Almost halfway through

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Well, It's November 1st, 2009 and I am back in block 3 after celebrating Halloween in Zhuhai. It was an enjoyable night, we had a birthday party for Devon at Mike's Pizza (a local place run by an ex-UIC English professor). Candy and Sherry organized the entire thing and what a job they did-- It seemed that the plates of pizza, salad, fried chicken, garlic bread, etc. were endless. We only had to spend $6 which seemed like highway robbery to me but then again, the value of goods here is so different from home and I still can't adjust to it. After the pizza place, we ended up going to downtown Zhuhai to "Bar street." People were in costumes and festive and I enjoyed myself but all in all I'm glad to be back in my dorm blogging and listening to music.

It's hard to believe I've been here for 52 days, it does still feel so fresh that I stepped on the outbound flight from Chicago to Hong Kong. My mental preparation was so skewed when I was departing, I wish I could tell myself so many things I didn't have any idea about pre-China. There have been some quite positive surprises here and while I feel each day I have to teach myself that I'm in China, I know I'm doing the right thing by being here. I feel I haven't changed drastically but I think once I step foot on American soil again, there will be this part of me that will feel complete again. This past year has been one of enormous inward change that I am proud of. And this experience here kind of feels like the the final touches on the transformation I've experienced over the last 3 years in college. I think back to myself in November of 2006 and it's almost as if I'm looking at a little sister and I just want to hug my former self and say, "Look! You're going to do better and better, it will never never never be easy for you but at least you are better!"

It's nearly 2:30am here in the middle kingdom so for now I end my rambling but soon I will put up pictures and discuss moreso what I'm seeing in China, not just my inner workings. So until then, 再见！

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