Surprise Surprise?

Have you ever been going about your day, minding your own business, when suddenly life smacks you in the face, out of the blue, all the way from left field? You’ll have to pardon my mixed metaphors, I’m still in a bit of a fluster here.

I’d been at the gym working out for about an hour and a half, and I was sweaty and sore but feeling good. Better than I have in a long time, in fact. I was finishing up, getting a drink, collecting my car keys. My phone buzzed in my hand, and an alert popped up. It was my friend, Stephen. He’s the one who’s lived in China for the past year, and who encouraged me to apply for the job that I got there which will start in January. Of course my job would be in Guangzhou, and he’s in Beijing, but those issues are small potatoes.

I haven’t talked to him since he visited me this summer before going back to China. His message simply said, “Hey. How soon can you be ready to leave America?” I didn’t take it too seriously, which was a mistake. A minute later he asked to Skype me, but the connection was bad. Here’s all the information I got: he has a job opportunity for me in Beijing China, which pays better and has more benefits than the offer I’ve got in Guangzhou, and might even pay to fly me over there. Lovely, you say? The catch is that, from what I gather, I’d pretty much have to hop on a plane in the next week.

Unfortunately, that’s every bit of information that I’ve got at the moment. Our internet connection wasn’t for shit and he kept breaking up, and he had to leave for work. So, he says, I’ll call you in 12 hours. Well, 12 hours for me takes us to 7am. I will not have any more information until 7am tomorrow. Which basically means I won’t get a wink of sleep.

Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself here, but… WHAT SHOULD I DO? I mean, do I move to China on a moment’s notice for a school year that’s already under way and forego my proper goodbyes to friends and family for the sake of a better salary and living in the same city as my friend? Or do I just wait the next three months out for a job I’m more sure of in a place I’ve done my research on with a lesser position but get to say my goodbyes and pack my bags in peace?

I’m not really freaking out. Really. I’m just thinking out loud. And maybe losing some sleep. (That’s a lie, I wouldn’t be sleeping yet anyway. But I am a little preoccupied.) Okay, I’m going to excuse myself now to go make an overly involved Pro-Con list. Then in the morning Murphy’s Law will dictate that I’ll find out that this isn’t a possibility anyway. Because, if it was, I’d have to say yes, right? Adventure, isn’t that what it’s all about?