A recap: one wreck, some rest, and ready to recommit!

Two months have passed since I last posted. Why so long? Dunno the answer to that one, so let's just move on. Since January I have experienced many blog worthy moments. So, here's a high level overview.

• Got a massage for my birthday. Not really news, except that the girl wanted to give me "more" and I had to escape without losing "face". Tricky but successful. WHEW!
  
• Finished the Fall semester in mid-January, but spent two weeks in Jiaxing doing nothing but going to the gym and eating because I wasn't allowed to leave until the end of the month. Something about the local government being responsible for my well-being. Apparently they would get in trouble with Beijing if I got in trouble in Shanghai. Strange, I know, but T.I.C. (this is China)!



• In February, I went to the beach in Pulau Pangkor, Malaysia for ten days. It was very relaxing because on the first day I wrecked a sexy motorcycle, much like this one. Actually, I lost control and it went over a cliff and down into a river whilst my body destroyed a Chinese ancestor shrine. Ouch and Uh-oh! Got some bad karma to work out after my scrapes and cuts heal. But the food is amazing and the people are sooo cool! Tarima Kasai, Mahmi!

• Chinese New Year in Shanghai with Kelly. Great fun! So good to see her and have a visitor from home. My appreciation of fireworks has been re-ignited! Very impressive displays - all over town for hours and hours! So much smoke I couldn't see across the street. True!

• Then went to a convention in Thailand for a week with my Friends of Bill club. 28 countries were represented at the convention. But only three from Shanghai for all of China - all caucasian - funny visual, right? Pattaya is a weird, wild place. No such thing as free love in Pattaya. Won't be going back, but glad I saw it. More good food and Sissi is an awesome Kiteboarder!

• Started spring semester March 1st. Kids are the same - rambunctious, resistant, and yet, so much fun. This morning I participated in a speech contest. My duty was to listen to 17 speeches and ask a question immediately after each student finished. It was somewhat difficult to form a question that was on topic (sometimes I could barely understand their English) while being both challenging and comprehensible for the students. Some students performed very well, some got nervous and apologized for their mistakes. So cute! But in the end I was impressed with their level of English. The winner was a girl who spoke about beauty and the cross-cultural differences between eastern and western models. Pretty intellectual stuff from a high school student.

So now, I am all caught up with my journal. It has been way too long since my last posting. I hope to recommit myself to this form of self-expression. It helps me keep my global perspective in check and right-sized. This blog also keeps you informed as to my experiences and whereabouts. Communication is key to my happiness while over here in China. Hopefully, someday soon, I will be able to communicate in English and Chinese - then I can have 2 billion+ friends. I like people.

Oh - one more thing -To Maria - Loved getting your note. Please send me another with your email so I can write back. How is Sofia? Any others?