The Journey of my Life.

The Journey of my Life.

Explore. Find happiness. Follow your dreams.

The start of a new chapter (FINAL blog post)

Travel. Explore. Find happiness. Go after it.

Remember, reflect and learn from your experiences...

At first I didn't know what to expect when going on this trip.
See new things, have fun, meet new people, and then come home.

But I'm NOT coming home.
Someone else is coming home.
A new me.

It's scary to think when I get back I won't be going back to school but I plan to live life to the full every day and seek what makes me happy.

It's a small world.
Whether you live in China or Canada you will cross paths again with good friends.
As my students said at the end of my last class in Yangshuo...
"The world is a ball and we will meet again eventually"

I'm sad to go. But happy to have came.
As a great student of mine named Ben told me last night...
"Happiness is accompanied by sorrow, and it would turn sunny after rain as well."

The things I've done and the people I've met have truly opened my eyes.
The world is your playground. Don't always settle for what was put in front of you.
Go out! Look for more!

Sorry for the deep and philosophical posting but I think in reflecting on my experience I realize that I have found a new level of happiness and joy that comes from surrounding myself with the things I love.

What makes me happy?
Helping people, dancing, leadership, teamwork, friends, family, health.

What makes you happy?

I hope I've inspired you.
Travel. (Don't make excuses! Everyone has a reason NOT to leave home. Just go!)
Explore. (Leave your comfort zone! Be open, be adventurous, live with locals, try new things.)
Find what you love. (What makes you happy? Explore! Find these things and go after them.)
Be happy. (Smile!!! it's contagious :o)

For all of you who commented that you want to travel, explore and find yourself, I support you all the way. Maybe we can meet up before you go! Keep me posted on YOUR adventures!

Toronto family... I miss you...
China family... I miss you...

I will see you both very soon.

- Mikey
(Getting ready to go back to Canada, planning to come home to China.)

VIDEOS GALORE... last blog? maybe 2nd last...

This is my last set of videos.
ONE more blog to come to wrap up my journies... for now.

This is Hope.
He is a ninja.
He beat me in a handstand contest.
I cried... he laughed.
He is only 9 years old.
This boy has lots of potential.
GO hope GO!!!


Bboy Battle on our vacation to Guilin (from Yangshuo)
BBoy Piecez (me) and Bboy Stussy VS. Guilin Bboys

Devil sticks master: 48 year old peter from USA practicing on the streets of Hong Kong

When there are no local bboys in a town (Huangshan)
you must make due with what you have... yourself!!!
HOTEL HOUSE DANCING SESSION!!!!
Is this normal...? Or is Mike crazy? Both?

This is the WORST voice dubbed cartoon I've EVER seen.
Holy monkey, I wouldn't want to be a kid in Vietnam...


Mysterious BBoy Monkey on the busiest street in Yangshuo (obviously... next to KFC)
I'm not sure why I'm posting this one...(runs away embarassed)

BBoy Piecez and BBoy Stussy hitting the streets.
BBoy routine from the new crew in Yangshuo
"How Ren Laeia!!!" (local Yangshuo Bboy battle slang)

Mysterious James Brown impersonator at LOOVE Bar.

My students performer for the whole school.
I taught them this song!!! GO kids GO!

"Hey Mikey!"
"Yea?"
"Go jump in the lake!"
"... okay!"

Huangshan the land of beautiful mountains and bad spelling

Spelling comes second?
This was a reassuring sign to see before getting on an airplane.
This is my new QQ #!
Add me on QQ if you have it!!!
Keep in touch China friends, I miss you all! :o) This is a meal I had in Huangshan with a family that sells art in a small shop. I went from buying 2 pieces of art to talking with their son for 2 hours to help him practice his English to having dinner with their family! THIS is why I love China, feeling at home in someone else's home.
What are you smiling at?
(I'm pretty sure that building was smiling at me. We had a smiling contest. I won.)
After the staring contest was over I sat atop a pavillion alone at the top of a hill and a man came up to me. He tried to steal my watch. I ran for 15 minutes to get back to civilization.
All is well in the universe. Moral of the story? Don't get robbed.
I think someone needs help spelling....Old School Beauty.Full day of climbing a mountain... painful and sweaty
reaching the top... Visa....... i mean... priceless!I love days like this!!! I love the SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!!!!
(my face as I watched the sun set at the top of Huangshan mountain)
inspired by song: Sean Escoffey: I love days like this (house remix)
When something is in the way of your goals...
Go the road less travelled :o)
and you will reap great rewards (in this case a beautiful sunset.) I don't even know what they were trying to say here... any guesses?
Zing!
Swish!
I'm concerned that anyone might follow these instructions.

Listen to the mountains. Reflect. hahahaha. This can mean whatever you want it to mean.
Self explanatory. Rules were made to bent.
MORE unity in China! The UNITY tree at Huangshan mountain!
Living on the edge.

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to share with you another blog entry of my most recent solo journey to Huangshan a mountain in Anhui province of China. I hope these pictures help you to realize the beauty of this amazing place. It was a great place to contimplate life one last time before coming home on the silence of China's most beautiful mountain. I'm going to post a lot of pictures in this blog including mountainy goodness and bad spelling hilarity of this amazing place.

Enjoy and see you all soon!

Back home August 4th!

love

- Mikey ikey

Goodbye FOR NOW. A journey well begun is half done.

1 week left until I'm home.
See you soon my friends.
Enjoy the last few blogs (maybe only 2 more after this)!

Ghost stories by the Yulong River under the stars.
My last goodbye to my LAST class. See you soon my friends and I know you will all make it!
Dream big.
Since goodbyes weren't enough from the group above they made me a going away present.
Can't wait to reunite Chinada!!!
the OFFICIAL crew (last night in Yangshuo partying it up ALL night at LOOVE bar)
My AWESOME 10 minute sleep at LOOVE bar before hitting the airport to Huangshan.
I always keep my cell phone, my rose and my ninja sword on me in China... just in case.

UNITY in Yangshuo.
Ready to swim folks!? The current of the Yulong River may be strong but nothing can stop this Chinese fashion statement.
Stussy starting the BBQ next to the Yulong.
This journey was one of my last nights but one of my best memories. Thanks bro.Swimming anyone?
How about some of my famous river chicken?
(BBQed by me on our ghetto stone BBQ)

Haircut on the streets. (check out my barber's shirt!!! Pimpin!!!) Kong. Another great new friend from Yangshuo.
Kong has the kindest heart but struggles to learn English. Kong came to Yangshuo to learn English by working at a bar. I was there when he went through some tough times but I supported him all the way and spoke with him as much as possible to help him practice his English. I know you will find your way bro!
My LAST school!!! *tear...
(School # 5 out of 5 that I taught at in 3 weeks)
This sign is proof of why they need great english teachers like me.
haha. oh... I mean...
I love my school!
Why do topics always have to end in the gutter when teaching adults?
Hilarity and learning all in one!
2 girls from ANOTHERr class I taught. One of the smiliest groups I've worked with so far. This was the last time I saw these 2 girls. I hope their smiles go on for miles!

I'm going to miss you Yangshuo.

I've been gone 2 days and I already miss my Yangshuo family...

Mark, Nina, Stussy, Stussy's friend, Tina, Kong, Emily x 2, Willow, Oman, Billy x 2, Mr. Wonderful, Lily, Carol, Snake, Julie, Rebecca, Fang Fang, Ben, Sophia, Smoch, Thomas, Mike, Faber, Evonne, Milk, Justin, Vicky x 2, Kelly, Ms. Helen Wu, Kirk, Mr. Lee, Hope, Zoe, Aaron, George, Nina's brother, Nina's mom, ALL of the students & teachers from all of my schools: Omeca / Landscape / Nanning / Xie Jie / Xie Jie West, the BBoys of Guilin, all my dancing students, all the people who I met who I don't remember your names x 100's... see you soon.

- Mikey ... at Huangshan mountain ( missing home... Yangshuo and Toronto).

PS mountain pictures coming soon.
I just needed to do a proper last, goodbye post and salute to Yangshuo.

A vacation in a vacation

I am one with the animals.
Bored on a bus...
While some choose to sleep, I choose to entertain myself!
In the process of entertaining myself I met a new friend!!!
A little kid who was as smiley as me but didn't speak a word of English.
We played peek a boo, hand games and shared pictures for 2 hours.
The next picture shows when my new friend got off the bus a few stops before ours.
Oh the joy of children!!!
The first step to success is to try.
Never give up.
A present from one of my students after I left yet ANOTHER school after a week of teaching.
Plant a seed now and watch it grow into a great oak.

:o) Dumplings anyone?Spell check anyone?
Silly in Guilin. (on vacation while on vacation. nuttyness!)
Battle scarS of teaching English. Beware of sharp blackboard edges!
I clearly didn't learn my lesson after cutting myself the first time. Milk drinking milk.
Student = Milk
Drink = milk
Our evening hang out 9pm to 3am EVERY night.
LOOVE Bar crew (minus a few).
Clear out the tables, bring on this dancing! (and the sweaty tshirts!)

Landscape foreign language school, last day of classes.
Look at the kid on the far right at the bottom!!! His name is Hope.
He is my favoritest!!!! He is also a circus ninja (video coming soon...)
Here is a pic with me and my students (and the super cool little kid Hope.)
His name is REALLY Hope. No lie.
I feel the positive energy of this kid and I am confident Hope will be happy and successful.
Soooo much potential, only 9 years old!!!
(wait until you see the video of him in ninja action... to be posted in a few days)

Students caught in the act.
Vandalizing my blackboard before I arrived to class.
As you can see, I've been brushing up on my art skills through teaching.
Look out Picaso!My 9 year old student Hope in circus ninja action (video clip coming soon...)
Hungry cat.
Be careful what you ask for!!!
This is what students drew after I told them to draw a picture describing the word "dangerous". OHHH the innocence of 10 year olds.

Have you ever been on vacation and felt at home?
That's how I feel in Yangshuo.

I felt so at home here that when I left this last weekend to take a break from my teaching and go to Guilin I actually missed Yangshuo. Not only did I miss Yangshuo but people who live here saw me off and asked when I what time I would arrive back. Well now I'm back and the adventures have continued. After bboy battling in Guilin, being silly in the streets, eating local noodles and having a blast I'm back home in Yangshuo.

Here are some photos from the last week of my new class, my new friends and my new experiences. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Word birds!

Enjoy the heat!

love love and love

- Mikey in his 2nd home (yangshuo china.)

PS I really loved ur comments in the last entry, hugs to you all for taking the time.
much love.