I'm all packed and ready to go ... just need to remove the cat from my suitcase! I've not been to China since 2001, and I've heard that more than a few changes have taken place since then.

Packing for this trip brought to mind the first time I packed for China, almost 10 years ago. I remember, as so many of our students write, laying out everything I thought I could possibly want with me, and wondering how I was going to carry it all; only to realize, upon arrival in Shenyang (the city I lived in from 1999-2001), that I wasn't in the far reaches of the middle of nowhere.  I was in a mid-sized (pop: 7 million) Chinese city, where, even ten years ago, I really could find everything I needed.  I also remember how completely distraught I was to be leaving everything I knew for a place I really knew nothing about; a place where, out of 7 million, I knew one.

This time, no such concerns. Major differences: I'm only going for a week, I know the language, and I know at least 5 people in a city of 12 million.  My odds are improving! But most importantly, I get to spend time with our students, starting their own adventures in China.  The next time you hear from me, that's where I'll be!