A new VPN

So...... I finally decided to get another VPN and can connect to my blog again.

A lot has happened in a little over a month and I don't think I will get it all on here. My Chinese has improved a lot. Natasia made a copy of her Chinese text book from college and I have been working my way through that. I get most of my actual speaking practice from talking to the Tanbo staff. I can have a very very light conversation at this point. The only problem with the way I practice my Chinese is that I usually can't understand what men say..... but I am pretty good at understand what women say :)

It is now warm enough (actually quite hot) to go to the park and hang out outside. We have made many trips to a few different parks. I recently bought a lot of random toys for playing in the park (including a skateboard). Relation with the Chinese teachers have improved a lot and some of them will go to the park with us. We have actually found one teacher that is quite active and keeps up with us pretty well.

In the last few weeks i have actually spent most of my free time studying.... and sometimes it feels like it has been very helpful and I am improving a lot.. and then other times I end up still feeling like I know nothing and can't answer the simplest questions.

My relations with Tanbo have improved a lot in the past month. I talk to all the staff a lot, they are very used to me at this point..... and they know how to talk to me now. I still talk to them with a dictionary in hand most of the time... because they almost always use a few words i don't know, but they usually right down what they are saying to me. I have also gotten to know the owner of Tanbo a bit, and now have a VIP card. I think I am going to work on getting a picture with all of the staff at some point soon. Also LiLi is back in Songyuan now, she is working at a hotel..... I haven't seen her yet... but the Tanbo staff keeps me updated.

More updates and pictures will come soon.