The first cracks are starting to show amongst the volunteers.  One women went home already for health reasons, and I've talked with another (one of my Zhuzhou friends!) who is not coming back to teach after the New Year's break.  This last one really surprised me, because while I have my gripes and complaints like everybody else, I never _really_ considered going home early.

Do to concerted efforts by myself and others, I am much more in the Christmas spirit than I was for Halloween or Thanksgiving.  My parents sent me an early present, which included a Santa hat and boxers.  I'm teaching my kids Christmas carols (incidentally, I've never realized before just how archaic those songs are.  You ever take a look at "Deck the Halls"?  None of those words are used anymore.) and I downloaded Christmas songs onto my computer.  I even got a tree that would make Charlie Brown happy- it’s my old bamboo plant covered in tinsel.

OH!  I just found out that my friend from the U of C, Hashem, will be in China over his winter break (visiting his mother or something.  I wasn't paying attention).  And he'll swing up to Zhuzhou for a day or two.  If anybody who knows him wants to use him as a courier, I have no problem with that.  That's Hashem Selph, Burton-Judson Halls, 1005 E 60th St. Chicago, IL 60637.

Random observations-

I get the hiccups when I eat spicy food.  Hunan food is renowned for its spicy food.  I get the hiccups about every other day, which is actually progress, as far as I'm concerned.

Now I'm off to Chinese lessons.  Look for my up-coming 'a day in the life of' piece!

-TWN-