A pillow blog.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

On Expatriot Writing

Well, I'm back in la Chine for another few months- I've got to buy my Dad another couple of Mao Zedong watches. This blog wasn't intended to be the Willy's Adventures in the Land of the Red Chinese, but the majority of my hay has certainly been made from Chinese stuff.

Traveling the Beijing - Vermont - Cape Cod - Boston - Tokyo - Beijing circuit didn't culture shock me as heavily as I thought it might. I think it's cowed me a little, but made me brave in other ways. My Mandarin obviously improved a hair since I've been gone, but my already limited vocabulary shrunk. A contradiction, I know, but I just don't feel as helpless as I once did. Knowing the terrain is as important as the language, I know.

Being a student again is very gratifying. Having missions is important, and doing something I'm good at, rather than something I'm bad at, is a relief. The list of skills is perhaps the next entry...

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