Time to climb

5:30pm and it's time to leave work - a great day of teaching my minions, listening to them speak english after delivering a class is the most rewarding feeling, but the amazement doesn't end there... We are here to teach and travel right? So I run home to grab my bag and head to the train station - three other friends with me (we are practically family by now). We board the 2.5 hour bullet train from Beijing to Tai'an and come face to face with our challenge - Mount Tai (Mount Tai is known as the eastern mountain of the Five Great Mountains of China, a place of worship for approx 3000 years and measuring 5,069 ft tall) We begun our ascent at midnight, pitch black, only the stars and our torches lighting the way - 7 thousand steps up hill to go. The journey is something that I can only try to articulate - masses of stars, some shooting stars and some planets, looking ahead, a stream of lights that simulate an illuminated waterfall, looking behind, so many different people making their way up. Each step lead to a different discovery of ancient Chinese artefact, it was all so magnificent - giant marble arches named 'gateways to heaven', 'the bridge of clouds', stones with ancient chinese engraving, little base camps selling street food, water and trinkets. Around 3 and half thousand steps up there was a little man, long grey beard with a shop selling the most unique items. 6 and half hours later and we make it to the top ! 7 thousand steps done and the feeling of accomplishment is incredible. So many different spots to search, however we waited on 'Life abandoning cliff' hoards of people dotted all around waiting... Waiting for what? Of course the sun to rise ! Peeking like a little lady bird slowly rising, everyone begins to clap - the view was spectacular and the appreciation for how high up in the world you were at that very moment is unbelievable. I mentioned earlier that I went with three other friends that were practically family, may I explain? I had never met these people prior to my internship, two are from Ireland and one is from Australia, we were teaching at the same school and I can honestly say, by sharing so many experiences with them, we are truly friends for life! I feel like I didn't just gain the experience of a different culture and an alternative work ethic, I was also discovering more and more things about myself, truly understanding who I was as an individual. I had met people from all over the world! Denmark, Malta, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Scotland, America ! We became so close and enjoyed many, many weird and wonderful experiences together - things like hiking the great wall, eating scorpions and tarantulas, learning to make dumplings, bargaining in mandarin, translating strange words to students. Reaching out of your comfort zone, being forced to learn a new language, not being able to rely on everything that has been made convenient for us in Western World?! Sounds scary and sounds like a major risk, but it was all worth it - I wouldn't take it back for anything, and I don't think I know anyone who would :)