My midterms are now officially over. I had my oral exam in conversation class, and it actually went really well. I had to read a few paragraphs aloud from my textbook. Then I had to tell my teacher a story about one time I went traveling. I told her all about going to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. She told me that it was interesting, and she asked what the differences are between China and those countries. I told her that they are a lot less concentrated on time, and a lot more relaxed. I also told her that I was worried about thieves, and so I held my backpack tightly while I was out. I explained that that presented a problem when I wanted to go into the water at the beach. I also informed her that we had to fly back to Beijing from Hanoi because of too much snowfall causing there to be no train tickets. My favorite place was Cambodia, she now knows, because I got to teach English to a bunch of cute kids.

My teacher told me that I speak well, and that I ought to speak in class. She said that it's just reading that I have problems in, and I agreed. I just get embarrassed to speak in class because in contrast to all the Indonesians and Koreans, my Chinese is pathetic. (I promise, being Asian is a total unfair advantage.)

Tomorrow I'm supposed to
1. Go to class from 8-11:35
2. Meet w/Jill for tutoring
3. Let the maid clean the house
4. Meet the younger American teacher-woman (I really should assign Butterbean's mom a nickname) so she can take me to a place to buy a bunny cage
5. Pretend not to be tired

I took video of this old man playing the erhu and keeping time with his foot/shin clacker. I gave him 10 kuai and took a bunch of pictures. he was in the steps to the subway at Tian'anmen. Sorry that it's sideways!


T