I spent the whole day at the Shenzhen Library today. I ping-ponged between studying Chinese and reading Storm of Swords. HUGE LIBRARY IS HUGE! with big windows, like half the building is one big window. It was colder in the library than it was outside, so I left to take a walk for a bit and got lunch and went back for round 2 of studying. After a few more hours, I went for dinner and came back here. It was a nice way to spend a day. It felt good to be in a big place with lots of people, but everyone being quiet. It was also nice to leave my room but only go to one place and spend the day there, instead of jumping bus to bus, destination to destination.

I realize now that I can't get a high enough on the Chinese version of TEOFL to go to Chinese grad school. Meh. Seems my best bet is going to University of Maryland as non-degree and taking their Chinese classes until I move to Seattle or it's sure that I'm not moving to Seattle, at which point I'll try to get the Chinese degree. Then I can take the Praxis exam and Education classes somewheres and maybe some day I'll get a job.

From January 17th (maybe give a week) to Febuary 6th (maybe plus or minus a week) I have the New Years holiday. My friends here want to go to the Philippines to get certified to scuba. I think I won't be joining them on that adventure so that I will get to go to Beijing and visit the Great Wall and all the other famous sites that I have to visit, or I can't say I've been here. :P