We may experience slight delays

Travel is often a stressful and trying experience even when nothing at all goes wrong. The further one is traveling the more likely that the effects of it will weigh on them for sometime.

I've not experienced enough long distance travel to be completely certain of myself and my abilities in any foreseeable circumstance in the future.

For my return flight from China to the States this last month I flew from LuoYang to Shanghai, arranged accomodations, and shopped for presents for family all while running a fever and having a chest cold which made it difficult to get out and about. This made the 12 hour flight from Shanghai to L.A. far less comfortable that it might otherwise have been, but rather uneventful none the less.

For my flight from L.A. to Shanghai we encountered some trouble with weather and incompetence which I have been assured are rather rare (at least when joined together). Due to bad weather forcing us to be redirected and poor communication over what type of aircraft and flight we were to air traffic control my flight returning to Shanghai wound up being delayed a full 9 hours (on a 13 hour flight) for a grand total of 22 hours between lift off in L.A. and touch down in Shanghai. We spent most of the delay on the ground in FuZhou a mere hour away from Shanghai.

Weather prevented us from landing and being redirected to an airport without the proper Taxi-jack for our airplane size were the primary factors involved in that.

As such between flying sick and extreme jetlag I feel I can handle any circumstance likely to come up in my travels.

Upon returning to LuoYang I've had a great many of my friends here eagerly wishing to talk with me and had my students happily asking many questions.

I'm getting to a point I need to secure my next job in as short order as possible and have moved on to the final stage of the employment process with a position in Chengdu. I am also in contact with a position in Ningbo and will need to make a final decision between the two cities very shortly. Currently I have an offer from Chengdu but do not yet have an offer on the table from Ningbo, simply a good word in with the boss and a strong reference.

Here are the two positions laid side by side:

Chengdu:
7,000RMB/Month + Acomodations near the school, Utilities, 1 free meal on working days (lunch).
Monday-Friday mornings and afternoons
Average schedule 3 hours in the morning (1/2 teaching 1/2 supervising) and 2-3 hours a day in the afternoon.
Kindergarten and Low grade primary school teaching (cute kids).
3 weeks national holiday + 2 weeks paid vacation/year
partial airfare reimbursement (paid as bonus upon contract completion)
Wonderful location near the heart of the City
City of Chengdu: Renowned for Beautiful mountains, lots of rainfall, spicy food, "most attractive women in china" (so the Chinese say, they are good looking on average though), Strong theater/opera traditions, nearby Pandas
Opportunity for overtime at 100RMB per 45-50min class. (~ $15 and hour)

Ningbo:
7,000RMB/Month to start, 8,000RMB after 3 mo. (final ~7,500 after taxes)
2,000RMB (untaxed) housing allowance (upscale single person apartment runs 2,200RMB)
40 hours a week working (preparation and classes combined)
2 days consecutive rest, both will be weekdays
Very small classes (4 students max) with grown adults (college students, businessmen, and people who which to expand their education).
Private office with personal desk, computer, Internet.
City of Ningbo: Coastal city with wide variety of and easy access to seafood, 2 hours from Shanghai, Considerable foreign population and geunie foreign foods such as pizza and burgers, location of a foreign university I am interested in attending year after next for Graduate school (Satellite of the University of Nottingham).

Also on the table until Sunday is my current job

LuoYang:
6,000 RMB/month (with possible resigning bonus)
Free Accomodations + 1/2 utilities (I will doubtlessly get a roommate if I stay where as in Ningbo I am assured a place to myself and in Chengdu can request it ahead of time).
Work 6 days a week very relaxed on weekdays and busy on weekends.
Students from 5-14 years old
Preset Curriculum and easy lesson planning
City: a little dirty and dull, but I will already have many friends here.

I am currently leaning to the job in Chengdu pending emails from current teachers there, I may lean back to the one in Ningbo but I very seriously doubt I will be here in LuoYang again next year.