Not much longer till classes are over! and I get to eat sweet sweet American food and see all of my dear friends! Just a little over a week of actual classes, then three tests spread out over a week, and then a week to travel with Jack to Xi An and wherever else the wind blows us. Good thing too because it is going to be difficult surviving in this heat! It is getting into the hot and wet season here, so looooooots of humidity and just grossness. I'm excited to have some free time to finish off my Chinese shopping list and see a little more of China! I'm not excited about having to leave Jack and my friend May behind. :'(
Last weekend May and I went out for a little girls night, her treat, where we ate some of the most delicious shrimp I've ever had and then had a nice relaxing foot rub. It was pretty much heavenly. We just chatted and got to know each other even better. I'm so glad I was able to meet and get close to a wonderfully sweet Chinese friend while I've been here. It can be difficult with the language and cultural barriers to actually feel close to someone and relate to them. Luckily somehow I found a kindred spirit working just as hard(if not harder) to learn English as I am Chinese :). What I am going to have to do is find some way to treat her to something special before I leave. And possibly Jack can take over tutoring her where I left off, though I think I can say her English has improved quite a bit ;).
As for my trip with Jack, I'm pretty optimistic. Ashley and Mike have already been to Xi An and had a pretty good experience. Plus we can learn from some of their mishaps on what not to do :P. Thanks for being the guinea pigs! jk. Plus we get to see the Terra Cotta soldiers for reals! I think It will be a great way to wrap up my adventures here in China and spend some quality time with Jack before I go.
For the most part, my experience here might be called mundane with highlights, but that's just kind of me. I enjoy the mundane and the exciting. The ordinary and the extraordinary. And what are the extraordinary things without the ordinary in between? I feel as if I have really gotten the feel of this place and it's people, and that is how I remember things; by their feel, not their names etc. (Which can be troublesome) I constantly observe while not necessarily putting distinctions on things. Sometimes distinguishing things makes them lose their meaning. Though sometimes I've been at odds with my surroundings, I've always managed to come back to my center and take everything for what it's worth.
Some of the things that were planned didn't happen, such as learning to roast tea and I have yet to see if the pictures will work out (sad I know). It seems they were just kind of empty promises for appearances, but that's something else I have learned. It just really proves that you need to watch out for yourself more here, which is a good life lesson. Some things that weren't planned also happened, such as meeting May, realizing a new spirituality, and getting to know myself. That is one of the greatest blessings ever.
