OK, so It's been an incredibly long time since I've done anything with this site, but here are the updates:

THANKSGIVING: I spent it with Enoch and Rebecca at their place, and it was mm mm good! Enoch's parents sent him this care package with stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, and hamburger helper. They even went and bought a small chicken to cook in their rotissery oven! I got full, let me tell ya! Enoch owes me pics of the 3 of us, but I have a few of the feast.

TEACHER'S CONFERENCE: In late November there was a foreign teacher's conference the city did for all the foreign teachers in Changzhou. I made a bunch of new friends and decided that I was going to stay in China for the next semester, after all. It was an interesting weekend. Pictures to come soon.

NEW YEAR'S BANQUET: The city did this New Year's banquet thing in December, and I reaqcuainted myself with Rachelle, this awesome chica who has now become one of my best friends in China. The banquet itself wasn't really all that and a bag of chips like everybody made it out to be, but I got to make some more new friends, and hung out at this table in the banquet hall with some other people, and we were the last ones to leave. I have this great picture of everyone at our table, and all the other tables and chairs have been put up, and the waiters are looking at us just waiting for us to finish so they can put up the last table and go home. hehehe

CHRISTMAS: I went to Rachelle's place to spend Christmas. It was sooooo much fun! She introduced me to all her Chinese friends, and for the first time since I've been in China, I felt welcome. It was amazing! We went to a party at her school on Christmas Eve, and we made special food for Christmas, and we just had a grand time of it! We even got treated to facials and hot pot. I'm addicted to hot pot now. It's soooooo good! I wish they had places like that in the USA.

NEW YEAR'S: I went to Shanghai with Rachelle, and Sarah and Chris ended up staying at our hotel, too, so we hung out with them a few times as well. It was a lot of fun! Even being tailed New Year's Eve by this suspicious-looking Chinese man in a black leather jacket was an adventure, too. He tried to be inconspicuous about following us, but we figured it out early on. But this guy was persistent, let me tell you! He even went so far as to try and follow us from across the street, then cross back, but by that time we had gone around the corner and jumped into a cab. Which led us to another adventure that night: celebrating the new year in a completely packed square with hundreds of Chinese people. Rachelle has a cool video of it all, and I only have one picture. But it was definitely a night to remember! Happy New Year, everybody.

JANUARY: I finally finished testing my students, even though it seemed that the school was putting nearly every possible obstacle in my way to keep me from finishing that particular task. So I left China and am now in the Carribbean, enjoying a much-needed break from the Orient, and basking in the warmth of the tropical sunlight and lounging on the beaches, working on my tan. Well, more like developing one, if the truth be told. I will leave here with a tan! I will leave here with a tan! So what if it'll disappear 2 weeks after I get back to China? At least I can say that I had one for a little while ;o).

So that's the bare-minimum update about what's been going on in my life for the past few months. If you think that's a little sparse, you should see my journal! Pictures will be added as soon as I can get them loaded. Sometimes it takes awhile to upload them, and I'm not the most patient person when it comes to that sort of thing. But don't worry! The pictures will come. Sooner or later, they will come!

Tootles, y'all. I'm off to the beaches!