Liberal ideals...will they fly?

Those who know me do know that I'm not particularly the most conservative person you will meet on the street...
I do involve myself in the arts, but don't exactly participate in extracurriculars that I'd like to specifically link to my professional profile. I have neon red (or rainbow) hair, several tattoos and many more piercings. I condone freedom of expressions in any form, be it artistically, sexually, politically...

The realization that in traveling to another country, I will not be able to wear these ideals as openly on my sleeve will be quite difficult. However, I know that I cannot have such a negative opinion on communism and non-Western countries (the criticism I am often met with when I say "I'm picking up and going to China") until I've been there and lived it myself.

Already tasting the tip of the iceberg--the ban on Facebook (my entire social life), Twitter (what will I do without minute-to-minute updates of my mundane existence?) and Google (when did 'Google' become a verb?) and the censorship of news outlets and information sharing have left in my mouth a bad taste. Rather, my inability to understand the benefit of these ways has left a bad taste. At the same time, I feel I have no place to judge, not having tried it out.

I realize that stepping away from--in my limited understanding of the way the East perceives the West--the 'self-important, individualist' view, and trying to empathetically see the 'collectivist, greater good' view will be hard. However, I also know it is presumptuous of me to generalize so deeply without a fuller understanding of the other culture.

So now, I take my Western perspectives and run with them...and see how they fly in China.
...without giving up on the punk rock red hair factor..

Beginning of an international adventure...

As my days in Canada grow fewer and fewer, I admit I can't help but feel a strange anticipation at what's to come. I've never lived in the city where I'm going, I don't speak the language, and I don't know anyone there. But somehow I know everything will work out just fine.

As of today, the company has booked the flight to depart at 130am on May 17....that makes May 16 my last day in Canada...
I am to fly to Hong Kong, stay 1 night there and take a ferry to mainland China the next day. Upon arrival, the company has arranged for a car to pick me up and escort me to a hotel in Shunde. There, I will freshen up and start mostly administration stuff with HR, getting everything set up.

On May 20th I start my official first day of work, and finalize my move into company accommodations. Life will be very different from now on. I remind myself that it is only for a year. But I also remind myself that this will be a year that I cannot and will not forget.