Almost there...

I've had some requests for a map of China showing where I will be. Here it is!

I know it's a little small, but right in the middle you'll see "Chengdu," which is where I'll be. In fact, we're starting out the semester with a trip to Shanghai (on the East Coast, a bit south). From there we'll be going to Chengdu, which is where I'll remain for the majority of the semester. Of course, there will be trips elsewhere... Lhasa, Beijing, Xi'an... but for the most part I'll stay put. If you look directly south, below Chengdu, you'll see Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand, all of which are on my list of places to go. My list is quite lengthy, and I daresay all of the countries on the list won't make the cut, but I'll make it to as many countries as I can.

So how about a little information about my program? It's called USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium), and for those of you who remember my French disaster, this program seems to be a huge step up from ISEP. For one thing, there is actually some internal support structure, and people will indeed answer questions if you ask them. One of the unfortunate things about the program, though, is that it lets you see China, but in a cushioned environment. All classes (except for Chinese language classes) are taught in English and you live in apartments with fellow Americans. But not all hope is lost! I am determined that I will be out in the Chinese community every day, speaking Chinese to whomever I meet and making Chinese friends. I will get the experience that I crave.

And now the program positives! Someone meets you at the airport when you arrive. Hurrah! I will not be stranded in China on my own! Throughout the semester, you get to go on lots of interesting field trips that are included in the program fee. We're going to get to see the Panda Research Institute (one of the top attractions of Chengdu), for one, and we're also going to be taken to a tea house with live entertainment. Now let me mention this: Chengdu, despite being half the size of Shanghai, has twice the amount of tea houses. Does this sound like the perfect place for me or what? The classes also sound fantastic. I'm taking Chinese, Sichuan cuisine (yes, it's a cooking class, and yes, I will come back knowing how to cook some authentic Chinese food), tai chi, and Chinese calligraphy. Nothing heavy except for the intensive Chinese classes, which I know I'm going to absolutely love.

Well, I'm signing off for now. See you on the other side of the world!

And the crazy dreams commence

Less than three weeks to go and I will be in China! And you know what that means... yes, crazy dreams have started to haunt my sleeping hours. Last night I dreamt that I was supposed to have two roommates in my apartment in Chengdu. Right before I left the states, I checked my cell phone (which was one of those awesome razor cell phones, definitely not what I have in real life. Oh well, we're allowed to dream, aren't we?). As it turned out, I had two messages on my phone, which hadn't rung even once. The first message was from my first would-be roommate, calling to inform me that he was pulling out of the program and therefore would not be living in the apartment. The second was from my second roommate, who had found out that the first guy would no longer be living with us. She didn't want to pay extra rent, so she decided to move out of our apartment too. Which meant I was left with a three-person apartment all to myself (and three times the rent). She just thought it would be more cost-effective for each of us to have single-occupancy apartments, she explained. Later, I met the guy who pulled out of the program. He told me that he pulled out just to screw over some other kid who was going on the trip. See, he never actually intended to go to China, but he really had it in for the other kid (who might have been my second roommate). He thought that by getting into the program and then later pulling out, he could make this fellow who he really didn't like pay twice as much. All of a sudden, just like magic, we were all in China. These police officers came around for some reason or other, and, for some reason other, I spoke very sharply to them. Later I felt foolish. You don't want to get on the wrong side of the law, do you? Well, there you have it. Not as crazy as it could have been, but definitely indicative of my soon-to-be-in-Asia status.

On the road again

Well, it's official. I am China-bound! In just a little more than two months I will be writing to you from halfway across the world. This page is where I plan to write my updates, post pictures, tell anecdotes, and in general describe my experiences in China (which I'm sure are going to be fantastic). Not too long ago, I learned that I would be studying abroad this coming semester with the USAC program in Chengdu, China. It involves an intensive language program -- right up my alley. Plus the electives are just what I'm looking for. A real Chinese cooking class, Tai Chi, and Chinese calligraphy. Could life get any better? Almost. But that won't come until after I'm done with my program and start gallivanting around Asia. For now, I'll leave it at this. But once I leave in January, make sure to check back often to hear about my life abroad. Until then, your wayward traveler says, Zai jian! (That is, "goodbye" in Mandarin)