teacher who was out sick.

I got up Saturday morning and read that my parents finally sold my car for a low price.  The new owner was 18 years old, saw my online ad, came from Kansas to get the car, and was quite enthusiastic about the sound system.  I then received a phone call (as planned) from a gentleman from northern California named Ernie.  He had read about my move to Chongqing and was aspiring to do the same in the near future.  We had a good conversation that lasted for about two hours.  I went to Meten that evening to attend a Valentine's Day activity and sing some pop songs for the students.

Sunday afternoon came, and it was time to begin my furnished apartment search.  I met Sprina at Meten early in the afternoon, and we walked five minutes to a nearby apartment building.  The first room I toured was on the top (30th) floor.  It was a studio room that was in decent shape, had no bad smells, included a Western-style toilet, and everything worked.  But the view outside was extremely foggy and rainy.  The Yangtze River and most other buildings weren't visible that day from the windows.

So my first impression of this room was OK, but it didn't wow me.

My next toured room was on the 27th floor.  It also was a studio room, but with a large wardrobe that separated the bedroom section from the living-room area.  At first glance it appeared very fancy, and the windows faced the center of Jiefang Bei.  But the toilet didn't flush, the bathroom door was broken, the kitchen cabinets were messed up, and paint chips surrounded the perimeter.  As much as I liked this room, it unfortunately was disqualified from consideration.

Following that, I toured two more apartments in a different building.  One was on the 8th floor, and other on the 20th.  They both were very fancy with separate bedrooms.  However, they also had Eastern-style "squat" toilets with no standing water in them.  They were directly open to the sewer line, and the bad sewer smells pervaded the entire apartments.  When mentioning this nasty nuisance to the locals, they answered, "Oh...just leave a window open, and you'll be fine!"  (Even though the outdoor temperature was 5 degrees Celsius / 40 degrees Fahrenheit.)

It took quite an effort for me to keep from laughing.

I visited four more apartments that next day (Monday) in this same complex.  All of them were similarly fancy with separate bedrooms, but with the same problems, too.  So I finally returned to the trouble-free apartment on the 30th floor of that first skyscraper from the day before.  It was the only room that didn't have "issues."  The fog outdoors also was less dense than on Sunday, providing me with a better view.  So I declared to Sprina, "OK...I'll take this one!"

She spoke to the landlords on the phone and they agreed to meet me in the room at 10 AM the next morning.  They would present me with the lease, and I would move in.

Feeling excited, I returned to the hostel for my final night's stay.  I packed my belongings, checked out the next morning (February 17th), and loaded everything into a taxi.  I then hauled all the heavy bags and suitcases into the apartment building and up an elevator to my new home.  I met my new landlords in the room, along with their son who spoke some English.  Sprina also came to interpret the leasing contract for me.  The rent was a mere 1,000 RMB ($150) per month, and the view was *absolutely spectacular* since most of the fog had lifted.  I could see the Yangtze River, hundreds of buildings, 20-story-tall bridges, and the Nan'An District from the south window.  The west window boasted a gaze of hundreds of more skyscrapers (including my bank), plus the Jiangbei District in the distance.  My landlords were very friendly and even took me out to lunch.  It was a truly warm welcome and a great feeling.

After lunch I met Sprina back at Meten, who helped me purchase a set of bed sheets and pillows from a nearby store.  We met Harry from Meten's IT office afterward.  The three of us took a bus to an area called Shiqiao Pu, which was the electronics Mecca of Chongqing.  (It was a miniature version of Shenzhen's Hua Qiang Bei.)  There I got some good deals on a small home stereo set and a printer/scanner/copier for my PC, plus a small desk and chair.  We rode back to my apartment in a minivan with the new equipment, and Harry promised to return to my room the next day to assemble the desk and chair.

The evening view from the windows was so brilliant and beautiful, that it was unlike anything I'd ever seen.  Spectrums of bright, flashy colorful lights beamed from at least 200 buildings in a delightful display of dazzle!  It lit up the Yangtze River with awesome luster and delved deep into my ecstatic emotion as I donned my headphones and played my latest Chinese disco tunes with the astonishing scenery from my wonderful new home.  I simply could not believe this was actually my apartment.  It kicked ass!

Harry returned around noon the next day with a handyman who assembled the new desk and chair.  I later met Yama from Meten who helped me buy a juicer and air purifier from another nearby store, and in the evening, I shopped for some small kitchenware and other utensils.  An Internet service provider technician came Thursday afternoon to set up a broadband connection.

I continued working on arranging the room, unloading my bags and suitcases, and putting my old posters on the walls (plus two new ones).  By that Sunday, my move-in was complete.  I had worked hard and was glad to be finished.  It was especially neat to see my longtime "DiscoPro" poster and multicolored "dance posters" hanging up in illustrious China.

On Monday morning I met Sprina and took a bus to the north side of the city to undergo the national medical exam.  It was one of the required procedures for obtaining a work permit.  It was a bit humorous as I went from room to room while each doctor examined me and documented the paperwork.  That Thursday I returned to the same building to retrieve the approval sheets, and to visit the Foreign Experts Bureau office in another place to acquire a Foreign Expert certificate.  I finally traveled with Sprina to the Public Security Bureau to submit all the numerous documents (plus my passport) for approval.  It was accepted, but they needed to keep my passport for three weeks in order to convert the tourist visa into a work permit.

I filed my U.S. income taxes online that weekend and was set to receive a decent refund.  I also went to a dance club called Wan Jia Le and had a blast, and hung out with Rosanna and her boyfriend at my apartment.  It was a pleasure to see her again for the first time since December.

My first regular week at Meten was very easy.  It mostly consisted of training, and was largely a review of what I learned in the CELTA course in Beijing.  By that first weekend, though, I began teaching a regular schedule.  I taught all different levels of teenagers and adults, with usually one to ten students in each class.  The lesson plans were already made for me, and I simply needed to think about how to teach each lesson (and made copies of materials).  I usually worked in the afternoon and evening hours and on the weekends, with two days off during the week.  I had 25 classroom hours per week, although some of those hours were easy "social talking" sessions, in which I'd simply chit-chat with the more-advanced students so they could practice their English.

I was still quite nervous during the first month.  Sometimes the students would tell me, "Don't be so shy!"  But I built a good rapport with them and they seemed to like me.  They especially warmed up to me when I spoke a little Mandarin and revealed my intention to build my life in Chongqing "because it's my favorite city."  They appreciated my compliments about the friendly Chongqing people, and were happy to hear that I wanted to make lots of friends and find a girlfriend.

As the weeks progressed, the flow of the lessons gradually became more natural and my anxiety subsided.  I could sense an improvement in my teaching skills and was receiving positive feedback from the students and staff.

I also began to make new friends!  After the first few weeks, three of the students started hanging out with me outside of work.  We visited Three Gorges Museum and City Hall together, had fun singing at a karaoke place, and hung out at my apartment while we all danced to my music.  It's been very refreshing and meaningful, and is only the micro-beginning of what is to come.  It was practically impossible to find friends in Oklahoma who wanted to dance to my disco/dance-pop music, but in Chongqing, things just aren't the same!  (It also isn't necessary here to choose exclusively between having good health, *or* enjoying a social life, which was commonplace in the U.S. because of America's extremely-processed regular food.)

I became friends with one of the other foreign teachers, too.  He's an older gentleman who actually lived in Oklahoma for a long time, and has since resided in Mexico, the Philippines, and China's Guangdong Province.  He's been married to a Filipino for quite some time, and they live together in my apartment building.  He shares many of my beliefs about natural health, culture, and economics, and we sometimes hang out and talk.  He also sends his milkman up to my door every few days, who delivers raw milk.

So in March, I began drinking milk again for the first time in three years.  I finally had the freedom to relish the taste and health benefits of raw, unpasteurized, unprocessed milk -- full of living enzymes and unaltered, natural nutrients.  The sale of raw milk to consumers is illegal in most places in America, but not in China!  Ahh...the taste of freedom, freedom, freedom was lovely.

By mid-March I received my U.S. tax refund, and used it to purchase a magnetic mattress pad and two pillow pads on the Internet from the U.S., which arrived in Chongqing at the end of March.  (These were impossible to find in Chongqing.)  I also ordered some other natural health items not sold in Chongqing and had them shipped as well (such as organic virgin coconut oil and organic raw apple cider vinegar).  I pulled the remainder of the tax refund over to my Bank of China account, which was converted to RMB.

At the beginning of April, I received my first full monthly paycheck from Meten (with less than 5% in Chinese income taxes withdrawn from it!), and my CELTA certificate finally came in the mail several days later.  This certificate is my big "ticket to the world," which enables me to find a job in many, many places around the globe.  But Chongqing holds a special place in my heart, and I probably won't be going anywhere else anytime soon.

At this point I officially declared my transition to China complete.  I was settled, and was feeling relaxed and triumphant.  After risking everything in a bold move to make my life worth living; my professional, financial, and social futures were still intact.  I had an enjoyable job that wasn't constantly highly stressful to the point of burnout.  It was possible to actually use my college degree to find a suitable career.  I didn't need to own a money pit (otherwise known as a "personal automobile") in order to function in society.  I could live *far* beneath my means without compromising my health:  no more struggling to make ends meet, and no more worrying about money.  I was able to finally resume my gold-bullion investment purchasing after a hiatus of several years.  (I bought a 50-gram (1.6 oz.) Chinese gold bar in mid-April and put it in my safe deposit box the next day.)  And last but not least...I was making genuine new friends who shared my musical passions and interests!

This was the freedom haven that I had sought so desperately, and had ultimately succeeded in uncovering.  The future is bright indeed, with a new phase upon me now.  I now will spend the next few years becoming acclimated to life in China -- particularly in learning the language, exploring more of Chongqing, and getting used to everything.  And who knows...I just might find a compatible girlfriend after all, and then write, compose, and perform my own pop music someday!

Oh well...stay tuned, this is just the beginning.

Thursday, December 11, 2008...that's the big day.  It's the day I will leave Oklahoma after having lived in the Oklahoma City area for 22 1/2 years.  For so long, I've been yearning to escape, and the end is finally in sight.

I'll be moving to Chongqing, China.

For the first few years, I'll be teaching English as a second language.  And then, once I've become proficient in the Mandarin language, the professional opportunities are vast.

My initial departure is on Southwest Airlines at 5:15 PM (local time) on December 11th.  I change planes in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Beijing before soaring into Chongqing at 2:25 PM (China Time) on Saturday, December 13th.

I will interview with many schools during the first two weeks in Chongqing, then will travel to Beijing for a four-week training course on teaching English.  I'll return to Chongqing again in late January, and the Chinese spring semester begins in late February.  By then, I should have my own apartment.

In the meantime, I've been searching for a temporary menial part-time job in Oklahoma City, and will be selling, discarding, and/or giving away most of my personal belongings.  And as a symbolic gesture on the night before the big departure, I'll be staying at the same hotel as in 1986 on my first night to reside in Oklahoma at the age of 8.  (You can view it by clicking on http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/okcok-oklahoma-city-marriott )

Below, you will find many relevant weblinks.  Best wishes to everyone!

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The English-teacher training course I'll be attending in Beijing:

http://www.cactustefl.com/tefl/course.php?course_id=2288

http://www.languagelink.com.cn

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The facilities I'll be staying at during my transition in December, January, and February:

Yangtze River International Youth Hostel (Chongqing)

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/YangtzeRiverInternationalYouthHostel-Chongqing-5986

http://www.hostelsweb.com/hostelsweb.com/hostel.php?HostelNumber=5986

Saga Youth Hostel (Beijing)

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/SagaYouthHostel-Beijing-1024

http://www.hostelsweb.com/hostelsweb.com/hostel.php?HostelNumber=1024

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And finally...some cool videos of Chongqing -- the city I'll be moving to soon.

(If you haven't seen these first two, here they are again.)

"Bird's Eye View" (day)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94z3ZIbKPhk

"Bird's Eye View" (night)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Ei0pI11B0

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More Chongqing videos:

"Tribute 1"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ip9h2UPIJ0

"Tribute 2"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUYZh-3wpZ4

"Futuristic Projection"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qVe-mq9XK4

"Hot Summer Day"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JksH9CjUkG0

"Hot Pot"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV571QBB0Js

Wow...what an awesome experience!  It was a refreshing thrill to finally embark upon my first journey outside of North America, to meet so many wonderful people, to see colorful and spectacular sights galore, and to get a glimpse of what better life awaits me outside of the mundane USA matrix.

The purpose of this 12-day trip was to "get a quick feel" for some of China's bright, colorful big cities, to find out for certain if I want to live in China (the answer is an enthusiastic "Yes!"), and to determine which city is my favorite.  I really wanted to see how well I might fit into the contemporary, urban, young-adult culture of China.

While thoroughly enjoying a great time in each of the four Chinese cities visited (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and Shanghai), my favorite one -- which I definitely want to move to and build a life in -- is absolutely, positively, without a doubt........................(drumroll, please)...........................Chongqing!

With that introduction, I will now proceed to a detailed narrative of my encounters and adventures on the trip, along with some occasional thoughts and feelings about them.  Then I'll ponder what my next steps are.

Sunday, July 13th

I arrived at the airport in Oklahoma City shortly after 6:30 PM.  When checking in at the United Airlines counter, the clerk asked, "Where are you going, today?"  My reply was, "Shenzhen, China!  Whoop-ee-doop-ee-doo!"

The departure was about 30 minutes late, but that didn't matter.  I remember the time at takeoff was 8:47 PM -- at the exact minute the sun was setting.  Because we were flying westward and ascending, the sun actually *rose* slightly from the horizon and stood still for a long time.  I ended up witnessing a 45-minute-long sunset to start the journey.

I arrived at the Los Angeles airport around 9:30 PM local time and trekked across the airport to the terminal where the Air China flight to Beijing was scheduled to leave more than one hour after midnight.

Monday, July 14th

While waiting at the gate in L.A., a huge fire erupted in one of the restaurant kitchens nearby.  Smoke filled the whole terminal, we had to evacuate to the front of the terminal while the fire department dealt with the mess, and the departure was delayed one hour.  I was afraid of missing the connecting flight at the next airport.

The time at takeoff was just before 3 AM local time in a giant, super-nice 747 jet with an upper and lower deck.  I immediately set my watch ahead to 6 PM for China's time, and the flight was more than 12 hours long.  I sat next to a nice young woman named Jie, who was originally from Harbin, was studying in L.A. and traveling to Xiamen.  She was quite fascinated that I was learning Mandarin and visiting China.

Tuesday, July 15th

The flight arrived at the impressive new airport in Beijing just after 6 AM.  I walked about 1/2 mile indoors to the immigration checkpoint, then caught a train to another building to retrieve and re-check luggage.  As I had feared, the original flight to Shenzhen was already closed.  But luckily, the next Air China departure to Shenzhen was only 80 minutes later.  So I called and informed the travel agency, and took off just before 9 AM.

I sat next to a woman from Beijing whose English name was Emily.  She worked as a commodities manager for a company that did business in the U.S., and was traveling to Shenzhen on an assignment.  She also was fascinated that I was learning Mandarin and visiting China.  She even gave me her card and said to call her if I had any problems.

The flight landed just before noon, concluding the 26-hour journey from Oklahoma City.  I retrieved my luggage and met my first tour guide named Mandy.

The ride to the hotel featured spectacular new skyscrapers galore (along with numerous cranes), and occasionally I'd exclaim, "Hey, I've seen that awesome building in hundreds of pictures and Internet videos!"  It was so great to finally encounter them in person.

My hotel was in the center of the city on the main boulevard.  After checking in, my tour guide left me on my own to explore the city for the remainder of the day, as planned.  For the first few hours, I just relaxed and settled into my room, and had fun figuring out how to switch on the lights!  (You insert your room key into the slot on the wall that's just inside the door.)  But by late afternoon, I was ready to step outside and walk the streets of China for the first time ever.

Initially, I couldn't believe how humid it was -- it made South Florida feel like a desert.  But it didn't bother me very much, and I adapted quickly.

It felt as if I were walking in a dream.  One of the main cities I had been mesmerized with for more than a year was right there, surrounding me.  There were crowds of people, loads of traffic, magnificent-looking structures towering over me in every direction, and fancy mega-shopping-malls everywhere I turned.  And no matter what way I faced, whether indoors or outside, I always saw a luscious rainbow of bright colors in advertisements, signs, storefronts, the interior walls of stores, and even the merchandise itself.

The first shopping mall I ventured into was seven stories, and was actually one of the smaller ones encountered.  The majority of the top three floors had walls that displayed a store name and said, "Opening soon."  While ascending an escalator, I actually saw a Caucasian guy, and overheard him speaking fluent Mandarin to his cute Chinese girlfriend.  Oh...did that make me feel so jealous!!!

The next shopping mall across the street was probably the biggest and nicest one in Shenzhen, called The Mix C.  It boasted more than seven floors (with each floor being huge).  It also housed an ice-skating rink on the sixth floor with numerous restaurants surrounding it.  For several minutes, I observed the scene at the rink.  People of all ages -- and especially young adults -- were skating, eating, hanging out, and having a good time.  The music being played was fun and happy disco, dance-pop, and pop-rock.  Never did I hear any boring hip-hop, heavy metal, alternative rock, nor traditional American country music.

One of the songs played at the rink was the title, "Not For Me" by the Backstreet Boys, which I've had in my collection for a long time, and which is one of my favorite music artists.  Nowhere in the entire vicinity did I hear anyone jeering at the song, nor asininely calling it "faggot music," and nor did I see a single person stop skating, which precisely would have happened in the United States if that song had been played.  The scene at the Mix C rink was indeed a pleasant and refreshing sight to behold.

I then ventured down a few floors to a store that sold computers, printers, cameras, and music players.  While the prices varied, they were generally similar to prices in the U.S. -- unlike most other merchandise in China.  The reason is that most computers tend to be manufactured in the U.S., and because this store was located in a very-high-end shopping mall.  Nevertheless, I noticed a large number of clerks in each department who were readily available to help customers, and who did not seem to be overwhelmed or highly stressed, as they are in America.

While browsing, I sampled a neat miniature speaker set on display near the store's entrance, which plugs directly into the digital port of an iPod.  I didn't purchase the set, of course, but took out my iPod from my travel pouch and attached it to the speaker set to hear it.  The song I selected from my iPod (which contains my entire music collection) was the soft-rock power ballad "If Wishes Came True" by Sweet Sensation.  Many passers-by seemed to really enjoy that song, as did the female sales clerk.  It was incredibly inspiring to me to finally be someplace where it seemed the majority of the people were sharing in my biggest musical passions.  My wishes really were coming true.

So after frequenting The Mix C, I continued to meander the nearby streets and markets.  I marveled at the five-story department stores and supermarkets, and continued to be astonished at the plethora of bright colors adorning them inside and out.  It was awesome!

So at dusk, I walked back to my hotel to take a break, and to retrieve my rented Chinese cellphone that had just been delivered.  I then called my "dear ol' mom" to tell her about my first day in China, and about how amazing it and its people are.

But my first day wasn't finished yet.

I strolled back outside to see Shenzhen at night, and to ride to the top of the Meridian Plaza Tower (which is the city's tallest, and formerly the 7th-tallest in the world).  Once again on the way there, I was absolutely mesmerized -- this time at the number of bright, colorful lights everywhere.  And many of them were flashing different colors.  But when arriving at the observation deck of the tower, it was *really* spectacular.

I stayed up there for an entire hour, refusing to pull my eyes away from the breathtaking nighttime view.  It was a complete major city full of flashing, colorful, radiant vigor!  The best side was the west view.  Looking westward, I whipped out my iPod from the travel pouch and donned my mini ear-bud headphones.  I then cranked up the Club Mix of Spencer & Hill's "Back in the Love," which is a super-energetic techno-dance-pop tune, and played it several times.  Boy...did that make me want to dance my ass off with that view!  But I wasn't at a dance club, so I didn't actually dance.  Darn.

As I boarded the elevator to leave, one of the cute female employees bowed to me just before the doors closed, as a way of showing her pride in her spectacular city and country.  I then walked back to the hotel to conclude my first day in China.  Wow...was I thoroughly impressed!

Wednesday, July 16th

Around 10 AM I left the hotel with Mandy to visit some prominent tourist parks.  More fabulous tall buildings (and cranes) continued to pass me by en route, even away from the center of the city.  We arrived at our first attraction, called Window of the World.  This park featured scaled-down replicas of famous world landmarks, such as a 300-foot (100-meter) Eiffel Tower, a miniature Niagara Falls, Egyptian pyramids, etc.  The afternoon was spent at an extremely colorful venue called Splendid China, which celebrated various aspects of Chinese folk culture, and was where I watched two great shows.

During lunch I commented to Mandy about the differences between regular American food, and regular Chinese.  I mentioned how most American food is chemically produced, extremely-highly processed, and laced with artificial ingredients, which leads to malnutrition and causes obesity, cancer, and health problems galore.  I explained how I lost 80 pounds (36 kg) during the first 8 months of 2006 by switching to the organic versions of my previous regimen.  Next, I pointed out that most regular food in China is *far less* processed and *much more* natural, and that I could eat it without fear.  Finally, I elaborated about American social settings often being centered around food (as they also are in China), and that in the U.S., I'm basically forced to choose exclusively between either enjoying good health, or having a social life.  Not so in China!

(By the way, I never encountered a single fat person in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, or Chongqing.)

After relishing the joys of Splendid China, I paid a visit to a nearby Wal-Mart store.  I once again was struck by the spectrum of luscious colors that adorned the walls, signs, and merchandise, noticed that plenty of staff was available in each department to help customers, and didn't see any fat people in the store.  This is absolutely unheard-of at American Wal-Marts!  Mandy accompanied me, and translated some of the food labels.  I was especially curious about the ingredients of regular wheat bread in China.  So much to my pleasant surprise, only four were present!  Of course, one of them was "sugar" (which probably was the processed kind), but when compared to the 15-or-so ingredients that lace typical American bread (such as high-fructose corn syrup), this was quite a relief.

Next I toured the produce section.  I examined the apples and noticed that two types were sold:  those produced in the USA, and those that were grown domestically.  The American apples looked ultra-shiny, artificial, and appeared as if a million chemicals had been sprayed on them.  The domestic apples looked much more natural and healthful.

Anyway, I ended up purchasing two small cases of bottled water for $1 apiece, along with a small Chinese flag.  I joked with Mandy on the ride back to the hotel about American Wal-Marts selling American flags that say, "Made in China."  I also laughed about some Americans who dislike Wal-Mart because their U.S. stores don't sell enough domestic-made goods.  My punchline was, "Well then...why don't they come here and learn Chinese?"

That evening I wandered the city streets by myself, searching for a good dinner.  I passed by scores of small sidewalk restaurants with none of the signs or menus listed in English.  One in particular caught my eye.  Several aquariums were sitting by the building and I thought, "Fresh fish.  Hey, this looks great!"

So I bravely walked over to a table and seated myself, not knowing if anyone there could speak any English (my Mandarin was very limited).  Several people at the surrounding tables were looking at me and were curious as to whom this Western guy was creeping into this off-the-beaten-path eatery.  When the waiter appeared, I inquired, "Nimen shuo bu shuo Yingyu?" ("Do any of you speak English?")  He shook his head and I signaled for a menu.  Maybe I could point at some random items and hope it tasted good.  I felt the stare of numerous onlookers all around me.

Just then, a friendly man named Jayson sitting at the next table entered the conversation.  He spoke English, and helped me order my food.  The waiter stepped over to one of the aquariums with a small net, scooped out a live fish, and asked, "You want this one?"

"Sure!" I said.

He then asked if I wanted it steamed or fried.

My reply was, "Steamed!" and also ordered additional courses of rice and vegetables.  Jayson and I struck up a good chat.  He was from Singapore, and worked as a director for a health-food business with offices in Singapore, Shenzhen, Yunnan, and Las Vegas.  He gave me his card, and told me to call him if I had any questions, or if I needed someone to interpret for me.

Just then, the waiter brought out my meal.  I could see the outline of the fish's body with the skin still covering it!  Jayson showed me how to scrape away the skin with a spoon, and then I digged in and devoured the fish.  It was the most delicious and nutritious fish ever eaten in my entire life.  I also learned that in the U.S., it's illegal for restaurants to serve meat steamed, because of the government's (and Americans') silly paranoia toward extra bacteria.  So I was delightfully savoring my newly-found freedom to be healthy and happy in China.

Just before leaving, I discovered the name of that eatery (translated into English) was Strong Memory Seafood.  The name alluded to the fact that seafood helps improve a person's memory function.  So by stepping out of my comfort zone in a *very* major way that evening, I was able to acquire a new potential friend, and could relish a taste and experience never to be forgotten.

Thursday, July 17th

I was on my own for the whole day to explore the city.  In late morning I left the hotel to search for a new digital data card for my camera, because my existing one was almost full.

The nearby high-end malls didn't sell any cards compatible with my camera, so I faced two choices:  purchase a new camera, or spend time looking around Shenzhen for the correct chip.  I called Jayson to ask where to look.  He was happy to help me and answered, "Hua Qiang Bei!"

This was the name of the gigantic electronics retail section of the city.  He gave me directions, but I had a bit of difficulty understanding them.  But I also was awaiting my first subway train ride, since I'd never traversed on one before.

I entered the tunnel and approached the ticket booth.  I asked the attendant if anyone who spoke English could help me.  Soon after, one of them briefly showed me how to use the ticket vending machines.  They featured a touchscreen, where you select your destination station, and dispensed an electronic card or token, which is used for entering and exiting the stations.  I bought a token for 60 cents, and used it to travel about 15 miles (25 km) to the other side of the city.  The ride lasted for about 20 minutes, and the train's interior sported many bright colors and digital TV monitors.

As the situation turned out, I rode the subway much too far.  But while walking around the area, I passed a Starbucks establishment and stumbled upon a great group of guys from Toronto.

We hung out for nearly 45 minutes, talking and enjoying good company.  The main person I conversed with was John.  He gave me a lot of advice about what to do in China, how to move to China, and told me about searching for an English-teaching job.  He divulged after the first few minutes of speaking with me, that he was sensing that I wasn't materialistically attached to things as most North Americans are.  I said he was correct; I only "need" my iPod and a laptop PC, and the rest would work itself out just fine.

He told me exactly where to find Hua Qiang Bei, and after an excellent conversation, I headed back to the subway and arrived at the right spot.

I strolled around Hua Qiang Bei for about two hours, incredibly mesmerized.  It was a computer nerd's super-wild fantasy adventure on steroids!  Block after block, 5-story mall after 5-story mall, shop after shop, beckoned with *literally* thousands of merchants selling every computer chip, circuit board, digital component, and full devices known to man.  And oh yeah...bright colors were everywhere here, too!  It was a truly splendid sight to see.

I found a vendor selling memory cards, and bought two 1 GB ones for my camera for $5 each.  I even tried them in my camera to be sure that no error messages appeared.  But after returning to my hotel late in the afternoon, my camera froze up when taking pictures with those cards.

So I walked back to the vendor, passing through two large underground higher-end shopping malls while en route.  I walked up to his counter and uttered, "Tamen huai le!" ("They're bad!")  With my limited Mandarin, I enlisted the help of Jayson via phone, who gladly interpreted to the seller what the specific problem was, and that I wanted to exchange them for good ones.  I snapped several photos with each replacement card to verify its functionality, and then left.  I also patronized an additional merchant in Hua Qiang Bei and bought an extra 1 GB card, just to be safe.  (Luckily, those cards never troubled me after that.)

I hopped onto the subway to start the evening and rode it to the section that's right next to the Hong Kong border.  A visit to the Luohu Shopping Mall (just inside the border) was my next agenda item, and I was getting hungry.  Upon entering the mall, I was once again flabbergasted at the incredible array of colorful signs and banners.  It had the coolest-looking atrium of any mall I'd ever seen, spanning five floors.  It also was a mall that's famous for selling cheap imitations of luxury brand names for pennies on the dollar.

The main drawback of the Luohu Mall is that it was the one and only location in Shenzhen where merchants constantly hounded me.  But one of them turned out to be a decent fellow whose English name was Harry.  I mentioned I was hungry, and he led me to a nice restaurant in the mall where I enjoyed a large meal with fresh, delicious steamed chicken.  Upon leaving the restaurant, Harry was waiting outside to lead me down to his store.  I indicated that I wanted to buy some gifts for my parents.  So, I purchased a Prada purse and billfold for my mom, and a Gucci wallet for my dad, for less than 5 percent of the price of real ones in the U.S.

Harry then escorted me back to the subway (showing me a shortcut), and even paid for my token.  It was a great experience and I would gladly return if visiting Shenzhen again.

I arrived back at the hotel to change into nicer clothing.  That's because there was one final task on my Shenzhen to-do list that was to be undertaken:  frequenting a dance club!

I brought along the address information for a club called Ibiza, which I read about on the Internet prior to the trip.  I took a taxi to the intersection listed, but didn't immediately find any nightclubs.  After walking around for 10 minutes, though, I came across a venue that displayed "DISCO" in big letters above the entrance on a flashy marquee.  I don't know if this was Ibiza or not, but stepped inside, and the place was awesome!

The music was *exactly* the kind I had been longing desperately for more than a decade to groove to on a dancefloor:  happy, sappy, bubbly, catchy, disco-techno dance-pop -- which radio stations and nightclubs in Oklahoma (or the United States, for that matter) practically never played.  It was my very favorite type of music, and the dancefloor was packed with people loving it!  Sometimes the DJ would shout something in Mandarin and everyone would cheer.  But occasionally, he would holler in English, "Shenzhen Party!" and the people would root even louder.

During this ecstatic time of my first Chinese clubbing experience, two women danced with me:  one for about two songs, and the other for almost four.  This was extremely contrary to my American dance-club woes, where I'd be lucky if one gal joined me on the floor for just one tune.  In China this was pleasantly mind-boggling, because in spite of the fact that the men at this place outnumbered the women by 2-to-1, the women were dancing with *me*!  (And no...I didn't see any men grooving with each other, in case you were wondering.)

I left the club around 2 AM and rode back to the hotel.  My first Chinese city visit was complete, and I felt a stunning, tremendous sense of "Wow."  Shenzhen kicked ass!

Would Chongqing and Shanghai be able to mount formidable challenges to Shenzhen as my favorite city?  Time would soon tell.  But in the meantime, I was exhausted.  A one-day stopover in Guangzhou was next, giving me a chance for some extra rest.  I couldn't believe I was actually in China, and already wanted to call it my new home.

Friday, July 18th

In late morning I left the hotel with Mandy, and headed to the Shenzhen Railway Station.  Upon entering I waved goodbye to her and boarded the train to Guangzhou.  The one-hour ride was very smooth, comfortable, and modern.  The speed varied, but the fastest was around 120 miles per hour (180 km/h).  Shortly after noon, I arrived at the station in Guangzhou and met my second tour guide named Nancy.

The short trip to the hotel was surrounded with -- as you might have guessed -- more new tall, fabulous buildings.  I really wanted to explore the city, but after checking in at the hotel and being left alone for the day, was too tired.  I slept for the most of the afternoon and early evening hours.

I walked outside in mid-evening to look around and find a meal.  The sidewalks were bustling, but the signs, structures, and shops didn't display as many bright colors or flashing lights as those in Shenzhen.  But I wandered past a construction site and impressively noticed that a crew was working, even though it was dark outside.

I found a small eatery called Uncle Restaurant and gave it a try.  No one spoke English, but the menu was bilingual.  I ate a large bowl of soup with meatballs, noodles, and vegetables for a mere $2.  Then, a good night's sleep awaited me at the hotel afterward.

Saturday, July 19th

The day began with breakfast in the 30th-floor restaurant of the hotel, featuring an excellent view of the downtown area.  The city certainly appeared larger than Shenzhen, but not quite as elegant, and with slightly heavier smog.  I returned to my room to gather my belongings, checked out of the hotel, and joined Nancy for a day of historical sightseeing around Guangzhou.

The first stop was at Yuexiu Park, which featured the Five-Ram Statue, symbolizing the legend behind the city's founding 2,800 years ago (another name for Guangzhou is "Goat Town").  The park also contained buildings and structures more than 600 years old.

Next, I visited the Temple of Six Banyan Trees.  This Buddhist temple was more than 1,400 years old, and boasted a gorgeous 150-foot (45-meter) tower known as the Flowery Pagoda, last rebuilt in the year 959 with a granite frame.  I climbed to the top and relished an additional great view of the city.  After coming back down, I also observed three huge bronze Buddha statues in an adjacent hall with incense burning and people meditating.

The subsequent excursion was the Qingping Market.  This was an older section of town with several streets of shops, and one of those streets was famous for selling thousands of herbs and traditional Chinese medicines.  This particularly fascinated me, because my natural-health practitioner in Oklahoma is very skilled in traditional Chinese medicine (his ancestry is around the Guangzhou area).  Nancy was surprised that a Westerner like me would be so interested in this stuff.  I told her it's because I prefer natural remedies to health problems instead of chemical drugs (except in an emergency), and that I'm very, very different from most Americans, which is what has brought me to China.

We ate lunch at a restaurant along the Pearl River.  I enjoyed the flavor of fresh duck and eggplant, along with the usual tasty rice and vegetables.

That afternoon, I saw an ancestral temple that was constructed in the late 1800s, complete with ultra-fine, delicately-carved wooden sculptures.  It was at this site where I encountered my first interaction with Western women on the trip.  Two young white women were browsing some exhibits when I happened to walk past them.  So I asked them where they came from, and they replied that they were from England.  I disclosed that I'm from Oklahoma, and they reacted with a bored one-word monotone, "Sweet."  They then turned back to conversing with themselves, completely ignoring me.

So I walked away and chuckled to myself, "Yep...typical young Western women:  snobby, insecure, and 99-percent uninterested in men!"

The ride to the Guangzhou Baiyun Airport involved a good dialogue with Nancy about Chinese women, and how they differ from Western ones.  She explained that Chinese women radiate much greater self-confidence, are very friendly, and actually *are* interested in men.  (Yippee!)  I mentioned that it's refreshing to see so many gals in China dressed femininely, compared to their Western counterparts.  She answered that the higher self-esteem of Chinese women is responsible for this phenomenon:  they aren't afraid to express their personal natures.  Finally, I asked if most women in China are seeking equal partnerships with men, or if they instead want traditional male-dominated ones.  Nancy replied that most urban Chinese women are seeking equality in relationships, while most rural gals want a master.

This discussion was *extremely* encouraging to me.  I had been searching for a girlfriend for more than a decade without success (I'll cite the numerous reasons for this lack-of-success later), and this is exactly what I wanted to hear.  It also was consistent with what a fellow Oklahoma acquaintance of mine, who is originally from Chengdu, had told me prior to the trip.  In spite of all the snobbishness and indifference of most of the young women I had encountered in the United States throughout the years, wow...there actually *was* a place on this planet where my love life could live and prosper!  This was great news and it made my first visit to China even happier.

I arrived at the impressive, huge four-year-old airport on the north side of the city in late afternoon.  Nancy accompanied me inside to check in and obtain my boarding pass for the flight to Chongqing.  She gave me her card and invited me to call her if I had any problems or questions.  We waved our goodbyes, and then I strolled around the airport for a short time, relaxed, crossed through security, then made my way to the waiting area at the gate.

The guy in the adjacent chair tried to chat with me, but I didn't know enough Mandarin, and he couldn't speak any English.  But at least the friendliness was there!  At that same gate I also saw a young man several rows away with a portable music player who cranked it up through a tiny speaker for about 15 minutes.  The music was techno dance-pop, which I really liked.  Now consider this:  if any young male in America were to do that in public, the music chosen probably would be angry hip-hop, heavy metal, or alternative rock.  (Bear in mind that any man playing techno dance-pop in this manner in the United States would instantly be suspected of being gay.)  Not here in China!  You see, in China, rainbow colors and bubbly disco music actually signify *happiness*, not homosexuality as they do in the psychologically-dysfunctional USA.  (And I personally have nothing against homosexuality, by the way.)  This once again was a pleasant sign of my cultural harmony with the young, urban Chinese.

The departure on China Southern Air was delayed one hour, due to a thunderstorm.  Takeoff took place around 7:45 PM and the flight lasted two hours.

When landing at the Chongqing Jiangbei Airport, bright colorful flashing lights could already be seen radiating from nearby buildings.  And this was 15 miles (25 km) north of the city's center!  I thought to myself, "En garde, Shenzhen!  Time for battle with Chongqing!"

I disembarked and immediately saw a large rainbow-colored banner stretched across the terminal to welcome me.  I proceeded to the baggage claim area, retrieved my luggage, and met my next tour guide named Snow.

The ride to the hotel (located at the very center of the city) was brilliantly mesmerizing.  A spectrum of lights emanating from every direction often greeted me, and occurred more and more often as I approached downtown.  I was constantly peering through the window and uttering, "Whoa."  But the *really* magnificent marvel came when crossing one of the many 20-story-tall bridges over the Jialing River, where I caught my first glimpse of the heart of Chongqing.  My mouth dropped open at the sight of hundreds of skyscrapers outlined with luscious dazzle.  Needless to say, it blew me away!  Snow then turned to me and informed, "Well, it's after 10 PM now, so many of the lights have already been turned off."

Unbelievable!

So I reached the hotel, checked in for a three-night stay, and then meandered the nearby streets for a short while by myself.  I first stepped over to Jiefang Bei, which is the illustrious fancy mega-shopping square.  It was after 11 PM and most of its spectacular lighting was switched off for the night.  But as I passed the plaza, a stranger or two walking past me casually said, "Hi."

I then wandered a few blocks away and discovered a bright avenue filled with super-colorful, lively marquee signs.  It didn't take me long to realize that they were the outsides of bars and dancing places.  "Holy cow...they've got clubs out the ass!" I pondered with amazement.  So I continued walking, and occasionally, friendly strangers continued to greet me spontaneously in passing -- even on some of the darker streets.  (This was the first city in China I visited where this nice exception had occurred.)

I finally reappeared at the hotel and called it a night.  I had been in Chongqing for only two hours -- very late in the evening -- and it was already whipping Shenzhen's rear-end.  Would Chongqing possess the caliber to "overtake the lead" as my favorite city during the next two days?  I couldn't wait to find out.

Sunday, July 20th

I left the hotel around 10 AM with Snow for a half-day outing.  The first stop was along the Yangtze River at a Yuwang Temple, built in 1759.  This featured delicate wood carvings, incense burning, and statues of emperors.  I then rode past a plethora of vividly-studded shops, skyscrapers, and street tunnels before arriving at the Chongqing Zoo.  This zoo was famous for its giant pandas, but all of them were hiding inside their shelters from the heat and humidity.  A few small pandas were outside loitering, though.

After that I trekked toward the Ciqikou Old Town.  While en route, I was absolutely dumbfounded at the scenery.  Hundreds -- if not thousands -- of brand-new tall buildings, cranes, and 200-foot (60-meter) bridges greeted my eyes as far as they could see!  These were flaunting their magnificence from the other sides of the rivers, outside of the city's center.  Unlike the grandeur of Chongqing's nucleus, I had never seen any of these newborn structures in any pictures or Internet videos prior to the trip.  It was an enormously pleasant surprise beyond imagination, stretching for miles and miles.  Wow...was Chongqing sure giving Shenzhen a licking!

I soon reached the Ciqikou Old Town, which was a large section of street shops with a history spanning 1,800 years (although it's been refurbished several times).  It was a fun place with a laid-back atmosphere, and I enjoyed playing a Chinese version of the game Whack 'Em.  We headed for lunch following that.

During the ride to the restaurant, Snow told me that Chongqing is the only major city in China where bicycles are not commonly used, due to the hilly terrain.  About 7 million inhabitants reside within a 3-mile (5-km) radius of the city's core, and the cost of living is roughly one-third of Shenzhen's and Shanghai's.  (She told me, for example, that a decent high-rise apartment in the city's center rented for approximately $200 per month.)  I also learned that a huge demand for native English teachers exists in Chongqing, as with most Chinese cities.  Furthermore, because Chongqing lacks these native speakers (and foreigners), I could command a salary that's just-as-high or higher, compared to the other two places -- on top of relishing the lower living expenses.

So we arrived at the Huangjia Hotel on the north side of the downtown area and rode the elevator to the 30th floor for lunch.  I sat at a table in a fancy room near the window, capturing a spectacular north-facing view of the Jialing River and the surrounding metropolis.  It indeed was a marvelous sight to behold.  Hundreds of skyscrapers, cranes and tall bridges were scattered far into the distance -- all while looking *away* from the city's center!  It appeared just as large as Guangzhou with slightly denser smog, but with Chongqing's elegance being equal to or better than Shenzhen's.

My meal presented me with my first taste of the famous "Sichuan Hot Pot."  Chongqing is known for its hot and spicy cuisine (from cayenne peppers and other natural seasonings), and I could taste it in my soup and vegetables.  I certainly enjoyed the flavor, and drank plenty of water with it!

When departing the restaurant and returning to my hotel, Snow seemed a bit startled that I had no remaining guided-tour items on my agenda for Chongqing.  I reminded her that ample time exploring the city by myself was *crucial* for me.  It was my best means of "getting a true feel" of the place and its people.  Would my solo experience in Chongqing validate its amazing scale and spectacle?  We'll see.

So I walked outside in mid-afternoon and stepped over to Jiefang Bei.  At last...after more than a year of observing pictures galore of this plaza, it was right there surrounding me with bustle and flair.  Luscious spectrums of colorful delight gazed at me no matter where I turned in this super-fancy market square.  People were everywhere (with a few saying "Hi" to me), a lively jumbo-sized TV was showing fun, vivid advertisements, and it all felt like a wonderful, wild dream.

I ventured inside an 8-story department store and two 6-story malls.  In those outlets and many others, more staff was available to help customers than anywhere I'd ever seen.  None of them seemed stressed out, and many would often notice me with smiling curiosity!  I then browsed a 5-story electronics and appliance store.  Once again, bright colors adorned its interior and plenty of personnel were present.  And while wandering past a home-entertainment section, two nice employees greeted me and introduced themselves in English.

Both were college students working during the summer.  They were very interested in meeting a rare Westerner roaming the store, and we sat down together for about 20 minutes and became acquainted.  His name was Run and hers was Yan, and they were quite fascinated that I was learning Mandarin and aspiring to teach English in China.  Never once did they attempt to sell me anything.  We enjoyed a great conversation and they told me that English education was highly sought-after in Chongqing.  They also asserted that if I were to teach at their university, they would love to enroll in my class!  It was an exceptionally warm feeling to come into contact with other young adults in an open public setting who were genuinely interested in getting to know me.

So I strolled the streets for a while longer, then returned to the hotel to relax and check E-mail.  I was eager to probe the level of online censorship in China.  As much as I dislike the Western news media, almost every website of theirs was accessible from the hotel's PC.  I tried CNN, Fox News, MSN, ABC, and CBS, along with YouTube and MySpace.  The only page that wouldn't appear was BBC, but still, this was quite a relief.  In the West, we are often fed horror stories of "draconian Chinese Internet censorship" measures, but in reality, very little actually existed.

Early that evening I roved around outside again to seek a meal.  I was yearning to flee my comfort zone once more by seeking a small street-side eatery.  As before, this was essential in tasting the local food and examining the indigenous personalities.

I found a miniature buffet joint and slipped inside.  No one spoke English, but I used my limited Mandarin to select the items.  The drumsticks and vegetables were only marginal, but the strong spicy flavor was scrumptious.  A group of guys at an adjacent table tried to show me a better way of holding my chopsticks during the meal.  Although I couldn't master it, the friendliness and openness of the strangers were obvious.  One young patron even nodded and smiled at me as he was leaving.

I slid over to Jiefang Bei again for a glimpse of the nighttime scenery.  And once again, it was simply outstanding.  Colorful flashing lights and spectacular marquee signs beamed at me from every direction in a radiant display unlike anything I'd ever witnessed.  It was so full of vigor that the plaza seemed almost as bright as daylight.  After basking in its brilliance for some time, I called my parents from the square's central monument to tell them about amazing Chongqing, and informed them that Chongqing had stolen the lead from Shenzhen!  They were happy to hear that I was loving my lucky and luminous adventures in China.

I later moseyed past the active nightclubs a few blocks away.  It suddenly dawned on me that the evening was a Sunday.  So with elated joy, I pondered satirically with an American Southern dialect, "Well spank me jesus...dehr ain't no bible-thumpin' blue laws in dis ol' country!"

(Blue laws prohibit bars and clubs from operating on Sundays in the name of religious observance.  These regulations are very common in the U.S. -- especially in the central and southern regions.)

It felt incredibly uplifting to finally be away from the evil clutches of theocracy.  In sensible China, I could enthusiastically savor the freedom to "get jiggy on the dancefloor" whenever I wanted to, without the presence of ecclesiastically-righteous nonsense.  But I was quite tired and ready for bed, so I calmly awaited my nightclub outing the following evening.

I came back to the hotel and reflected upon that day.  Chongqing had truly seized the thunder, blasting Shenzhen in every category.  During the next day, could Chongqing solidify its position and build on its lead?  And would that be enough to prepare it for the epic battle with the gargantuan Shanghai that lay ahead?  It made for an exciting suspense as I lulled off to sleep.

Monday, July 21st

I didn't wake up until 11 AM.  I ate my first meal (lunch) at the hotel and headed out on the town to explore.

Riding the subway/monorail would be my first order of business.  I also was eager to venture around a section of the city that was located away from the center.  Would the scenery and people be as decent there as they were downtown?

I thought about that as I strolled past Jiefang Bei and descended the stairwell.  An underground shopping mall surrounded me as I followed the signs to the train tunnel.  Like Shenzhen, the vending machines featured a touchscreen, and I chose the final stop as my destination.  It was about 10 miles (15 km) to the southwest, costing about 50 cents.

Upon entering the train, I immediately noticed its interior was adorned with even more bright colors than the one in Shenzhen.  And after the first stop or two, it actually *emerged from* the tunnel and traversed on an elevated track!  The sights were spectacular -- with hundreds (or thousands) of stunning structures, colorful clean-looking high-rise apartment buildings, and dazzling shopping venues.  And oh yeah...there were more cranes than I could count.

I finally exited the monorail in the Dadukou District and meandered the nearby area.  As with the rest of Chongqing, this neighborhood appeared very clean and new, with many buildings under construction.  This included a fancy 50-story skyscraper.  Even more people spontaneously greeted me in passing than downtown, and I drew more curious glances and smiles.  I then walked into a Wal-Mart that was larger than the one in Shenzhen.  A spectrum of colors adorned it as well, and just as many employees were available to help customers as in Jiefang Bei's upscale malls!  Wow!

As I turned to walk out, three nice clerks in their late teens spoke to me in English for about 15 minutes.  They, too, were fascinated that I was visiting Chongqing, learning Mandarin, and aspiring to teach English in China.  Their names were Yu, Yue, and Min, and were working during the summer between school years.  They also told me the specific names of two middle schools close by that were searching for native English teachers.  We delighted in a fun chat and it was awesome to meet more young people who were genuinely interested in becoming acquainted with me.

Impressed, I returned to the monorail to ride back to the city's center.  The train's interior sported different cool hues than the previous one, and the journey lasted 20 minutes.  About this time I began realizing that most of Chongqing's people *did not* seem hurried, stressed, or overwhelmed.  They were quite easygoing and made friends readily.  I also continued to be amazed at the number of young women in Chongqing who wore cute outfits, such as pretty dresses or skirts, along with sexy sandals and/or hosiery.  It was an extremely positive difference from the usual baggy pants or grunge clothing of American females.  And in China, I never saw any women with tattoos or body piercings.

So needless to say, the women of China (and especially of Chongqing) projected a sense of beauty and self-confidence that's only observed sporadically in the West.  Urban China was very splendid, indeed.

I arrived back downtown and proceeded to a hair salon located along a street.  Its inside was very clean, elegant, and modern, and the staff cordial.  Although no one spoke English, I used my limited Mandarin in conjunction with the help of my mini translation dictionary.  The quality of the haircut was good with a price of only $5.

For a while afterward I relaxed at the hotel, then scoured the sidewalks for dinner.  I found a large underground cafeteria and selected a few small courses on display at one of the many counters.  The soup contained the usual Sichuan hot spices, and the meal cost a mere $2.

Subsequently, upon returning to the hotel lobby again, I discovered a passageway next to the elevators that led into a huge 7-story shopping mall.  Its name was Metropolitan Plaza.  It was the nicest one encountered in Chongqing, and boasted two fancy 100-foot (30-meter) atriums.  And on the 6th floor, it sported an ice-skating rink with luscious colors surrounding it, plus restaurants and a bowling alley.  The scene at the rink was a pleasant one with pop music playing.  Fewer people were present, though, since it was later in the evening.

I went back to my room following that excursion to don nicer clothing.  It was time for me to prepare for an exciting Chongqing nightclub extravaganza!  I strolled over to the streets with the dancing places and stepped into Wan Jia Le (which means "10,000 Happy Families.")  I had noticed its flashy marquee and fun techno-dance-pop music while roaming past it during the previous two days, and was anxious to sample it.  But unfortunately, this time a rapper was performing live on the stage, and I fled after 10 minutes.  Perhaps the entertainment quality was lowered on Monday nights?

After clubhopping around the area for a while, I settled upon a lively hotspot called Babi Club.  This featured very good dance music with a freestyle beat and a spectacular light show.  The place was packed with people, with an equal ratio of males to females.  One major asset was missing, however:  an actual dancefloor.  Luckily, a small dancing area existed in front of the stage, which was where I spent my time.  But as the night progressed, I became aware that most of the patrons had come simply to drink alcohol and interact with their friends, and not dance.  Nevertheless, I was able to groove with at least two women for more than one song apiece, though, in spite of that.

While exiting the venue around 1 AM, I felt like something seriously had been lacking from the evening.  I had failed to find a club that truly wowed me.  Given, this was a Monday night and not a weekend.  But it seemed as if Chongqing had fallen short of delivering the ultimate, final knockout punch needed to firmly solidify its position as my favorite city.

But just then...lo and behold...a beam of shining hope suddenly came to the rescue!  It was Wan Jia Le again, playing bubbly disco-techno as I was trekking past it.  I stopped abruptly and exclaimed, "Wait a minute!  This night's not over, yet!"

I eagerly re-entered the place and took my spot on the dancefloor.  It was absolutely exhilarating!  The rapper was long gone, and the DJ's music was as good or better than at the club in Shenzhen.  The light show was the best I had ever witnessed, which included flashy streaks running up and down the walls.  And guess what?  The women at this establishment *outnumbered the men* by 2-to-1!  Hallelujah!!!  I don't know if "Heaven" was a nickname for this enterprise or not, but it sure felt like it.

In the short one-hour time span, I must have danced with at least five gals, and with some of them for more than one song apiece.  I could only imagine what my female friendship potential would be if frequenting this club for several hours on a weekend.

At 2 AM, I gave a big "thumbs-up" signal to the greeters when walking out the door.  At last, Chongqing had finally executed its ultimate finishing touch with vigor and gusto.  I felt a great sense of triumph when heading back to the hotel -- a sense that I had discovered a city that was sincerely special.  Chongqing had utterly annihilated my wildest expectations in every single category:  scale and spectacle, elegance, friendliness, cultural compatibility, job prospects, entertainment, and a thousand other criteria not listed here.  To make a long story short, it was a metropolis that would be exceptionally difficult to beat.

With that being said, the main contest was not concluded yet.  One more Chinese city was preparing to enter the competition:  the illustrious, legendary, world-renowned, gargantuan Shanghai.  Would Chongqing possess the necessary virtues to withstand the ferocious onslaught of this colossal creature?  The epic showdown was about to begin.

Tuesday, July 22nd

I checked out of my room in mid-morning and met a substitute guide named Rosanna.  She accompanied me to the airport and led me inside to register and obtain my boarding pass for the flight to Shanghai.  Since plenty of time remained before departure, Rosanna hung out with me in the main lobby for the next half hour.

We enjoyed a fun time becoming acquainted, and I played her a few songs from my iPod -- songs that she hadn't heard previously, which she really liked.  One of those tunes was the 1982 American pop-rock hit, "Rosanna," by the group Toto.  She loved it, and I told her I would E-mail her that song after the trip.

Just before expressing our goodbyes, I tried to give her a small tip.  She politely rejected it, stating that her aspiration was to make friends.  This was very inspiring, and further portrayed the people of Chongqing in a colorful, positive light.

Takeoff was at noon on Shanghai Airlines, and the flight lasted two hours.  I arrived at the impressive Pudong Airport, located about 25 miles (40 km) east of downtown Shanghai.  After walking about 1/3 of a mile indoors and retrieving luggage, I met my final tour guide of the trip named Sissi.

The ride to the hotel was 45 minutes, and Sissi and I had a lively discussion along the way.  She was surprised that I was so young and traveling alone.  I explained that I was exploring urban China to verify if I want to live there, and to determine which city is my favorite.

Sissi was *very* startled at this.  She disclosed that nearly all of her American tourists had been retirees who were "very proud of and loved the U.S."  She also said, "In all the American TV shows and movies, the people seem so happy!"

I acknowledged those details, then revealed the hard truth:  life for most young adults in the U.S. is very difficult, and Americans in their 20's and 30's are less likely to love their country than older residents are.  The standard of living of the average U.S. citizen peaked in the early 1970s, and has been trending downward since then -- in spite of technological advancement.  (This is the first time in U.S. history that young adults have endured a lower living standard than their parents' generation did at the same age.)  The stress level of most American jobs today is excruciating, in which most employees feel extremely rushed nearly every minute of the workday.  They return home from work exhausted, without any desire to socialize or acquire new friends.  Loneliness is rife.

I continued my rant:  one of the most defining aspects of American culture (both traditional and contemporary) is an ideal called *The American Dream*.  This paradigm suggests that if a person works strenuously every day, then he or she can acquire a nice big house, own a fancy new car, buy anything he wants, become popular because of it, and find true happiness as a result.  Probably 80 to 90 percent of U.S. inhabitants subscribe to this principle, and cannot imagine how they could be joyful without their "stuff."  Most Americans also have poor health.  They believe constant high stress (from their careers and materialistic maintenance) to be a normal and necessary way of life, and will always choose to consume cheap, chemically-processed food in order to "save money" for "stuff."

(And then, humorously, after whining about their cancers, heart conditions, and weak immune systems, most Americans arrogantly brag about being "better than" everyone else in the world because they "have more stuff."  Americans call their lifestyles "freedom"; I call it slavery, regardless of the regime form.)

I concluded in my testimonial to Sissi that a *vast* difference exists between the glamour shown on U.S. television and in movies, versus the stark reality of living in America.  It is entirely incompatible with my values and objectives; I don't fit the culture, and am searching for a better place.  And from what I had observed in China -- and especially in Chongqing -- the young adults appeared much happier, healthier, and more human, in spite of owning fewer material possessions.  The layout of their metropolises did not require them to own a personal vehicle and drive everywhere, which virtually all U.S. cities do.  And nobody was labeled a "loser" for not having a house.

Sissi was both shocked and fascinated by my revelations as we proceeded toward the downtown area of Shanghai.  She replied that she had heard about Americans being more stressed, but had never received the story directly from a U.S. citizen.  It was a worthwhile and meaningful conversation, and I even gave her the name of a website called Happier Abroad (http://www.happierabroad.com) that explains in-depth why a small but significant number of young Americans are yearning to escape.

Well, we finally neared downtown, and it was time for the epic battle to commence between this city and Chongqing.  Which one would win my heart the most?  The contest was sure to be interesting.

Tall, fabulous buildings greeted me more and more often as I approached the Huangpu River, which runs through the center of Shanghai.  But when crossing over the river on the fancy Nanpu Bridge and looking north toward the heart of downtown, Shanghai made a sensational first impression.

The Bodacious Beast of the East proudly pounded its chest and let out an unmistakable howling roar so shocking, that it could be heard piercingly for hundreds of miles with an ominous echo.  Literally thousands of new and futuristic skyscrapers dotted the scenery in every direction, on such a scale that would easily rival New York City's.  Everywhere I faced, hundreds of cranes and magnificent structures galore gazed at my eyes in alluring fashion.  And for the first time, I also beheld the magnificent Pudong city skyline, which flaunts the famous Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, and soon-to-be-finished World Financial Center.  It all was such an amazing sight that in one fell swoop, it instantly topped Chongqing in the categories of scale, spectacle, and elegance.  Shanghai's ferocious onslaught was underway...in a big way.

But simultaneously, the view also exposed a flaw:  it undoubtedly was the smoggiest urban area I had ever seen.  In the other three cities, my lungs didn't notice the smog in the least bit.  But they could in Shanghai, albeit barely.  Luckily it didn't bother me.

I continued trekking toward my hotel, situated a few miles northwest of the city's center.  A plethora of more fantastic buildings passed me by in a grandeur I had never perceived, and it all seemed like a marvelous dream.  While waiting at an intersection, however, I peered at the cab driver in the next vehicle and uttered to Sissi, "Hey, there's something I haven't seen before:  a chubby Chinese person!"

She explained that heaps of fast-food restaurants tainted the city, and about 10 percent of Shanghai residents were overweight.  I was both surprised and intrigued at this.

We finally reached the accommodation, and after checking in for a three-night stay, I was left alone to explore for the remainder of the day.  I initially relaxed in my room for a while and familiarized myself with the city map and subway system (the system was super-extensive, well-established, and complex).  Then, in late afternoon, I stepped outside to put the Bodacious Beast to the test.  What were its people like?  How would my experience make me feel?

I strolled over to the Shanghai Railway Station and found the subway tunnel.  As with the other cities, it featured touchscreen vending machines and had similar prices.  I selected The People's Square as my first stop, changed to another train route, and rode it to the Nanjing Road exit.  But unlike in Shenzhen and Chongqing, the trains' interiors here did not sport bright colors.

I ascended the stairwell and entered onto Nanjing Road.  Finally, there it was...the most famous shopping avenue in all of China.  I had seen hundreds of Internet pictures and videos of this corridor for more than a year, and was actually witnessing it in person.  Flamboyant hues adorned the outsides of storefronts, stretching for at least a mile.  Fancy buildings towered over me in all directions, crowds of people were bustling about, and no actual street existed (this pathway was special).  It once again was a spectacular scene to behold.

But almost immediately, merchants began hounding me.  "Come into my store and buy something!" they demanded, persistently and obnoxiously.  "I can sell you this!  I can sell you that!"

Some of them even followed me for more than 100 meters before giving up.  And probably all of them were singling me out for being a white guy, by assuming I was flush with cash.

After ending up at The People's Square on the west edge of the shopping strip, I turned around and walked along it again (in the opposite direction) to head toward the Huangpu River.  But this time, a young woman greeted me upon re-entering.  She acted very nice and introduced herself as Melisa, and we became acquainted for about 15 minutes while strolling down Nanjing Road.  Merchants kept heckling, and I continued to brush them off.  As we neared the east edge of the market strip, however, she spoke with a soft damsel-in-distress tone, "It's very hot out here.  Let's go inside and have a beer!"

I instantly said no; I wanted to experience the view from the river, and then return to the hotel for a much-needed good night's rest.  She replied, "It's not completely dark yet, and the river scene won't be at it's best.  Let's go inside and have a drink!"

I must have told her "no" at least four times.

Soon we were past the shopping area, and I concluded the conversation with, "Why don't we just exchange E-mail addresses?  Then if I choose to live in Shanghai, we can meet somewhere."

She reluctantly settled upon that, mentioned that she enjoyed meeting me, and left.

As I continued walking, I felt happy about the encounter, but a bit suspicious of her motives.  Was she up to something?

I soon arrived at the edge of the Huangpu River just after dark, along what is known as The Bund.  This is a lengthy row of 100-year-old, Western-style buildings facing the river, which welcomed foreigners to China many decades ago.  But the ultra-famous, mouth-dropping spectacle was the Pudong city skyline across the river, as viewed from The Bund.

And what a scene it was.  The Oriental Pearl Tower sparkled with a flashing rainbow of lights, as did many of the other skyscrapers.  Two of the buildings boasted enormous TV projection screens along their sides, and dazzling colors illuminated many of the other structures.  This was another sight I was so glad to witness firsthand after looking at numerous pictures on the Web during the past year.

After a half hour in awe, I returned to Nanjing Road again to observe its nighttime brilliance.  And once again, it absolutely blew me away.  Energetic vivid radiance glittered at me from every facade for more than a mile, with wild marquee signs beaming their vigor as far as I could see.  The scenery instantaneously outdid Jiefang Bei's, and I was mesmerized.

But right away when re-entering the market strip, another young gal who acted friendly introduced herself as Lisa, and immediately began using the same words and voice tone as "Melisa" had done.  Within less than five minutes, she solicited, "It's very hot.  Let's go in here for a beer!"

I probably said "no" about three times until she backed off and left me alone.

By then, despite all the bright lights, I knew something was shady.  I recalled reading a horror story on the Internet prior to the trip.  It warned about fiends luring Western tourists into certain bars and cafes in China, and charging them exorbitant amounts for the drinks.  (My tour guide the next day confirmed this was the case.)

As I continued roaming Nanjing Road, I must have shrugged off at least 15 more annoying merchants, and two more female swindlers.  Finally, I went to the subway and rode it back.

Wow...the Beast of the East was certainly getting clumsy...and mean!

The social experience of Shanghai obviously was frustrating that evening, but the amusing icing on the cake presented itself as I rounded the corner at my hotel.  A lady standing on the sidewalk addressed me as I passed by with, "Hi, I want to give you a massage.  We can go up to your room, and I can give you sex!"

Attempting to avoid laughing, I answered that I was searching for a girlfriend and not a one-night stand, and walked away.

Ugh!  What a strange difference Shanghai was, compared to the other Chinese cities.  I reflected upon my adventures that day while preparing for bed.  Unlike the wonderful and genuine people of Shenzhen and especially of Chongqing, within the first few hours of exploring Shanghai I had met four devious scammers, about 34 obnoxious retailers, and a hooker outside my hotel.  I felt like everyone in Shanghai was chasing me for money, and not friendship.  The only folks who seemed nice were simply posing for cash.

I felt incredibly relieved that I had opted to visit Shanghai as the final city on this trip, and not as the first one.  Boy...would that have given me a devastating first impression of China if that had been the case!  Prior to the trip, I had read on the Internet that Shanghai was China's "best city," and that it was "the place to be" if you desire to earn a large amount of money.  But it also was "the place" where everyone in public seemed to be *pursuing me* for money.  Did I really want to live in a metropolis where merchants, swindlers, and whores constantly hound me because I'm white?  And would a location where I continually feel suspicious toward others -- where trust is the exception and not the norm -- ever have a hope in hell of becoming my favorite city?

In spite of its glorious spectacle and magnificence, the Bodacious Beast of the East had seriously fumbled the football in its hotly-contested epic showdown with Chongqing.  After only one day of battle, Chongqing was already emerging with a solid and nearly insurmountable lead.  Chongqing's heroic virtues had withstood Shanghai's monstrous blitz -- with unwavering courage and stability.  The game wasn't finished yet, but my mind was almost settled.

During the following two days, could Shanghai repair its image and avoid the embarrassment of being totally routed?  And what would these next two days teach me about China?  I awaited the answers eagerly as I fell asleep.

Wednesday, July 23rd

I headed out from the hotel with Sissi around 9:30 AM for a full day and evening of activities.  The first venue was the Yuyuan Garden, a classical tourist attraction originally constructed in 1577.  It contained several historic buildings and relics, small ponds, and a courtyard with a Confucius statue.  It also featured a teahouse that Queen Elizabeth II and President Bill Clinton each had frequented in the recent past.  Upon entering the site, however, several annoying souvenir sellers in the crowd instantly besieged me, and Sissi told them to scram.  (This was my first time this had ever occurred in the presence of a tour guide on the trip.)

The next excursion was the Shanghai Museum.  It was a modern facility that displayed objects and artifacts from the last 5,000 years, and offered a supplementary audio headset available in English.  My memorable moment at this place, though, was my second encounter with young Western women on the trip.

I was descending an escalator and noticed two attractive blondes riding up in the other direction.  I made eye contact with one of them and smiled.  Her reaction was a quick glare and a frown, and then she looked away permanently.

"Yep!" I thought to myself.  "This supports my theory...that after all these lonely years, the 'problem' isn't me after all."

I had a lively and lengthy discussion with Sissi about this during lunch.  We ate at a restaurant on the north edge of The Bund, and discussed the subject of women, relationships, and romance.

I elucidated about my complete lack of a love life since my early days of high school (I'm now 30 years old), and listed several major reasons for this super-long slump:

1.  I'm not a Christian, which 85 percent of Americans are, and most require a mate who shares similar religious creeds and passions.
2.  I don't want kids and have already had a vasectomy, while probably more than 80 percent of American women desire to raise children.
3.  I earn less than $40,000 annually, which is an automatic disqualification for about half of American women.
4.  I don't fit in with American society and culture (neither traditional nor contemporary), as explained throughout this trip report.
5.  Americans in general are very cliquish, prefer not to make new friends, and are usually fearful toward anyone who's different from them.
6.  A substantial percentage of young straight females in the U.S. are extremely insecure and uninterested in men.

Sissi was quite intrigued at this tragic tale.  She first responded, "Perhaps you just don't understand women?"

I thought about that for a minute, and then replied that it's probably merely Western women who baffle me.

She then warned that most Chinese gals also wish to raise children, as Americans do.

In addressing that issue, I indicated that five of those six alienating factors listed above are entirely *reversed* in China.  I also pointed out the massive population numbers and densities of Shenzhen, Chongqing, and Shanghai, and contrasted them with Oklahoma City's relative insignificance.  I reasoned that in urban China, I would have a tendency to acquire a *plethora* of genuine friends -- both male and female -- unlike in the U.S.  And within that large group, at least several of them most likely would tell me, "Hey Joe, I know somebody who's looking for someone just like you!"

So mathematically, my odds of finding a compatible girlfriend in China are roughly between 100 and 1,000 times greater than in Oklahoma.

Sissi then mentioned that most Chinese women are seeking a man who is monogamous, and who could be a decent husband.  This news was very encouraging to me, since I personally exhibit that need, and hope to get married once I find the right person.

I finally concluded the fun discussion by revealing a startling detail:  in America, women over the age of 50 often compliment me on my looks, whereas young gals almost never do.  But throughout this trip in China, nearly every young woman I'd met had told me I was "handsome"!

Sissi was quite astounded at that dissimilarity.

Following lunch, we traveled through a street tunnel underneath the Huangpu River, and into the downtown area of Pudong.  This was the heart of Shanghai's new financial district.  I gazed up at more than 100 ultra-neat, magnificent skyscrapers, which actually were the coolest-looking structures seen on the entire trip.  We then arrived at the front of the Jin Mao Tower, currently one of the world's 10 tallest.  Nevertheless, this paled in comparison to the adjacent Shanghai World Financial Center.  Its interior will be finished in December 2008, and it holds the number-three spot on the list of tallest buildings in the world (after the Burj Dubai and Taipei 101).  I stood in awe as I peered up at its staggering dominance of 1,615 feet (492 meters).

I subsequently entered the Jin Mao Tower, and rode the elevator to the 88th-floor observation deck.  The ascent was very fast, with the acceleration and deceleration so soft that the motion was hardly apparent.  Unfortunately at the top, however, the vicinity's super-dense smog rendered the view less than spectacular.  The picture was still impressive, but not wowing.

Afterward, while still inside the building, I toured the interior of the Grand Hyatt rotunda.  This five-star hotel (which, in my opinion, should be labeled as a six-star) occupies the top third of the skyscraper.  I stood from an *interior* balcony on the 85th floor, and stared down about 300 feet (90 meters) at a 56th-floor cafe at the base.  I even clapped my hands once to hear the echo from the opposite wall.  I then descended to the cafe and gazed up about 400 feet (120 meters) indoors at the central dome.  The sight and experience of this enormous atrium were amazing and beautiful.

We returned to the lobby, and upon exiting the building with Sissi, I joked in a meek female mocking tone, "It's very hot out here.  Let's go to the cab and have a ride!"

She enjoyed the humor as we traversed back under the river to the west side again.  During the commute, Shanghai alas exposed another flaw.  Unlike in Shenzhen and Chongqing, I began noticing that the quality of the pavement on the roads here was terrible, as I was frequently subjected to hard jolts and thuds while riding around.

So not only was the Beast of the East excessively hazy and grumpy, but bumpy, too.

I briefly visited a department store to examine how pearls are created from oysters, and then headed for dinner at Wangbaohe Restaurant.  This upscale diner served delicious dumplings with a ball of chicken and soup broth inside them.  Three women performing in the background with traditional Chinese instruments also made the savory meal entertaining and pleasant.

The final activity of the evening was an outstanding acrobatic show at Yunfeng Theater.  Numerous stunt performers flaunted their array of talents to various music in a vibrant multihued fashion.  I enjoyed a great seat near the front and center, and thoroughly relished the presentation.  But at this event, I also came across my third and final young Western woman in China, sitting a few places to my left.

Prior to the show, she was already seated when I slithered past her.  She had dark hair, was overweight, and appeared to be from the U.S. (and quite possibly the South).  Before and after the event, I attempted making eye contact with her.  I was curious about where she came from, and what she was doing in China.  I know she saw me.

But during both attempts, she seemed to put forth a significant effort *not* to notice me, in a rude and paranoid fashion!  She didn't seem interested in talking to me at all.

By then, the differences in temperament, classiness, and sanity between young Chinese and Western gals were obvious.  I was certain that I had found the right country to cherish and build a life in.

After leaving the venue, Sissi instructed the driver to swing past a section of town with dance clubs, in order to show me the location.  She recommended a hotspot called Babyface, which boasted two dance floors with different music.  I also noticed a sign near that enterprise that beamed "Disco Bar," advertising another nightclub.  We proceeded to my hotel following that deviation.

During the ride that evening, I felt something seriously missing from the scenery.  "Where are all the bright, colorful, flashy lights I witnessed throughout Shenzhen and Chongqing?" I wondered, while peering around at the relatively lifeless structures and storefronts.

It didn't take me long to realize that Shanghai's dazzling sparkle was primarily *concentrated* in one portion of the city:  Nanjing Road, The Bund, and the Pudong skyline near the river.  In other words, the energetic brilliance was clustered in the one area where I was constantly hounded and beleaguered.

That night while getting ready for bed, I looked back upon that day with both satisfaction and resolve.  I had totally enjoyed the sightseeing ventures and was glad to be visiting Shanghai.  But simultaneously, that's only what Shanghai seemed to be good for:  tourism, and not living.  Chongqing's victory was all but certain at this point.  My main question now was whether or not Shanghai could find a life raft to cling to that could rescue it from utter annihilation and complete embarrassment.

The trip's final full day in China was next.  I anxiously awaited what I would find, and whom I would meet.

Thursday, July 24th

For the whole day I was on my own to explore the city.  I awoke in late morning after the hotel stopped serving breakfast, but its lunch wasn't ready yet.  So I returned to my room to snack on organic raw nuts and seeds brought from home.  I then left the hotel to seek a full meal and meander the malls and streets.

On the nearby sidewalks, I must have moseyed past more than a dozen fast-food chains.  Several of them were the typical McDonald's, KFC, and Burger King.  But when glancing inside other eating establishments, I said to myself, "Oh wait...that's Chinese fast food.  That stuff's bad, too!"

I finally discovered a place by the name of C. Straits Cafe on the second floor of a building, and devoured a decent Western-style meal that included spaghetti with meat sauce.

Afterward I browsed a few neighboring five-story department stores.  Most of them maintained plenty of staff available, although not as much as in Chongqing.  And even though the stores and merchandise were very clean, modern, and elegant, fewer bright colors were present, compared to the other cities.  Luckily, though, no one hounded me.

I next rode the subway a few miles to Huaihai Road.  Several shopping malls abounded here, and it was close to the Babyface nightclub.  Many of the malls were five or six floors, and extensive.  Although most contained *some* stores with luscious spectrums adorning them, fewer existed than in Shenzhen and Chongqing.  But on a positive note, several cute Chinese women smiled at me in passing!

I later rounded a corner that took me back toward The People's Square.  When approaching that park, however, I needed to walk onto the west edge of Nanjing Road's market strip in order to access the street tunnel leading into the square.  While briefly traversing that section, a middle-aged man introduced himself and told me he wanted to learn better English.  I replied that I was aspiring to teach English in China and learn Mandarin.  He acted very excited, and within a minute, requested boisterously, "Let's go get some coffee together at this shop right here!"

"No," I answered.  "I'd like to return to my hotel and relax for awhile."

"Yeah, but come on!  Let's go have some coffee!"

After the third or fourth solicitation, I simply gave him the cold shoulder and ditched the scammer.  I chuckled to myself about it while riding the subway, and soon arrived back at the hotel to chill out and reflect upon a broader topic.

I pondered about the meaning of "cosmopolitan" society versus "local modern" culture, and about whether a person has a preference for one or the other, depending on where he lives.  Throughout most of my life in Oklahoma, I had always been enticed by the cosmopolitan societies of New York City and Los Angeles.  I was bored with -- and often repulsed by -- the local mainstream culture of America, and those two cities seemed to advertise a more worldly experience.

But when visiting China, the local modern characteristics of Shenzhen and Chongqing put me in absolute cultural ecstasy.  Shanghai, on the other hand, is known as *China's* most cosmopolitan city, and I found its society to be *less* appealing.  Now of course, I certainly would choose Shanghai over New York or L.A. in a heartbeat, but it totally paled in comparison to my taste for Shenzhen and Chongqing.

What does this experience indicate?  It strongly suggests that I had truly discovered a nation that was *distinctively* compatible with my values, preferences, and lifestyle.  I had an enthusiastic fondness for China's local, urban, modern culture *far more* than I ever could for "worldly" society.  Obviously this was bad news for Shanghai, but it was excellent news for China in terms of my liking.

Following this musing I headed outside for dinner.  After roving past another plethora of fast-food places, I found a Chinese cafe and gobbled a delicious meal with beef, rice, and vegetables.  I then returned to the hotel to check E-mail and change into nicer clothing.

To my pleasant surprise, one of the gals I met at the Chongqing Wal-Mart had sent me a message!  It was from Min, who expressed that she was happy to meet me, and hoped that I could come to China again so we could keep in contact.  I was quite flattered to receive her E-mail, and replied that a very high chance existed for me choosing to move to Chongqing and building a life there.  I also wrote, "The people of Chongqing are awesome."

So even while visiting Shanghai, Chongqing was continuing to score more points to extend its astounding lead.

After switching outfits, I took a taxi to the area with the Disco Bar and Babyface venues.  I first approached the facade with the former marquee and asked the doormen, "Is this the Disco Bar?"  They pointed in the direction of Babyface, so apparently, the Disco Bar hadn't yet debuted.  Shortly thereafter I walked into Babyface to begin my final night of clubbing on the trip.

The place was packed with people (with an equal ratio of males to females), and contained two dancefloors:  one featuring hip-hop and mellow R&B, and the other playing house music.  I opted for the floor with the house-music beat and took my spot.  Some of the songs were OK and others good, but none were great.  The melodies just weren't as bubbly, bright, and happy as at the hotspots frequented in Shenzhen and Chongqing.  Overall, the atmosphere was satisfactory and enjoyable, but the place didn't wow me.

At this point, the Beast of the East was preparing to be hauled out of the boxing ring on a stretcher.  The epic showdown was nearing its end, and Shanghai was facing the prospect of dire humiliation from a total rout.  It seemed to possess few outstanding assets besides scale and spectacle, versus the other cities.

But suddenly, somehow, desperate Shanghai finally found the vital life raft it needed to save its precious dignity from dreadful disaster.

An attractive woman whose English name was Shelly made eye contact with me on the dancefloor and introduced herself.  We grooved together joyfully for about five songs, and then I inquired, "Why don't we go somewhere in here where it's quieter, where we can talk and get to know each other a little?"

She graciously concurred, and we delighted in a worthwhile chat in another room and became acquainted.  She currently was working as a general agent for a Korean shipping company, and was fascinated that I was learning Mandarin and aspiring to move to China.  I told her how much I liked the Chinese people, how much better I fit the culture, and how superior she was to American women!  She was quite thrilled to hear that.

We exchanged contact information, and then returned to the dancefloor together for another half hour or so.  The music was only marginal, but dancing with Shelly made the experience all the better.

We finally exited Babyface after 1 AM, and she introduced me to her nice friend Linda outside the club.  Linda worked as a logistics associate for an ATM company.  The three of us conversed for a while, and they both informed me that if I chose to live in Shanghai, then they could help me search for employment as an English teacher.

I expressed my gratitude and told them I'd let them know after returning home which city was my most preferred.  (At that minute my mind wasn't 100-percent decided, but Chongqing's victory was still imminent.)

At last we called it a night, shook hands sincerely, and waved our goodbyes.  As I was climbing into a cab, however, Shanghai's flaws reasserted themselves.  An old lady was selling roses on the sidewalk, and obnoxiously stuck them in my face.  She finally gave up when I tried closing the cab door forcefully enough to possibly damage her merchandise.

While heading back to the hotel, I was in pleasant disbelief.  After 12 years of patronizing dance clubs, I, for the first time, had just managed to meet a gorgeous woman who actually was interested enough in becoming acquainted with me away from the dancefloor.  Wow!  China had thoroughly impressed me once again.

Upon arriving back in my hotel room, I decided that the favorite-city contest was concluded, with Chongqing the obvious champion.  Although Shanghai was defeated, it had managed to score several late points to render its loss respectable.  Despite its many faults and shortcomings, the Bodacious Beast had a heart after all.

By now I was getting tired of traveling, and was ready to return to Oklahoma the next day.  But I also was longing to make Chongqing my new home in the near future.  The feelings of excitement and resolve guided me to sleep.

Friday, July 25th

At noon I checked out of the hotel and handed in my rented Chinese cellphone at the concierge desk.  Sissi was in the lobby, waiting to accompany me to Pudong Airport.  While en route I described to her my awesome social experience at Babyface, and she was pleased.  She was a bit startled when I announced that Chongqing was my most-preferred city (and not Shanghai), but she understood.

We reached the airport, and she led me inside to show me where to register.  The line was very long and the staff spoke English, so Sissi and I gave our farewells.  In parting I proclaimed, "This is not the end of my Chinese experience, but only the beginning!"

The departure was at 3 PM on a large China Eastern Airlines jet.  I immediately set my watch back to 12 AM for Los Angeles' time to begin Friday 2, and the flight was 11 1/2 hours.  I sat next to a friendly American woman in her 60's who lived near L.A., and was on a sightseeing tour.  She mentioned that she also is into organic foods and natural health, in order to avoid the regular American-processed food.  She also disclosed that one of her sons shares my sentiments about young women in the U.S.

Just before noon I arrived at the Los Angeles airport, retrieved my luggage, and passed through customs.  Rather than my receiving the anticipated "third degree," the official didn't even open my bags.  He simply asked if I was carrying any foreign animals or agricultural products, and let me pass.

I trekked across the airport to the United Airlines terminal, checked in, and loitered at the gate for several hours.  During that interval I overheard a young woman whine, "Gosh, I just had this five-and-a-half hour flight, and it was sooooooooo long!"

I wanted to approach her while haughtily pointing and laughing, but didn't.

Takeoff was at 7 PM on a sub-three-hour ride.  I landed in Oklahoma City at 11:45 PM local time to finish the 22-hour journey, and my parents welcomed me.  I obtained my luggage and they kindly drove me to my apartment.  They were happy to hear that I had a blast.

Conclusion

At the time of writing this finale, four weeks have passed since arriving back.  I've already received communication from most of the people I met, and never did I imagine that my adventures in China would be so meaningful as to require more than 14,000 words of narratives.

This trip has thoroughly and inspirationally confirmed the optimism that my longtime youthful dreams can still be realized.  It has rekindled my deepest hopes that somewhere in this world exists a place where I truly can assimilate with my own identity still intact, where my personal uniquenesses are assets -- and not liabilities.

I have always fervently desired to find an available beautiful woman who shares my values and passions, and who is really interested in the qualities I possess.  I have always wished to find many true friends who enjoy similar hobbies and pursuits, and who actually do care about making new friends.  And drawing from the resulting motivation that this sought-after social life and love life can bring me, I, for a long time, have aspired to someday write, compose, and perform my own pop music with utmost enthusiasm and glory.

I now am 30 years old, and it's time for me to stop dreaming my dreams behind closed doors.  I have spent the last 15 years developing my inner world, and am now ready to build my outer world -- in a harmonious and receptive place.

So ladies and gentlemen, that's my story.  My concern now shifts to the logistical planning and preparation for my move to Chongqing.  I probably will complete an online certification program for teaching English as a second language prior to my relocation, and will be contacting many knowledgeable people for advice.  I also will be selling most of my personal belongings, including my vehicle with a massive sound system.  Ultimately, I wish to return to China by the end of October if possible.

It's a wonderful world out there.  I hope to be on my way soon.

Well everyone, I've decided that now is the time, and the time is now...to take the next major step in my life.  After recovering mostly from the burnout of my last job (working at an insurance call center), I explored my options.  Considering that I'm currently not tied down with a job and have ample savings, and with my longing throughout the last 15 months to explore some of China's large cities mounting immensely inside of me, now is the time for me to roll the dice and take the big chance.

Last week I researched and received trip quotes from a couple of reputable Chinese travel agencies, along with international flight quotes.  And then, early Thursday morning (June 26th) in the wee hours, I began placing orders for a 12-day trip.  I depart from Oklahoma City on the evening of Sunday, July 13th (arriving at my final destination on the morning of the 15th), then return on Friday, July 25th.

This morning (July 3rd), my Chinese visa was delivered to my door.  I also visited my natural health practitioner earlier this week, who gave me a "pH Cleanse" formula to help rid my body of any strange bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc., that I may encounter while in China.

I'll probably ask some people in those cities about available jobs for native-English speakers.  Apparently, teaching English is a great way to get one's foot in the door professionally in China.  I'd also have a chance to practice and continue learning Mandarin while teaching English.

Anyway, this is extremely exciting, and could turn out to be the next major turning point in my life.  Only time will tell!

(Below you will find a detailed trip itinerary, and beneath that are some good videos I found that feature the cities.)

With huge enthusiasm,
Joe

------------------------------------
"There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life Is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or lose our ventures."

-- Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar

------------------------------------
Here's the itinerary from the travel agency:

Flora Cu/ Eileen Wang
Travel Counsellors
TravelChinaGuide(TCG)
US and Canada: 1-800-806-5198 Ext. 319
                              1-800-892-6988 Ext. 319
Universal(except USA): + 800-666-88666 Ext. 319
China Mainland: 800-840-9555 Ext. 319
International: (86-29) 8523 6688 Ext. 319
Fax: (86-29) 85258897; 85265801
Email: tours@travelchinaguide.com
            travelchinaguide@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.travelchinaguide.com
                 http://www.warriortours.com

11- Day Standard tour of Shenzhen - Guangzhou - Chongqing -
Shanghai

July 15(Tue):Arrival in Shenzhen
Upon your arrival in Shenzhen, our guide will pick you up
from the airport by the flight CA1337 at 10:30, and transfer
you to the hotel for three nights stay. The rest day is free for
you to explore the city by yourself.

Hotel: Novotel Watergate Hotel (4 star)

July 16(Wed): Shenzhen
Explore the Splendid China that has scaled down replicas
of China's historical buildings, wonderful scenes and folk
customs. There you may taste the distinctive flavors from
a variety of parts of China and also you will find an excellent
selection of souvenirs in the World's Largest Miniature Scenic
Spot.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Novotel Watergate Hotel (4 star)

July 17(Thu): Shenzhen
The whole day is free for you to explore the city by yourself.
We only arrange the hotel accommodations with breakfast
for you.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Novotel Watergate Hotel (4 star)

July 18(Fri): Shenzhen - Guangzhou
Our guide will transfer you to the railway station and help you
to take the soft seat train to Guangzhou. Upon your arrival,
our guide will pick you up from the railway station and transfer
you to the hotel. The rest day is free for you to explore the city
by your own.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Baiyun Hotel (4 star)

July 19(Sat): Guangzhou - Chongqing
Visit the Five-Ram Statue in Yuexiu Park, the Temple of Six
Banyan Trees, the Qingping Market and the Shamian Island.
Take a flight to Chongqing. Our guide in Chongqing will pick
you up and transfer you to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel : Harbor Plaza (5 star)

July 20(Sun): Chongqing
Visit the Ciqikou Old Town and transfer to the Chongqing
Zoo to see lovely pandas in the morning. The afternoon is
free for you to explore the urban area by your own.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel : Harbor Plaza (5 star)

July 21(Mon): Chongqing
The whole day is free for you to arrange on your own. We
only arrange the hotel accommodations with breakfast for
you.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel : Harbor Plaza (5 star)

July 22(Tue): Chongqing - Shanghai
Take a flight to Shanghai. Our guide in Shanghai will pick
you up from the PVG airport and transfer you to the hotel.
The rest day is free for you to explore the city on your own.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Holiday Inn Downdown Shanghai (4 star)

July 23(Wed): Shanghai
Visit the A whole day excursion covers the Shanghai Museum,
the Yuyuan Garden and a local family visit.

Specials: Portman Acrobatic Show and a farewell dinner at
Wangbaohe restaurant
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Hotel: Holiday Inn Downdown Shanghai (4 star)

July 24(Thu): Shanghai
The whole day is free for you to explore the city by yourself.
We only arrange the hotel accommodations with breakfast
for you.

Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Holiday Inn Downdown Shanghai (4 star)

July 25(Fri): Departure from Shanghai
Transfer you to the airport and see off by your international flight
MU583 at 14:55. Our service ends here.

Meals: Breakfast

Quotation for the single occupancy:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(The above price is applied for one person as a private group)

(Paid the full payment by Cable transfer. No balance remaining)

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
 
Quotation Includes
1. The economy class airfare of Guangzhou/ Chongqing/
    Shanghai and the soft seat train charge of Shenzhen/
    Guangzhou in the itinerary.
2. One hotel standard single room with private facilities in all
    relevant locations.
3. For the land tour in each city, daily American breakfast is
    served in the hotel, and Chinese lunch and/or dinner will
    be served with two cups of soft drink outside the hotel. All
    meal arrangements are served as the itinerary specifies.
4. Private transfers for you and your party as a group between
    airports, train stations, hotels and all sightseeing spots.
    Separate arrivals and departures will incur extra charges
5. One private English-speaking guide and private driver will
    accompany you on all normal sightseeing tours in each city.
6. Admission fees applicable are included.
7. Should your tour include a cruise, then the shore excursion
    in groups and activities will be subject to the arrangements
    made by the cruise company.
8. Chinese government taxes and the city construction fees
    applicable to your travel are included.
9. Travel Agencies' Liability insurance with the tour inside
      China is included.
10. Please be sure July & August belong to Olympic periods in 2008.
 
Quotation Excludes
1. The air charge of arrival in Shenzhen and departure from
    Shanghai.
2. Expenses of a personal nature such as laundry, telex, tele-
    phone calls, postal and fax services, bar, massage expenses
    or overweight baggage charges.
3. The tips for the guides and drivers.
 

------------------------------------
Here's some videos of the cities I'll be visiting:

Shenzhen (July 15-18)

"City View" (day)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy1gKen1usM

"Impression" (night)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ia0hw3sOVcU

Guangzhou (July 18-19)

"Welcome"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJYbp0lipAw

Chongqing (July 19-22)
 
"Part 1" (day)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94z3ZIbKPhk
 
"Part 2" (night)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Ei0pI11B0
 

Shanghai (July 22-25)

"The Metropolis 2008"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0CGA9iLCwM
 
"Most Beautiful City"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmr1KvBHlwE

-----------------------------------------------
Here's where I'll be sleeping...

Hotel in Shenzhen (3 nights)
http://hotel.travelchinaguide.com/hotelphoto.asp?pid=896

Hotel in Guangzhou (1 night)
http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=78615

Hotel in Chongqing (3 nights)
http://hotel.travelchinaguide.com/Showphoto.asp?i=200312121913570857

Hotel in Shanghai (3 nights)
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/shgdt?_requestid=956490

-----------------------------
And here's the official invitation letter from the travel agency, which was one of the many papers I attached to the visa application paperwork:

http://download.travelchinaguide.net/util/inv/view.asp?filename=2679vuacmei6t08i

Here's my latest personal Year-End Music Charts, along with a commentary below.  I've been putting together these lists at the end of each year since 1995.

----------------------------------------------
My Top 20 Songs of 2007:

1.  Eagle's Flight (Joe Goodson's Extended Soaring Mix) - Tiffany Lunn  [June 2007]
2.  Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne  [November 2007]
3.  Just Not Today - Kenny Chesney  [November 2007]
4.  Young And Stupid (Joe Goodson's Moving-On Mix) - Lexy  [June 2007]
5.  Another Shade Of Grey - Tiffany Clark  [July 2007]
6.  Look On The Floor (Joe Goodson's Ecstatic Hypergroove) - Bananarama  [November 2007]
7.  Scare Me - Kenny Chesney  [November 2007]
8.  Sacrifice - Tiffany  [June 2007]
9.  Just Like That - Jenna Drey  [November 2007]
10. Take Me Over - Don Taylor featuring Maria  [November 2007]
11. Baby You - Fawni  [November 2007]
12. Talking To Myself - Tiffany Clark  [June 2007]
13. Chinatown - Cruisin' Gang  [April 2007]
14. I Don't Wanna Cry - Mariah Carey  [May 2007]
15. Amazing - Aerosmith  [May 2007]
16. Theme From The Bodyguard - Alan Silvestri  [March 2007]
17. See You Again - Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus)  [November 2007]
18. Mr. DJ - Fawni  [November 2007]
19. Not Beautiful (Joe Goodson's Take-A-Stand Mix) - Lesley Wright  [November 2007]
20. Le Meow (Let Me Out) - The Venus Mission  [November 2007]

My Top 10 Albums of 2007:

1.  Various Artists  Joe Goodson's Homemade Rock Disk Vol. 6  [November 2007]
2.  Various Artists  Joe Goodson's Homemade Dance Disk Vol. 12  [November 2007]
3.  Gina G  Get Up & Dance (import)  [November 2007]
4.  Tiffany Clark  Trophy Girl  [June 2007]
5.  Fawni  Fawni  [November 2007]
6.  Don Taylor  Total Paradise 2008 (import)  [November 2007]
7.  Tiffany Queen  Royalty  [June 2007]
8.  Tiffany  Dust Off And Dance  [June 2007]
9.  Dynamic Destony  Kisses In The Evening  [November 2007]
10. Tiffany Lunn  A New Horizon (import)  [June 2007]

My Top 10 Artists of 2007:

1.  Gina G
2.  Tiffany Clark
3.  Fawni
4.  Don Taylor
5.  Tiffany Queen
6.  Tiffany Lunn
7.  Tiffany
8.  Ruthie Bram
9.  Dynamic Destony
10. The Venus Mission

[ ] - denotes month of personal-appeal peak for song, month of acquisition for album

---------------------------------------------------------
Commentary:

A website called CDbaby.com rescued what would've been an otherwise sorely-lacking new-music year for me, and turned 2007 into my best year for new music since 2002!  In fact, 2007 was the first time in 5 years that I could completely fill all three lists for the Top 20 songs, Top 10 albums, and Top 10 artists.  All but 18 of the songs that entered my collection in '07 originated from CDbaby.

CDbaby is a huge music site featuring lesser-known artists of all genres (and a few famous older ones with new material).  I first encountered it last June.  Since then, I've also discovered the "Sounds Like..." section on the site's homepage.  Thus far, I've barely even begun to scratch the surface of this awesome website!

Without discovering CDbaby, then the 2007 song list would've barely been filled (almost any song added to my collection would've made it).  There also would have been merely *one* homemade compilation album on the entire album chart and nothing else, along with *zero* artists able to make the artist list!

What a difference one website can make.  Thank you so much, CDbaby, and I'm looking forward to a long and bright future of loyal patronage!

To date, my music collection contains 433 albums and 5,606 songs.  164 new songs were added to my collection in 2007, consisting of 14 albums (plus 1 single).  Besides the two personal homemade compilation albums, all of the other new albums in 2007 were bought from CDbaby.  11 of the Top 20 songs were obtained from that website.  And every one of the Top 10 artists (including just-plain Tiffany from the late '80s) is featured on CDbaby.

(On exception, 4 of the Top 20 songs in 2007 weren't newly-added to my collection, which were the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th-place tunes.  Last spring, those particular four songs struck a chord with me for various reasons.)

If you see "Joe Goodson's...Mix" listed within the title of a song, then it's a customized extended version of mine, done on my computer.  I create it by repeating sections of the song, and in some cases, by also omitting boring sections.  I've been doing this since 2000.

Moving on to the album chart....

Joe Goodson's Homemade Rock Disk Vol. 6 is by far the best compilation I've *ever* put together, consisting of 19 tracks.  In 2007's Top 20 songs, the 1st-place, 2nd-place, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th, 17th, and 19th-place songs are from this album!  And oh yeah...2006's 1st-place song is from this album, too!  Bear in mind that, to date, I've made *74* homemade compilation albums, and this one is absolutely the best ever.  (7 of this album's 19 tracks are from CDbaby.)

Joe Goodson's Homemade Dance Disk Vol. 12 is a very decent dance-music compilation of mine, also containing 19 songs.  2007's 6th-place song and 2006's 2nd-place tune are featured on it.  (11 of this album's 19 tracks originated from CDbaby.)

I'd like to conclude by listing some weblinks for audio samples from CDbaby.  After clicking on an album link below (or copying & pasting it into your browser's address line), click the button on the left side of the screen that says, "PLAY ALL SONGS (broadband)," then in the proceeding popup window, click "Open."  You'll get the best sound quality that way.  On the screen, you can then use your music player's forward and back buttons to toggle between tracks.  Enjoy!

Gina G
http://cdbaby.com/cd/gforcemusic

Tiffany Clark
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffanyclark

Fawni
http://cdbaby.com/cd/fawnidd

Don Taylor
http://cdbaby.com/cd/taylordon

Tiffany Queen
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffanyqueen3
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffanyqueen5

Tiffany Lunn
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffany2
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffany

Tiffany (well-known from the late '80s)
http://cdbaby.com/cd/tiffanysongs2

Ruthie Bram
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiebram
http://cdbaby.com/cd/ruthiebram2

Dynamic Destony
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dynamicdestony

The Venus Mission
http://cdbaby.com/cd/vmissionmusic

Lexy
http://cdbaby.com/cd/lexymusic

Jenna Drey
http://cdbaby.com/cd/drey

Lesley Wright
http://cdbaby.com/cd/lesleywright

Well...I finally got around to giving my MySpace page a much-needed colorful decoration after a long hiatus.  Within the next day, I'll be posting some new photos.

In December 2006, I made the healthy decision to escape the annoying noise of my former studio apartment, and to move one mile away to an upstairs one-bedroom unit where it's much quieter.  It's been easier to sleep now, and I enjoy the piece of mind throughout the day.

In early January 2007, I purchased two air purifiers for my new apartment.  I've felt more refreshed and alert, and sleep better.  (Unfiltered indoor air is several times more polluted than outdoor air.)  That same month, I also discontinued eating sesame seeds as part of my big organic breakfast.  Sesame seeds tend to have a mild sedative effect upon the body, and my energy level increased significantly after rejecting them.  I also increased my intake of organic coconut oil back to the "full dosage" of a whole tablespoon twice per day, and my body has adjusted with very little discomfort!  My skin feels less dry as well.

The biggest and healthiest transformation I've made during the last 10 months has been in switching jobs.  My previous job (repairing copy machines around town) suddenly became extremely stressful -- consistently -- after a change in company policy in mid-2006.  It really began to impact my job in September of that year.  By late May 2007 (after nearly 9 months of experiencing that excruciating stress level), I felt constantly run-down and my life was way out of balance.  So I gave a three-week notice and June 15th was the end of that!

I started my new job in July as a customer service rep at a call center for an insurance company.  While the work itself may not be quite as fun as the previous endeavor, it has been far less stressful, my co-workers are wonderful, and I can actually interact with them in person thoughout the day.  And as I learn more about insurance and work procedures, and as I put it all to use and get more comfortable with it, the fun factor has been rising.

Switching to a less stressful job can make a tremendous difference in one's health and quality of life.

Well, for the final subject of this post (regarding my weight), it has topped out in the 160-165 pound range, which is equivalent to my last two years of high school.  So ultimately, I lost 80+ pounds of toxic fat, and have gained 15-or-so of muscle and healthy fat.  Shortly after purging all the toxic fat last year, my body apparently realized it was too skinny.  I now wear a 32-size waist again, which fits loosely.  I also wear both "small" and "medium" sized shirts.

That's all from me for now.  Enjoy the new look of my page!

You've read that right...although it's only a small amount of weight, brought on by my muscles developing gradually as a result of this lifestyle.  When living the organic lifestyle, the body fat disappears very quickly, while the muscles build slowly.

Last weekend (Nov.11), I weighed 152.  So I lost 80 pounds in the first 7 1/2 months, and since then, have gained 5 pounds of muscle.  I'm gradually looking less bony, and more "lean & mean."  Keep in mind that I haven't lifted weights, nor have been to any fitness clubs, in almost 7 years!

In September, I decided to put sleep as a higher priority on the totem pole.  Since I typically work from 8 to 5 on Monday through Friday, I usually try to go to bed around 8:00-8:30pm on Sundays though Thursdays.  On those days, I only eat two meals, with an organic apple as an additional snack in late morning or in late afternoon, depending on when my lunch occurs.  The results have included more energy, better concentration, and sharper vision.

I've also noticed some seasonal differences in my metabolism, which might be related to thyriod production.  With colder weather and fewer daylight hours at this time of year, I noticed a couple of weeks ago that a thin layer of new body fat was forming on me.  Perhaps this was a natural response for the body to build a small layer of winter insulation.  So to override that response, I've doubled my intake of organic, unrefined coconut oil (to two teaspoons per day).  I have not experienced a hyperactive thyroid from doing so, and that thin layer of fat has mostly disappeared.

Another difference I've observed since October is a small-to-moderate increase in my appetite.  This is probably because I no longer possess a large layer of body fat to burn as fuel, and my extra energy has to come from somewhere!  A few months ago, I was eating about 30% as much food as I consumed prior to this year.  Now, it's about 40%.

My expectation in the previous blog entry was that my weight would plateau in the low 140s, and I was wrong about that.  Since muscle is gradually developing now, my new plateau prediction is in the upper 150s.

Well, that's the latest.  Enjoy the profile song "Sunrise" by Angel City!  It really sums up what this organic lifestyle is all about. 

August was quite an interesting month for my organic lifestyle.  I went on vacation during the first week, and even though I brought along my organic food, I was without the magnetic mattress pad and bathroom water filters.  Immediately, I noticed that I required more sleep, felt slightly sore during some days, and had drier skin.  You never know what you've got until it's missing!

In mid-August I experimented with organic soy milk and organic soy-based frozen yogurt.  As absolutely delicious as it was, it unfortunately caused me to gain weight.  So after three days, I discontinued it.  It's great to have on a special occasion, and probably is a good way to transition out of homogenized dairy products.  But it's probably not good for consuming every day, or for sticking with in the long run.

From mid-July through mid-August, I also experimented with organic virgin coconut oil, temporarily replacing the organic unrefined kind.  Supposedly, the virgin is "better."  But the virgin coconut oil didn't give me as much of an energy boost throughout the day as the unrefined has done, so I've gone back to the latter.

Furthermore, I now take 1/4 teaspoon of the organic, unrefined coconut oil for lunch.  I've updated Part 2 of the article on this blog with that addition, but didn't change the "updated" date in Part 2, due to the triviality of the modification.

Oh...and finally, I did another weigh-in yesterday (Sept. 3rd).  81 pounds lost in the last 8 months, weighing in at 146!  That's about what I weighed when obtaining my learner's permit to drive at age 15 1/2.

The weight loss is tapering to an even-greater extent now, and my body is getting very close to its natural, vibrant state.  During the next 6 to 9 months, I'm predicting my weight will plateau around 140-142, but only time will tell!

I did my official "back-to-small" shopping at the mall yesterday (July 29th), took new pictures of me in my apartment late last night, and this afternoon, bought new tennis shoes.  My feet have become narrower and flatter, so I had to get shoes that are 1 to 1-1/2 size smaller!

This afternoon I also did another "weigh-in."  150 pounds exactly, which is 77 pounds lighter than on January 2, 2006!  77 in 7.  Music to my ears!  I'm now back to my weight at age 15.  The weight loss is just beginning to taper, but will probably continue for another 6 to 12 months at a slower pace.

Here's a little treat for you:  in addition to the new pictures, I've also posted two photos of me from last year, so you can see what I looked like.  Enjoy!