Well now. Look what we have here!

It's been months since the firewall blocked Blogger and a couple other sites I enjoy, but I finally got around to downloading a program to get around it. I've got lots to talk about, so here it goes. I'll try to keep it in chronological order.

Saffron is no longer my roommate. We had an argument shortly after I stopped updating, and rather than work it out, she moved to a different apartment and has been doing an mazing job of pretending I don't exist. I'm not going to go into any more detail than that. Living on my own is great, and it's lots of fun. So far the only downside is that I have to pay the utilities by myself. Oh well.

Dane will be leaving soon. We're having a goodbye party tonight. Since Saffrons contract also ends soon, they will be doing a bit of traveling through Russia. She has renewed her contract, though, so she'll be coming back in a month or so. I've also renewed my contract, so I'll be working for Kid Castle until next Summer.

Big news! I have a girlfriend now! We were introduced by a mutual friend at the Park Qin bar/hostel. She's studying architecture at a a (relatively) nearby university. We've only been together about a month, but things are going smoothly so far. You'd think this was something I could write about endlessly, but I'm actually at a loss for words. She's smart and fun, and we're happy.

Sad news. My grandfather died. I'm going to miss him very much. My biggest regret is that I didn't get to talk to him more. I've just gotten to the age where I want to learn about what his life was like. When you're little, you go to your grandparents house and are happy just to be with them. What they did in the past was none of your concern. But now, I want to know. And it's too late. Someone once told me that every time a person dies, a library is destroyed. That's how I feel now. Except it's not just a library. It's my grandfather. Next time I see my grandmother, I'm going to spend as much of that time as possible talking to her. Really talking to her.

More big news! I'm planning on staying in China to study Chinese at a University once my contract with Kid Castle is finished. I'll still come back to America for a little bit this Summer, but I'll be leaving for China again to start studying. After thinking about it, this seems like the best way to get my degree. I enjoy teaching English here, and I want my degree. Now I can get both. Maybe once I have my degree, I'll be able to be a Chinese teacher in the US, or work at a college teaching English here in China. Lots of possibilities.

That's about it for news. Aside from that things are still mostly the same. I've been working, hanging out with Tertius and my friends. I'm still going to the radio station, although there are occasionally schedule conflicts. I've been here a year now, and things are going great.