One Ends and Another Begins

I woke up at 5:30 this morning (the first time) absolutely convinced that it was 6:30, and I had slept past my alarm. I was even starting to drag myself out of bed and everything, before I realized that I should probably check the clock on my phone first. You know, just to be safe. When I saw the time, I thought that I must still be dreaming. And as such, I needed to go back to sleep, immediately.

When I woke up at 6:30, I thought that I was still dreaming. Again. I couldn't believe that I was actually waking up, for realsies. At 6:30 in the morning. This marked the end of my week long vacation. To my woe and dismay, it's time to go back to work. For the record, work is completely over-rated. Seriously. Whoever decided that we should all study until we die was very very stupid.

Guess what I got this morning? A cold shower. Surprise surprise. Apparently the hot water takes a little while to wake up as well. (I got a hot shower this afternoon. So I live in a place with moody hot water. Lovely.) There was also no internet connection. I may or may not be a little bit addicted to the internet. I was not happy.

Surprisingly, I was not all that tired when I was sitting in class today. I guess I am just well rested from last week. Outstanding. That's just the kind of consequence that I like to have. We are reading this text that is from the scar literature point of time in China, as a reaction to the Cultural Revolution. So it was very fluffy and cheesy. And so so silly. Honestly, it almost gives me a stomach ache.

We have a new kind of class now. Instead of having two small grammar classes, each an hour long, we now have one small grammar class, and an even smaller speaking class. Today was the first time that we have had the speaking class (we are also supposed to use it to practice for our HSK test. That is not going so well.) It was hard. It was fun, but still hard. I have a hard time speaking sometimes, and when it is on the fly, trying to use our grammar and new words. Bloody hell, I feel like I have a million things running through my head all at the same time. But I guess that is what you sign up for when you try to learn a new language.

Lunch got a little bit interesting. My normal place was closed, so I had to go to my hotel's restaurant to get take away food. It took me an hour to get my food. AN HOUR. I was ready to scream. I had to tell myself very strongly not to lose my cool. But I got my food. Eventually. And headed back off to our class building for my one on one class. Ah, the glamorous life of a summer school college student. It's okay, you can tell me. I know that you are jealous.

During my one on one class with my teacher, we had a good old bonding session over our shared love of detective and fantasy, and alien movies/ TV shows (such as Doctor Who and Lord of the Rings.) It was fun. I promised her that I would bring my Lord of the Rings ring to class tomorrow to show her. Yes, I am a nerd. Deal with it.

I studied until it was time for me to GO TO THE GYM! SCORE! Time to find Jack again. I've been having a serious problem with my clothes recently. Not that they keep falling off or anything. THAT would be awkward. No, my problem is that I don't have enough gym clothes, and they all start smelling really bad really fast. I've been having to get creative. This may call for a shopping trip this weekend.

Jack was in a super good mood tonight. He was joking around non stop. While helping me stretch (to the point of me wanting to hurt him back, that's how much it hurt. He just laughed) he told me that as long as I kept stretching, I would basically be a beast. I'm just going to have to trust him, I guess. But even though he was in a good mood tonight, that didn't stop him from trying to kill me. There were so many lunges. Way too many. I didn't think I was going to be able to walk down the stairs to get back home. And then there were the calf exercises. OUCH. I felt tingly feelings going all up and down my legs as soon as I was done. Oh man. I am going to have a hard time walking around tomorrow. Thank god for elevators.

Jack was also going on and on about his massages tonight. That is the only English word that he uses. Massage. It's excellent. He asks me how his massages are, and then when he saw the marks on my back from the cupping, he told me, in a joking way, that he wanted to go there to learn how to give a better massage. I assured him that he didn't need to. That is seriously the best part about me going to the gym. It also makes me wonder if there is any possible way that I could rope someone into giving me a massage after a workout in America. I'm not going to hold my breath though. (However, if you want to volunteer, you know how to contact me!)

There are some things Jack told me that I can't write here, because, like I said, I don't know who is reading this. No, nothing sexual. Just things that would make for awkward conversation as soon as I get home. Use your imagination.

One last thing about Jack. Before we even starting working out, he asked me if I had eaten already. I said no. Then he asked me if I was going to eat afterwards. My response was something along the lines of DUH. I am a human, eating is something that I happen to like to do on occasion. Then, he asked me me to just eat a banana and an apple for dinner tonight. Only one of each. In order to lose weight, he says. I'm going to start telling him that he is fat, see how he likes it.

Only one other thing of interest happened tonight. (I mean, I went to get my homework checked, but that wasn't interesting.) No, my new language partner came to my room to meet me tonight. I was in my sweats, with my hair up and glasses on, so needless to say, I was not feeling particularly glamorous. But it was nice to meet her. My room was a complete mess (which I warned her about) but I don't think that she believed me. She seemed shocked as soon as she walked in and actually saw the mess. I was embarrassed. Should have listened to my mother and cleaned my room. Yes, I did just put that in writing. My mistake.

It was nice to talk to her. She is very friendly, much more friendly than my last language partner. This one actually wants to be a teacher, so I think she had a much better view of foreigners than the last one. And I think that this one actually wants to talk to me, and isn't just in this for the money. She is a third year student, studying Chinese as a Foreign Language. I am actually really excited to see her again. Hopefully we can go out for dinner or something this weekend.

And that was my day. My week of relaxation has ended, and the last four weeks of studying have begun. But I am actually excited about it. It's nice to be studying again, to be pushing myself to do the best that I can do. To be studying again. I'm happy when I am working hard. I think that I am a masochist like that. On well. I suppose all the best people in the world are either crazy, or masochists. I think that I am a little of both.

And with that lovely thought...

Live long and prosper!