There are no coincidences

Many of you, my dear friends and family, know this story--blah-blah-blah, she's telling it again! After graduating from the Rivier Nursing Program in May, I passed my NCLEX-RN exam on June 10 and fulfilled a life dream of becoming a registered nurse. I had submitted my retirement papers to the Conval School District (and been given a lovely party, so I knew it was real), so I'd be done with gainful employment as of June 30. I had applied for nursing jobs in the area, but had no idea if/when I'd get a position.

On June 17 (I do remember this date!) I got a call from the HR director of a nearby hospital who said she couldn't promise me anything, but things looked good for a job as a med/surg nurse in September. She encouraged me to apply for not just "new grad" jobs, but for other positions as well: people who had read my resumé liked what it said and would take my age, teaching career, and life experience into account. I loved that phone call! I started to relax and thought, "I'm going to be able to take the summer off. I'm not going to worry! This is GREAT!"

The next evening, June 18, I went to my first board meeting for SABEH (Sino-American Bridge for Education and Health) http://www.sino-americaneducation.org/sino-americaneducation.org/SABEH.html. SABEH, as you will see when you visit the website, is a non-profit designed to encourage the kind of cultural exchange I first became involved with 12 years ago when I started studying about/traveling to China. At this June 18 meeting, I met fellow Board member Kongli Liu who, besides his full-time job at Bryant College and his volunteer work with SABEH, was organizing the first Cultural Exchange Program between the Business College of Beijing Union University and American educators. Kongli told us he needed another teacher for this summer's program. My dear friend Anne Watt said, "Why not ask Chris, she has the summer free..." Kongli asked me and I said yes. So that was almost a month ago. Since then, I've fulfilled my final contract as a public school teacher, gone to NYC to get my Chinese visa, unpacked a thousand cartons containing 22 years of teaching stuff, found someone to kitty- and housesit while I'm away, celebrated Independence Day, played with grandchildren, created lesson plans in Conversational English and American Culture & Teaching, and eaten a lot of American ice cream (won't have an ice cream shoppe across from my apartment in Beijing!)

So, tomorrow at 6 AM, I will get on a United flight to San Francisco ( 6.5 hours) and then, after an hour & a half on the ground, will board another UA plane to fly from SFO to Beijing in 13 hours. After a week to acclimatize* myself, I will get started. The College is providing me (and the other American teacher, Kacie, who is very young and very well-traveled--she's been around the world!) an apartment at Maliandao Dongjie 15 in the heart of the Tea District. We also will have a guide/driver and interpreter/classroom assistant. We will go to the usual tourist spots in Beijing (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Badaling Great Wall site) and also to Xi'an (Terracotta Warriors) and more...

*Apparently officials in China are very concerned about Swine Flu. I mean H1N1. I'm told that when we disembark, someone will take our temperature. If we or anyone within 20 seats of us has a temp over 100° F (37.8° C), then we will be quarantined for a week. If no one has such a temp, then we just have to check in with a health official daily for a week. "Hello, yes, this is Christine. I feel FINE! I feel GOOD!"

Okay, it's time to log off. I will write often, will post pictures, and will love reading your comments and trying to answer your questions.