I’m currently sitting in a Chinese Starbucks in Beijing. I feel like I may not be expanding my horizons quite as much as I should…

I have been in China for a full two days. Most of my time here has been spent eating, sleeping, and figuring out the ins and outs of living in a new country. I now have a Chinese phone, a Chinese bank account with $0 and a new appreciation for Google Translate.

I’ve gotten to meet performance coaches and physical therapists from all over the world. Australia, Wales, the U.K., Poland, Brazil, and the U.S. just to name a few. A melting pot of people with similar mindsets as my own, the desire to travel the world and experience different cultures. I have never felt so lucky.

There’s still a lot I don’t know: what team I’ll be working with, where I’ll be living, who I’ll be living with…. right now I’m living out of my $200 overweight suitcase in a hotel room with no in between water temperature and questionably stained carpet. The meals are free, Buffett style devoid of descriptions, so every food is an adventure (you never know quite what you’re eating).

I’m hungry for adventure, to travel, to meet people and form new relationships, to be immersed in a culture different from my own, to be challenged and pushed outside my comfort zone (the toilet situation is certainly a nod in that direction).

I’m excited to learn, to confirm what I already know to be true: that human connection is possible despite language or cultural barriers, that  we are all made from the same stuff, that our willingness to be open and vulnerable and tolerant will bless us beyond our wildest dreams.

Keep looking out for new posts as I get more settled and less jet lagged!