As of now, I stand in my room surrounded by piles of wet laundry. If there was an open space here once, it has been taken up by wet t-shirts and soggy jeans. We don’t have dryers in my building complex so you can either try and find space on a crowded clothes line or lay your crap all over the room the way I have. Well at least it’s a clean mess, right? Sure I could have done my laundry on an off day, that would be the “RESPONSIBLE” thing to do, but I haven’t done any laundry since I was back home in the states. I guess I just got too focused on my studies. In the midst of my mess I have some time to sit and think.
A few revelations have come about. The first and most important: I am too comfortable. Everybody here speaks English, including my Chinese friends. I don’t have any opportunities to challenge myself. So, tonight I am going out with a few Chinese people for dinner. Originally it was going to be me and an English friend of mine who speaks exceptional Chinese. I was going to tag along and coast off his skills while I soaked everything in from the side, but guess what? Everybody is getting sick so my original crutch has been taken away and now I will have to converse all by myself with two Chinese people I have never met; Finally, a real challenge!
With this I am upping my study regiment. I no longer plan to go out to the clubs with my friends, unless there is some Chinese planned into the night, and I have changed my methods of study. I’ve already been working hard mind you. When I have nothing else planned I can do over ten hours of study a day, but it’s all been from the text book thus far. I am going to start chatting with more people online. This way I keep things more functional and not just theoretical. After a trip to the foreign language bookstore （外文书店）,all the way on the other side of Nanjing, I now have Chinese comic books and some listening exercises for my personal use.
I know its only been a month, but I have to constantly challenge myself if I want to make real progress. On a Saturday night most people just loiter out in front of the building, chill with their foreign buddies, and drink cheap beers. I don’t want that to be me. That’s not what I am here for. If I want to waste time I can do that back home. I am in China and it is time to get my ass in gear.
Hey, everybody! My names Liam, and right now I'm living a dream that I didn't think would come true. I am living in China, studying at Nanjing University for a full ten months. Don't ask me why I wanted it so badly, I've just always been drawn to the culture. Europe sounded too comfortable to me, and there are so many chances for growth and adventure in this country. As for me I like finding a good adventure outside of the mainstream, having a challenge, and reading a few books (at once) when I get the free time.
Making That Leap – written 9/26/09
As of now, I stand in my room surrounded by piles of wet laundry. If there was an open space here once, it has been taken up by wet t-shirts and soggy jeans. We don’t have dryers in my building complex so you can either try and find space on a crowded clothes line or lay your crap all over the room the way I have. Well at least it’s a clean mess, right? Sure I could have done my laundry on an off day, that would be the “RESPONSIBLE” thing to do, but I haven’t done any laundry since I was back home in the states. I guess I just got too focused on my studies. In the midst of my mess I have some time to sit and think.
A few revelations have come about. The first and most important: I am too comfortable. Everybody here speaks English, including my Chinese friends. I don’t have any opportunities to challenge myself. So, tonight I am going out with a few Chinese people for dinner. Originally it was going to be me and an English friend of mine who speaks exceptional Chinese. I was going to tag along and coast off his skills while I soaked everything in from the side, but guess what? Everybody is getting sick so my original crutch has been taken away and now I will have to converse all by myself with two Chinese people I have never met; Finally, a real challenge!
With this I am upping my study regiment. I no longer plan to go out to the clubs with my friends, unless there is some Chinese planned into the night, and I have changed my methods of study. I’ve already been working hard mind you. When I have nothing else planned I can do over ten hours of study a day, but it’s all been from the text book thus far. I am going to start chatting with more people online. This way I keep things more functional and not just theoretical. After a trip to the foreign language bookstore （外文书店）,all the way on the other side of Nanjing, I now have Chinese comic books and some listening exercises for my personal use.
I know its only been a month, but I have to constantly challenge myself if I want to make real progress. On a Saturday night most people just loiter out in front of the building, chill with their foreign buddies, and drink cheap beers. I don’t want that to be me. That’s not what I am here for. If I want to waste time I can do that back home. I am in China and it is time to get my ass in gear.
各位再见 (see you all later),
李安 (Liam)
Liam
Hey, everybody! My names Liam, and right now I'm living a dream that I didn't think would come true. I am living in China, studying at Nanjing University for a full ten months. Don't ask me why I wanted it so badly, I've just always been drawn to the culture. Europe sounded too comfortable to me, and there are so many chances for growth and adventure in this country. As for me I like finding a good adventure outside of the mainstream, having a challenge, and reading a few books (at once) when I get the free time.
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