MY CHINA BUCKET LIST

As my adventure to China approaches, I have compiled a bucket list, things I want to get out of living and working abroad. I have made bucket lists before and never stuck to them, but I am determined to have a go at this one! If anyone reading this has any good suggestions for places I can go or things I should do, please message me – I really want to take advantage of the fact that I will be on the other side of the world!

(Photo taken from Google Images)

See the pandas!

This shouldn’t be too difficult for me as Chengdu (the area I will be based) is where the pandas originate from and located north of Chengdu is the “Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.” I fully intend on visiting these pandas a lot!

Travel to other cities alone.

While I am in China, I hope to visit other Chinese cities; Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hangzhou etc. I am not particularly comfortable with the idea of travelling to these places by myself, but I think it will be a step in the right direction towards growing my confidence and fighting my crippling anxiety. Whenever I go abroad, I am always with friends or family, so it will be a big difference travelling around, having to depend and rely on myself. Bit scary, but excited to do this!

Try food I would not normally eat.

I am very safe and boring when it comes to food. I know what I like, and I rarely steer clear of dishes that I am familiar with. This coupled with the fact that I sometimes struggle with eating will probably prove quite challenging when it comes to trying new things in China! However, I am going there with an open mind and am determined to push myself outside of my comfort zone! By doing this, I am sure I will fall in love with the food and come back to London with an appreciation for dishes I would not normally eat.

Walk along some of the Great Wall of China!

You can’t really go to China without seeing or walking along this wonder of the world! Even though my DofE expedition days of trekking for hours on end are behind me, I am going to try my best to put the hiking boots back on and walk along one of the most impressive structures in the world! 

Get a tattoo.

Not incredibly exciting, but I have been toying with this idea for a little while now and the more I think about it, the more I want it done! I am still a little unsure of what I want, but of course, I will let you all know! 

Say yes more!!!

This one is quite vague, but it encompasses a lot. When I am at home or when I lived at uni, I would close myself off in a bubble, and not really be spontaneous or that much fun. I want to change this. I want to do more things that will push me out of my safety net, things that will encourage me to have fun! Obviously, nothing too crazy! I do not want to waste this opportunity that I have of living on the other side of the world by staying in my house, I want to meet new people and have a bloody great time! 

Travel to other places!

I have always wanted to travel to Japan. I have either been too broke or too busy but being in China (and having a few months off teaching), will give me the perfect opportunity to fly there! I am also hoping that being in that corner of the globe will give me the chance to travel around some of Asia (I particularly want to travel to Singapore and some of Indonesia)! 

Practice my Chinese. 

From 11-18, I learnt Mandarin at school. I have GCSEs and A Levels in it, but I have not touched it since. Going to China will be the perfect opportunity for me to immerse myself in the language once more and get to grips with it again. It helps that I still have all my folders and textbooks from school! Laoshi would be proud! 

Fall in love with teaching! 

Now obviously I might really dislike teaching and I may find that it’s not for me, but that is perfectly alright. I am so excited to give it a go, especially after finishing some of my training for it. Almost officially a teacher! I can’t wait to dive into something that I have wanted to do for so long! I will post updates about this!

Fight my anxiety!!!

I am not just bringing a couple of suitcases filled with clothes and my belongings, I am also taking my anxiety with me, though not by choice! I am going to use all of my strength to make sure the bitch doesn’t ruin my time in China! I have come so far and accomplished so much, and I feel like a lot of what I have done has been leading up to my trip next month. It’s going to be bloody hard, but I am one tough cookie and hopefully I will be leaving my anxiety in China when I return to London next year! 

So that is it for now! The plan is to write a similar blog post basically seeing if I did all of these things – that will be coming in 12 months! Now all that is left to do is pack my bags and wait for the big day! 

Excited to take you all with me! 

B x