After having a few days to settle in here in Qingdao, I thought I would share about my experience flying from the US to China. Specifically my journey from Beijing to Qingdao. My journey to China began in Minnesota and from there I had a few hour flight to Seattle. This flight was fairly typical and everything went smoothly. The flight from Seattle to Beijing was next and was the longest flight I had ever been on, 12 hours. As I boarded the plane, I thought to myself what in

As I sit at my gate, preparing to leave Minnesota the only place I've ever called home, I am filled with so many emotions. Excitement. Anxiety. Eagerness. Fear. Even as I sit here waiting to board my first of many flights and journey to the other side of the world, I am still in shock that this is actually happening. I am moving to China. This is real. This is my life now. Wow. The journey has been a long one so far. Hours of paperwork, application questions, phone calls, and

Hello there! My name is Noelle and I was born and raised in Minnesota, USA. However, I am now living in Qingdao, China. Why you ask? Let me tell you. When I was sixteen years old I felt called to live cross-culturally. That calling was solidified numerous times over the past six years. When I was seventeen I had the opportunity to attend a conference in St. Louis, Missouri. Knowing that I wanted to be a teacher, I talked with multiple schools and organizations at this confere