too long coming

So, it has been far too long since I last posted. Chinese New Year has come and gone, I went to the Philippines, South Korea and Beijing.

Currently I'm back in school, studying my ever-lovin brains out. I just had a reading and writing exam, but I failed it miserably. At this point I've decided to focus on speaking and possibly the reading and writing will come to me later. I think I'm going to pursue a career in business so speaking is most important. Chinese is a language that is one of the hardest to learn, there are too many homonyms, it is unfortunately quite a vague language - but because of that I doubt it will ever become THE international language.
My Dad and I went to the Philippines for Chinese New Year, and it was really relaxing and lots of fun. Maybe too much Daddy - Daughter time, but it was still nice.

I went to Seoul at the end of March beginning of April to see my old bestie from high school Moon Min-Jung. It was AMAZING to see her, and it helped that we were in Seoul, possibly one of the coolest cities I've been to in Asia. Seoul has an amazing arts community and a plethora of museums and culture to see and learn about. It is absurdly easy to navigate around too, and not just the metro, the bus system as well! Not to mention two of my favorite things in abundance: Korean food and SHOPPING!!
The more Korean food I eat the more I like it. Just like the more Korean music I listen to the more I like it! (I love you Big Bang!)
I went to Beijing the end of April beginning of May for the May-Day holiday. I went with some schoolmates. One Russian girl and a Ukrainian Couple.

Although they didn't plan the trip super well, I still enjoyed it, and I got to meet up with some Beijing YSA and I got to see the BYU Chamber Orchestra and best of ALL, Amanda and Jared Cook!! Amanda and Jared are old friends from BYU Film school and now work for BYU Broadcasting and I was able to see them in Beijing that weekend and two weeks later in Guangzhou. What a treasure to see them in what has come to be "home" for me.
So summer has started again in South China, which means that pretty much if I want to sauna - I just go outside. Seriously, I live in a steam sauna climate. Try as I might, it will be pointless to straighten my hair for the next 7 months.
Until December, I'll only need a sweater in case the airconditioning is turned too cold(very uncommon).
Currently no immediate travel plans, but summer looms and I want to see more things!!
I might be scoring an internship in Hong Kong though this summer, which will mean no travel, but more exploration of the SAR and getting use out of the $30 hiking book I bought last autumn.
Too bad that time in Hong Kong won't exactly improve my Mandarin.

Can't Sleep

So I realized that this time a year ago I was debating taking up skiing or snowboarding.
A few weeks later I decided instead to move to China.
I didn't even realize that I needed a change so badly. Not that a desire to take up expensive winter sports is a sign that your life is boring. But for someone like me that enjoys cheap thrills, it should have been a a flashing Vegas style sign that I was not being challenged enough. Not that learning how to gut and fillet fish on your weekends isn't fulfilling, but I needed something altogether challenging. When I'm a little scared each time I walk out the door that something isn't going to go according to plan(because it usually doesn't).
I'm really glad I decided to buy a plane ticket instead of a snowboard. I think it suits me better.
Because I think everyone can tell you, I fall down way too easily to secure both my feet rigid objects on slippery surfaces.
As for new steps...
I bought my first CD by a Chinese artist today. Han Geng 韩庚, he used to be a member of the Korean boy band Super Junior, but now he's gone SOLO, and I bought his album. So the music video for the single from this album is a little weird, but I'm just so happy that I understand like three lines of the lyrics that I don't care. Enjoy.