I'm back!

Ok, so I skipped the whole month of November in terms of making blog posts. That's ok I think because November hasn't really been such a noteworthy month (December is going to be much better) with the except of a couple of important events. My high school friend Giulia came to visit me last week in the midst of her travels around China. It was lovely to see her...definitely helped perk my spirits up. Also, with her help I managed to buy my first ever pair of sized LARGE tracksuit pants. They are actually still a little bit too small for me too...Giulia was running to get things for me when I was in the change room and said she absolutely refused to get me an extra-large. In China, I am booty-licious.

                                                            with miss Giulia at the Bund

I also made a little trip the the wax museum with my friends Sandy and Sally where I was very happy to meet my future husband (nevermind the fact that he is now engaged to another woman). I'm still practicing my Chinese with Sandy but am feeling increasingly like an idiot. Its way harder than I originally let myself believe and I don't really feel like I'm progressing much. Which brings me to my next important update...

                                                  doing my best awkward youth group hug here

The school (Xiwai) has decided to hold a Christmas pageant-type thing for the kindergarten on the 23rd of December. They have chosen "Ode to Joy" (always, ALWAYS spelt "Odd to Joy" by my supervisor). Bit weird, not exactly a Christmas song but you know, whatever (a lot of Christmas songs are too religious, I guess everyone figured it would be better just to steer clear altogether). We are singing it in Chinese. Fine. Good. The only thing is that of course because we are singing it in Chinese it would be a really GREAT idea to have the only three people in the whoooooooole   kindergarten who are NOT native Chinese speakers sing a solo. Well yes, that would be a great idea. So there you have it. On the 23rd of December this year I will be in the auditorium at Xiwai most likely utterly humiliating myself by slaughtering a Chinese song (in more ways than one for those of you that know my singing) in front of a large group of native Chinese speakers. Personally I suspect that this is what they are somehow expecting and have organized things this way as a form of special amusement. Sigh. Well, so be it I guess. It probably won't be the first or last time I embarrass myself in front of a large group of strangers. 

                                                                 with the future hubby