Last night was the first night I had a dream about going to China. And seriously; at the doctor's appointment today, I swear I had worse anxiety just waiting than I'm sure I will experience before I go. Waiting is torture ..and I don't like needles anyways. Regardless; the dream.
To set the backdrop I got an email two days ago from Beijing Language and Culture University that they were interested in furthering my application and requested a video. Nice notice 5 months after my first email. Thank you, prompt China. Feeling high regret about giving up the chance to work at a University. Regardless of how intense the job is, it still looks pretty awesome. Also, I got a horrid email notification that my working papers with Wall Street English (WSE) couldn't be processed because the first paperwork was never withdrawn with English First (EF)!! Ahhh! I thought I asked about this (which I did) multiple times to check that there would be 'no problem.' Well there was and WSE can't do anything until it's cleared. So I contacted EF and asked to be notified (asap) when it would be finished; which they obliged to. I hate that it's in their hands! Doesn't really matter to them now that I won't be their employee.. so if they wanted to I suppose they have the prerogative to keep me out of China forever by not withdrawing the papers. *Sigh. :-/ Well my fingers are crossed.
It's beginning to get a bit hazy since it's been a good 8 hours since I awoke, but I arrived in Beijing by plane. Entered the Airport. Lots of Chinese people all around, and I was as calm as ever. But no one was there to pick me up. I knew my boyfriend was already in Beijing; and he would be around to meet me soon, but nobody from WSE was there to meet me, take me to a hotel they had set up, or to sign the contract, or anything. I've read that if a company does not offer to pick you up, or set up your stay quite comfortably when you arrive, it is a 'good' indication of how you will be treated as a teacher there. EF had a readily welcoming orientation program where I was informed all of this would happen, but WSE did not and when I inquired; they said it was not common but could be arranged per my request. So I waked out of the airport (no bags in hand ??) and marched across the street to the WSE building I would be working at. I know what it looks like thanks to googlemaps and I'm quite sure it's not across the street from the airport. When I entered, I found an office where they were organizing the new teachers, and told the woman my name. "You're not on the list!" She said to me. Baffled, I insisted she look in the computer. Computers always have the answer. "You're not due in Beijing for another week" she said. And subsequently there was no one ready to receive me or no hotel arranged or anything. Immediately I remembered that I had forgotten my passport back in the good ol' US of A. Problem! As I admitted this to the woman she didn't seem to concerned. I wondered why I didn't realize earlier that my passport or documents had never been checked on the way over. "It's not that big of a deal," I was told. "They never check it really anyways." "But my VISA!" I replied in panic. "I don't have it!" I vaguely remember thinking that maybe I never retrieved it from the consulate back home. Don't worry; was the generic reply.
Homeless, alone, and identity-less was my subconscious anticipated impression of the great land of China.
Hope this is not an indication of what will conspire this August.