Hopping on the Bandwagon...

So, because I can't think for myself...and also because the Christmas/New Years letters went out today to friends and family and I figure something should be up here-- I'm copying my friends and am gonna post a little bit of background on my program and where/when I'm going and such information...

On February 1st I will be leaving my beloved home of St. Paul, Minnesota at some ungodly hour of the morning on a plane to Newark/New York Airport. From there I will take an 18-hour flight BACK ACROSS THE US to Beijing (Peking) China--the red part in the picture...

According to the IES (Institute for the International Education of Students--the sponsor of my program) website: "Beijing, the monumental capital of modern China, is a magnet for international business and investment. While its new high-rises and financial institutions testify to its booming economy, remnants of Old Beijing remain. Streets lined with dumpling and noodle stands, beautiful parks bedecked with pagodas, and 19th century homes with graceful four-walled courtyards still charm visitors from around the world." --how exciting!!

While in Beijing, I will be studying and staying (with a Chinese Roommate!) at the prestigious Beijing Foreign Studies University (北京外国语大学）--enable Chinese Characters on your computer to read the Chinese! The program that I am doing is the "Language Intensive" program which is for college students who've already studied Chinese. It's sort of like a 'language bootcamp' and I'll be taking 4 hours of Chinese, 4 days a week with some hour long private tutorials thrown in there. In addition I'll be taking 2 area studies courses (TBD upon my arrival in Beijing) that will be taught in English.

I'm not going to lie--I am absolutely terrified to study abroad. It took me a long time to decide that I actually wanted to go, and I'm still not 100% sure in my decision. But I figure if nothing else my Chinese... I mean 汉语 will get better and more fluent, something I've been aiming for ever since I started studying Chinese in high school. Although I've studied for a long time, I'm pretty rusty and it's been awhile since I've "gotten my butt kicked" so-to-speak. Still, I am wondering what I am going to do with myself for this month that I am home and nobody is around...any suggestions please let me know!!

I hope the new year I mean... 新年 is finding everyone well...再见 for now!