Page 40 July 2014 Now Open for Summer Fun! 602.956.2302 - reservations foothillspetresort.com - book online 3165 E Lincoln Dr., #110 Phoenix, AZ 85016 Between Starbucks & Pet Club • Individual & Family Suites • All Inclusive Group Play • Outdoor Grassy Runs • Professional Grooming • Express Wash & Dry Appts Arcadia News Tino Ferrulli A High-End Coupe. 480-748-4810 The 2014 S550 Coupe. tinoferrulli@scottsdale-mb.com 4725 North Scottsdale Road • Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Time to score a 2014 Mercedes-Benz before all the new 2015’s are released. It is that time again, the 2015’s are being released and we still have a great selection of 2014’s to move off our lot. There is still one automaker who knows the meaning of new. The 2014 models can show you all of the incredibly new advanced class leading technology and safety features. Stop by and drive a 2014 today. Arcadia graduate enjoys first post-college job in China By Kaley Kalil Brecken Byron, 23, returned home in late May after teaching English in Wenzhou, China for nine months. Byron learned about the opportunity from her professor at Boise State University while preparing to graduate last year with a psychology degree. Her first-ever trip to Asia, Byron taught EFL (English as a Foreign Language) to high school students in a coastal city of roughly four million people. Situated in a mountainous region by the sea about 200 miles south of Shanghai, Wenzhou translates to “a mild and pleasant land,” known for its temperate summer and winter climates. “I taught four classes a day, starting at 8 a.m. and finishing by 3 p.m. I had over 1,000 students, about 60 per class,” Byron said. Byron made a point of immersing herself as much as possible when it came to the local language, food and culture. She ate local food daily, mainly sticking to seafood and vegetables, and especially enjoyed a local dish of tomato and egg. One of Byron’s fondest memories is of her daily strolls through her favorite park near her school, which were “always a calming, yet still cultural experience.” Byron had “major reverse culture shock” upon her return to Phoenix in May. “I forgot how big everything is here,” she said. While living in Wenzhou, Byron missed cheese and having a washing machine. Now that she’s home, she misses the perspective she gained while living overseas. “I was growing and changing daily in China,” she said. “I love being in a new city and getting a sense of the culture and people. I dislike all the planning it involves.” Although Byron would happily visit Wenzhou again in the future, she does not recommend it to tourists unable to speak basic Chinese. She plans on keeping in touch with her Chinese and foreign friends she made while living there. “I never felt unsafe in China,” she added. “It is much safer than America, and overall, I felt a sense of security at all times.” Byron has traveled throughout Europe and Southeast Asia and considers herself an adventurer. “I love animals, zip-lining, hiking… you name it!” she said. Her favorite country she has visited so far is Thailand. “Two words: street food.” One day, Byron hopes to travel to Argentina. “One state in the U.S. I would love to go to is Mississippi, for the sole reason that it was my dream when I was five because I liked how it was spelled,” she said. Byron is currently job searching and would love to live abroad again. South America is next on the list, as she is determined to travel south of Mexico. Traveled lately? Email Kaley: kaley@ arcadianews.com. (Above) Brecken Byron’s first trip to Shanghai, posing at the Bund; (Top right) Being a foreigner in “small city China” gave Byron a bit of a celebrity status! (Bottom right) Panda loving in Chengdu, China.
a MORE than just a Premier Private Club ** Membership at The Arizona Country Club is by invitation only. ** For Membership Information, contact David Stocke at 480-889-1504 or membership@azcountryclub.com WWW.AZCOUNTRYCLUB.COM • 5668 E. ORANGE BLOSSOM L ANE, PHOENIX, AZ 85018 Th ng “I id t Bo” ts Smr vr lke go!