Summer Already?

Wow, as an adult I finally understand the statement "time flies." Sometimes it seems like yesterday that I arrived here in China, but actually I have now been here for 9 months, and it is already summer too.

Classes are continuing to go well too, and I am enjoying the spring flowers that have been planted throughout the campus. I am hoping to take some pictures of the campus this week so you can see where I attend classes. Speaking of classes - last week I began book 3 (out of 5) of Chinese Made Easier. I most likely will only get through 1/3 to 1/2 of the book by time the semester is over; however, I still feel like that is great progress and is continuing to add to my knowledge of Chinese. My goal for my second year here is to finish books 3 -5 of Chinese Made Easier.

I have not given you an update on myself lately, so here it is: I am doing really well. I am healthy and have not had any more issues with my asthma, and only a mild case of allergies last week as it was changing from cooler weather to hot weather. I can honestly say too that I have not experienced any days yet where I "dislike being here or wanting to be back in America." I know that those are normal emotions that people go through when living in foreign countries, but so far I have not had that moment yet. I have had a few moments of being tired of being blatantly stared at, and being asked for the 100th time if I want to buy this specific soap after saying 'no' several times, but that's been about it. Since certain stores require their employees to try to get you to buy specific products, they literally will follow you down aisles pointing out everything that they think you should buy (which is actually the cheapest costing products, not the most expensive), so I have just learned to avoid those stores on days that I am feeling overwhelmed by people trying to persuade me on what to buy.

Two weeks ago I also begun reading a book called 'The Power of Full Engagement' that I borrowed from a friend. So far I am really enjoying it, and it has been going along with what I have been thinking about lately. I was talking one day about the six dimensions of wellness (physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, and environmental) and how sometimes it can be hard to balance all of those dimensions, especially if you are not doing well in one of the areas, then it will affect at least one, or all, of the other areas. This book is about giving principles that help to balance those dimensions and how to be energized in each of those areas rather than being drained. I will let you know what I thought of the whole book when I finish reading it.