one month vacay starts: NOW.

End of semester re-cap:

It's done.

These semesters seem a lot longer when you are a student than a teacher. It just goes on forever - past Christmas, past New Years, without taking a breathe. Then, suddenly, everything around starts popping up red, fireworks start erupting in the night, and lo and behold it is Spring Festival and we can finally end this sucker and be done with it.

Whewww. I feel good that it is done. I feel terrified that this PhD thing is just beginning. That was a hard semester and there are 7 more. Harder ones. (yes- SEVEN).

I plan on blogging more about school life next semester. I tend to not mention it here in e-world because there's not that much exciting stuff to say about writing Chi.nese characters over and over and over and over again until they get imprinted into my brain (and then soon forgotten). I want to fully document my months up to the HSK though, so stay tuned for whining, bemoaning, and cursing of the Chi.nese language. Maybe even some cursing IN the Chi.nese language - now that would spice things up a bit.

But I digress.

Yesterday was my listening test (lame) and then our final class dinner. My teacher was also lame and texted me that he was "too tired" to come to our dinner. Bucko, I used to fall asleep on the public bus because I was so exhausted from working all day and then spending the evening with my students. I know your life, I've lived it - you aren't that tired. So that was disappointing, but we still had a great dinner.

We ordered/ate ostrich.

Unfortunately, I took NO photos of the evening because I completely forgot to record my life. I was just having fun. Whatevs. Picture a plate of tender, pink meat, tasting like a hybrid of pork, silk, and oil. That's ostrich.

After dinner some classmates and I moved onto KTV where we let out our inner Rhianna. And I was reminded yet again why I am so happy I do not drink alcohol anymore (thanks latent tuberculosis!)

Around 11pm we headed home and called it a semester. That was the last time I will ever see some of my classmates (on this earth, anyway) so it was a special night. It was also my last time being their "monitor." They thanked me and jokingly referred to me as their "eternal banzhang." I pretended that was dumb, but really it made me feel special. We all need those moments of specialness. (note to self: remind someone this week they are special.)

Anywho: Today it SNOWED.

So what do you do when it snows? Of course go to the movies! I had already made plans to go to Xiasha where I used to work and hang out with Yangxue (my ex-student turned friend). We decided that we would go see Narnia 3 in 3D. (asians love their 3D).

Reinforcing my thoughts that my ears are not even, my glasses were a little crooked, haha:

after the movie, we had an amazing feast that had me saying, "what am I going to do without Chin.ese food for 3 weeks!" Seriously, Chin.ese food is so good.

then we had a little photo shoot in the snow/sleet. It is freezing cold, but not cold enough for the ground to freeze so everything is wet and the snow is sticking to everything but the ground. Walking in tennis shoes = not fun.

The movie was ok. 3D makes me dizzy. But the message of the movie was very encouraging.

Poor Yangxue had never seen Narnia 1 or 2 so I had to bring her up to speed really quickly - "so, there's this lion, he represents Good. there's these kids, they find a world called Narnia. in that world evil is in control, but then the lion gives his life and saves the world. now the kids keep going on adventures because evil is still in the world even though it does not have control..."

The movie is great fodder for conversation. And we both agreed on one thing, Prince Caspian is a cutie. ;)

“Oh, Aslan,” said Lucy. “Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?”

“I shall be telling you all the time,” said Aslan. “But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that,

for I am the great Bridge Builder…”

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Walk Slow. xoxo.