Making friends?

Finally starting to warm up to all my studio classmates... or more like they are starting to warm up to me. We've had classes together for four months, but no one really talks to the student who speaks broken Chinese--oh wait she's American. But now people will come up and chat and joke around, which makes me really happy! That makes sounds a little pathetic... but it's very difficult breaking into Chinese social circles.

Students have all the same classes with each other and all live together for all years of school. After spending so much time with their class, they even see students from other classes but of another teacher as outsiders. This exclusivity and tightknit bonds are why my dad still keeps in touch with his college and even high school classmates. Some other flagship students were in classes with second and third year grad students, which was probably more difficult than my situation. My class is first year graduate students, but they still had locked down their clique pretty quickly in the beginning of the year... Even though I knew and anticipated this difficulty, it was still discouraging to be that outsider, despite my best efforts to talk to people during studio.

I guess starting relationships takes some time, but Chinese people are actually very 热情, or warm and friendly when that relationship does start.

Anyway, I knew I was accepted when I was invited to go shopping with some of the girls. Was busy that day, but it was a nice gesture.

Decided to start a blog, mostly for myself. I've kept a journal for 10 years now, but recently haven't had the time or motivation to write in it. Blogging is probably easier and faster, and anyone who is interested enough in my life could read this instead of me emailing (the weird time warp phenomenom due to the International Date Line results in me replying to emails....2 weeks late.)

China has been...alright. I have fun with friends, but also get stressed out and frustrated by school and society. I think if I spoke less Chinese and cared less about working here, I would enjoy it more. As it is, I'm learning how to deal with the oftentimes uncomfortable position of an ABC who understands both cultures.