Blessings

I can't believe I've been in China for an entire school year. It feels like I just got off the plane a couple weeks ago and I'm still new. It's gone by super quickly, and I've had a lot of fun. I've been thinking lately about everything that has happened, everything I've done, and all the new people I've met and become friends with. It's really awesome. So here's what's been on my mind:
Stuart and Brooke. I am so grateful that they both speak Chinese, are more gutsy than I am, and patient with me when I'm wishy washy and don't know what I want or what I'm doing. It's been so awesome to have them here as family and support; if they hadn't been here I definitely would have been on my return flight home six weeks later. China was kind of overwhelming. Especially when I broke my ankle.
Andrew and Kimi. They have been my other great support system in China, and it's because of them that I know my way around as well as I do and feel comfortable doing things on my own. They've shown me places to eat, get things fixed, buy a bike (which was unfortunately more trouble than it was worth), and they generally have been just awesome friends. I'm so happy that I get to go to Clifford next year and that they're going too!
Dad. He's handling my bank and student loan accounts while I'm in China, which is a big help, as I'm 12 hours ahead and it's difficult to arrange things from here. The internet is a wonderful thing, but it just can't do everything in case of an emergency. He's also safeguarding my car, which I'm so happy about. I love that thing.
Skype. This is my favorite thing on my computer. I love that it lets me call my family for free or for super cheap. I've been able to keep in touch with friends and call and talk to Erin till the wee hours of the morning. I'm so happy that I didn't do this earlier in life when skype didn't exist. Because calling from China on a telephone is a definite money-drainer and would be a no go.
Traveling. I love that I can pop over to Hong Kong for a weekend, and that I got to spend two glorious weeks in Thailand and Cambodia. If I'd stayed in the States, who knows if and when that would have ever happened! I love that I can save up enough money to do these awesome things.
China is cheap. Food is cheap, entertainment is cheap or free, and luxuries are cheap. This lets me have a lot of fun and still save a lot of money.

Basically what this long post of happy thoughts means is that I'm really glad that I bit the bullet and came to China, and I'm excited that I get to stay another year, without having to deal with the culture shock this time around. I'll already be familiar with stuff and not stress out as much.

The Merry Month of May

May has absolutely whizzed by; I can't believe it's over already! My friend Alex's sister Marianne came to visit from England for two weeks, and we did a lot of stuff to show her around. Amusement parks, tombs of dead kings, pearl markets, and just wandering around Guangzhou. It was a lot of fun to have her around, and she and Alex introduced me to two awesome pieces of British television: "Blackadder" and "Doctor Who." Love them! Such funny, great shows.
It's started to get warm here, and the rainy season has started; it rains a lot now and the cockroaches have begun their assault. I've had to kill three of the little buggers this week, and it's driving me crazy. Now whenever I have to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night I have to turn on all the lights to make sure I'm safe from the little nasties. I have no desire to step on one in my bare feet while half asleep. Ugh.
I'm also really excited to go home and visit! I'll be in the States for like a month, which will be wonderfulness. Good food, clothes shopping, people who speak English... ah bliss. It' making this last month of June a little more difficult to wade through though. I want it to be time to go already! I want to see everybody!
My birthday was really good this year; it lasted for like a week! Stuart and Brooke took me out the weekend before because they were going to be in Japan for the actual day, and then Saturday the 29th I went to their apartment and took over the kitchen for a couple hours to bake up a storm. I've missed baking and cooking so much. Mom, prepare yourself for a flurry of cooking when I get home. I made a bunch of cookies and then in the evening we went out for Vietnamese food at this really good restaurant called Tiger Prawn. Sunday was my actual birthday, and Andrew and Kimi made me a breakfast lunch after church and I made more cookies since I still had leftover ingredients. It was really good.
Today is Wednesday, which I love, because it means no afternoon classes. I get to sit, play, or be as productive as I want. I'm kind of bored now, though. I've read all my books a million times and finished my television show that I was going through. Suggestions?
And sorry no pictures; I've been trying to upload them while writing this post, and it keeps giving me an Error message saying the request is too big, whatever that means.