In the News...

I've been feeling for the numerous sad stories that are in our world news lately, but two have hit a lot closer to home, so to speak. I watched on Sunday as Nick learned about the killing spree in his home state of Arizona and Marie and Miles worrying about their fellow country-people in Australia. I think I would have been affected by these stories if I heard about them in Oregon, too, of, but when you watch your friends hear bad news about their homes from so far away it puts a few things in perspective. Sad things happen in Oregon every day, but I hope that nothing like these two events happen. It makes me feel so grateful. I'm not very good at keeping up to date on worldly events, never really have been, but I feel that since I've been living in another country I've been reading more about worldly events. My eyes have opened up a little more about what's going on outside of the United States. I guess that's what happens when the center of your universe shifts by a few continents!

I had a good day today. I successfully made it to my Chinese class even though my bed was so warm and comfy this morning. I have to get up much more earlier on my "weekend" day then I have to for my earliest start time at work so I'm always a bit grumpy about it, as our my peers, but I was glad I went today. I learned some key phrases for bartering at fruit and vegetable stands, and learned a few more names of fruit. Seriously, I could only say "apple" successfully before! I went for a coffee with James and Miles again before leaving to visit Starfish.

Today I brought in article for my students about happiness from the edition of "Self" magazine that I bought in Oregon as a listening activity. The listening activities in their books are pretty boring... they bore me! However, I had to define about every fifth line. They were so awesome and said they wanted to keep going even after I apologized for bring in something that was not at their level quite yet. Then, we wrote about the things and people that make us happy. It was a lovely afternoon. I have just one more class with them next Wednesday and then the two of them are going to visit their homes for Chinese New Year.

I spent the rest of the day grocery shopping, cleaning my kitchen and continued my quest to make a great chili here!