Change of season

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping and everyone is slowing removing the layers. It feels like the beginning of Spring. It even smells like it! The smell of coal burning is no longer the dominant scent creeping into my nose. And I'm beginning to see more smiles on people's faces. It's true that weather can change a person's mood. I'm so thankful it's finally here. Winter is a long one!

There have been other changes than the weather. Because I'm not having to adapt to everything at once like I was last semester (i.e. culture, food, new house, new mode of transportation, etc.) I'm able to focus more on my language. And it's really showing. I see my language improving a lot! And I'm so thankful! My goodness, I thought I was going to stay where I was in language forever. But ah! No! I am moving forward!

I went to dinner last night with my new language tutor and we talked in Chinese the whole time. Granted, she talked so slow for me and I was asking her to repeat things, but still...in Chinese. And yes, we talked a lot about the food we were eating since I could actually see what she was saying instead having to imagine and guess at what she was talking about. But still...in Chinese.

And yesterday I was even translating for some people visiting from the US. Can you believe it? Me, translating in Chinese! I couldn't believe it. That's so crazy!