Back in the Jing.

Andingmen

So, I've been settled down in my new apartement between Andingmen and Yonghegong, still close to the area where I used to live last year. I picked up my suitcases today that I left here when I went back home in June. Can't believe that those 4 months went by so quickly. Everything has pretty much changed right now. To start with, I'm not renting an apartment with school but instead I've searched for my own place that I'm sharing with 2 friends of mine. Price is pretty much half of what I would have paid if I would still have stayed with Hutong School - if not more. And to be honest, it's way better than the apartments I've been in last year.

This coming week I'll be spending loads of time studying - actually reviewing all the characters and my books of speaking - and trying to figure out what to do with school. I'll be taking private classes, starting in November, but still haven't figured out the details. I would love to do an internship here in Beijing, somewhere in March, April 2013. But in combination with classes every day, could be exhausting after a while. Knowing myself, I would give up the classes and just throw the money out of the window. So, I'll probably take 4 months of private class (still haven't decided to go for 8hours or 12hours a week) and start an internship whenever I finish classes. 

This internship will give me some experience on the Chinese workfloor, in hope I'll find a job out here. My mind is already set up in working in China for a while. Doesn't have to be for 10 years, but at least 1 or 2 years sounds pretty in my ears. 

Quick summary of what happened once I got back to China. My plane landed on Friday morning, 8.30am local time. A good friend of mine picked me up at the airport and we dropped off my stuff at his hotel. Followed by a visit to the school I was going to last year, hanged out there for a bit and in the afternoon we had an appointement with the agency and the landlord of our apartement. Not much later, we signed the contract, paid and we moved in the next day. Everything is brandnew! Is it located between Yonghegong, Lama Temple and Andingmen, in a little hutong. 

Sanlitun

The days after I went on a search to buy some apartmentstuff, wandered around in the neighborhood and made a stop in places I was a lot last year: Sanlitun and Dongzhimen. Wandering around in Dongzhimen and seeing people again I saw every day, was a bit weird. People asking me where I've been these last months. Met up with old friends and getting all comfi in my apartment. Haven't met a lot of new people yet, classes didn't start yet, so once I'll be back on track with that, I'll get the chance to meet the students from school.

So, everything goes well here in China. I'm glad to be back, but I could have stayed a longer time in Belgium. I got used to my life back there, but it's time to continue this story in China. 

I'll keep you posted.

Kisses from Beijing.