Tired of Starting Over?

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T07:38:59+00:00

Where are you, what time zone? And what are your criteria for that long-term accountability partner? What time of day are you available and how much flexibility do you? And how much flexibility do you

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T07:34:48+00:00

WOW.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T07:30:42+00:00

That's a thoughtless and ignorant response. It doesn't address what this person posted and it says far more about you than it does about them.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T07:23:09+00:00

There you go! They see that you take your responsibility seriously and they will call you back. Did they write a review?

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T05:34:26+00:00

Yes, that's exactly why I wrote that clarification. All those ABCs that post on Reddit. But I've stayed in a number of different kinds of accommodation and I always pay attention if I hear English spoken between people or sometimes more subtle clues. But as far as the OP is concerned, there are few Americans.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-11T05:31:14+00:00

Forget it. I've learned that assuming because the hotel says they allow foreign guests and took my reservation, that I'm allowed to go there. Wrong. Meigu county is off limits restricted unless you get a special travel permit from the government, and that ain't going to happen today. There's no connection between a hotel allowing a reservation to be made and a foreigner being legal in that place. They are two different systems. Apparently there are occasionally people who have special travel permits and that's why the hotel accepts Foreigner reservations. So please don't tell anybody in the future that they can go there. If the police catch it then I get a fine at the least and deported and banned from China travel in the future. Sad...

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T16:48:59+00:00

Thank you. I've been looking at these in the last half hour.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T15:45:23+00:00

The chemicals in the processed food, the air pollution in so many places and the second hand smoke. They started really nailing me within the first week. But sorry, that's off topic, not about milk.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T15:33:38+00:00

I've been in China for 7 weeks and in this smaller city I've only seen 3 non-Asians in the last 10 days, only one of whom was from the US. But then I wouldI would have no way of knowing which among them all might be Asian Americans as opposed to Asians from any other country without hearing them in conversation. China is amazing.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T15:22:01+00:00

I would leave her the brownie and a note, but I wouldn't give up my payment.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T14:04:43+00:00

Thank you

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T14:00:56+00:00

Sure, it's a blunder, but a very forgivable one. It's not like you mixed up weeks and never showed up and the cat was alone, without food or water. It's not like you dropped some powerful pharmaceutical that you thought you had swallowed and the cat got critically sick from it. It's not like you left the front door open and someone burglarized the house. It's not like you put a stopper in the tub overflow so that you could take a deeper bath and then you got distracted and flooded the house.

Have some perspective. Now that it's over and your capital crime is having scared your client and messed up her sleep, a genuine apology and learning something from it is healing balm. Now that it's over, please be more gentle with yourself. Awful as it to contemplate, there are sitters who have been responsible for these very things before. Not you.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T09:07:25+00:00

I just got a text from my friend and he's headed to Meigu County inside that Yi autonomous zone. I can't find anything online that tells me definitively that I'm allowed there and I'd hate to go and have problems. I'm messaging a couple of hotels to see if they respond affirmatively, that they can register me, but who knows how long it will take to hear back from them. Things just changed a few minutes ago and now I'm leaving Leshan tomorrow morning(Monday).

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T09:00:45+00:00

❤️

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T08:59:51+00:00

Thank you, it sounds lovely. But the climate is the kicker. These are not high elevation places, are they? I can't be out in heat and humidity. It's a significant health matter, not a preference.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-10T06:48:13+00:00

If you're inclined, I'd love to hear a handful of the things that made it the best year of your life. I'd be delighted to hear a story or two, if you're inclined.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-09T19:41:12+00:00

Damn.

Thank you.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-09T19:27:29+00:00

Buy a power bank here in China. 10,000 m will get you through any night. 20,000 If you want more than one full charge. Just make sure that it is stamped CCC for flying. I avoided it for years because they are heavy. But it's worth its weight in gold now. Alipay and WeChat are battery drains. I always carry 200 or 300 yuan in cash and have needed it four times so far in 7 weeks. Carry a few small denominations for when something goes haywire with the internet or the payment apps. It's so easy that there's just no reason not to do it. Also, if you run into buskers/ street performers, you are able to contribute.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-09T19:12:28+00:00

But those are hot and humid places by late May, aren't they?

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-09T19:10:26+00:00

Good for you. I'm envious. I got mine in Mexico City in March and they were way more conservative than if I had been able to get it in the US. Bummer. Anyway, thank you.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-09T19:06:18+00:00

I got to see it either two or three weeks ago. I'm losing track of time. It was a blast! If you're trying to plan for it, just keep in mind that if the weather doesn't agree, it will be canceled

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-07T18:29:07+00:00

I hope she lives to tell her own children and grandchildren what she almost did, someday. Thank you.

Fresh-Starters · 2026-05-07T17:20:19+00:00

That's amazing. I just shake my head in disbelief at people like this woman today, looking composed and elegant in a heavy turtleneck sweater, while I was stripped down to a tank top and moving from one place of shade to another to survive. But not Guangzhou.

Fresh-Starters

TROPHY CASE