Birthday Update!!

Hello again! My blog posting is a bit sporadic, as I'm not one of those people that can think of something to post every day! But since it has been over 2 months since I left now (how!?), and my holiday is finally coming to a close, I thought I would give anyone that's interested an update in what I have been up to.

RILAKKUMAAAAA

So first of all, its my and ken's birthday on Saturday, and I just got his present in the mail!! I can not tell you how much I love this... I fall in love with so much stuff in shops here simply because, apparently putting a smiley face on random objects makes Amy's brain go crazy haha Seriously; sponges, cakes, shoes, everything.. It requires incredible will power not to splurge all my money on inexplicably happy inanimate objects!! Darn you China and your marvellous marketing!!

岳王路 Yue Wang Road

青春路 Qing Chun Road

Also of possible interest, I am finally settled down in my new home, and yes it does feel like a home away from home now! I made the choice not to stay at the university dorms as, although they are a great price, great for making friends with classmates, and also literally next door to the classrooms, I felt like I was willing to spend the extra money on a more private space of my own, with a wee kitchen and a much more "Chinese" environment around me. I've had to sacrifice the convenience with dorms with a 40 minute commute in the morning, but I feel that, so far, this has paid off for me. The vast majority of people in this area that I run into regularly (shop keepers, staff in the building, etc.) simply cannot speak English so I have been forced to use my Chinese in order to get anything done! Even in just this first month I have felt a vast improvement in my Chinese, not necessarily that I can say a lot more, just that I feel a lot more confident, have learned clearer ways to express myself and communicate, which feels wonderful!

So what have I actually been doing since I have been left alone? Well, one could say a whole lot of nothing, but I like to say relaxing, studying a little and exploring my area, trying to find all the best haunts; letting myself get used to the idea of this place as home!

My growing cuddly toy family :P 

I've also, of course had a little business to take care of, such as paying rent and university fees, registering at the police station and this week enrolling properly at my new University! Yesterday, in fact, we had out entrance tests, which are simply to decide which class to go into. The university offers 8 levels, each split into two halves, one for each semester. level 1 is for complete beginners and level 8 is the hardest. I don't even know what sort of level you would have to be to get into 8! I was aiming for level 2.5 or 3. The tests consisted of an "oral exam" which was really just going through a chinese form with one of the teachers and reading stuff from a textbook. From my speaking she said that I would be in either 3 or 3.5, depending on how I did in the written exam which I then took, which I found very difficult in parts.. but then again, it was the same test for all students, regardless of level. So I imagine I wasn't "supposed" to know how to do some of it yet! We shall see, I should be finding out the results tomorrow!
So classes will start next week on monday. I would talk about the other things I've done and seen, for example this city itself, or the teaching job I have just started, but it is getting late and they can wait for another time!