Born in the USA!

I'm sure you were all wondering what happened to me. You were all SOOOO worried right? Am I right?

Yea sure, whatever. Anyways, I'm back in Rye now and have spent the last few days adjusting to life here (read: watching a lot of Sportscenter and HBO). I have to say it is great to be back and while I am loving it here, I am also missing a lot of what makes China...well China. Is is tit nice not to be stared at all day, and not waking up to construction and random fireworks explosions, absolutely, but I can't get as excited about the simple mundane everyday activities, because in the States that's what they are, whereas in China anything can happen at anytime.

I'm not sure I'm going to continue writing this blog while at Middlebury, but I plan on heading back to China for the Summer so never fear, I'll provide my readers with another way to waste time at work again. Until next time. Auf widerehsen!

Hong Kong....Herrro

Let me say right now, I think that the internship application process has gotten entirely out of control. 20 years ago, I'm not sure they had internships, frankly I'm not sure they even had electricity. Summer jobs were just that, jobs that young people found after getting home from college. Nowadays one is required to begin in October (i.e. shortly after starting a new year of school) preparing for the next summer.

I have applied to a variety of jobs with the major Wall St. shops both in NY and China, but another extended period of time in China is looking more and more likely.

Meanwhile, this time is quickly drawing to a close, I will be in Shanghai next Saturday (my 22nd birthday, coincidentally) and will be on a plane from Shanghai's Pudong International Airport to Osaka, Japan that Sunday. I must say I am getting very excited to go home and simply CHILL. China does not lend itself well to chilling, everything is ultra sped up and you're always moving at 1000 miles an hour. A nice morning on my couch with Sportscenter will ail whats hurting, that I'm sure of.

I also think I may have started going insane because I now only have dreams about things from home. Obviously family and friends, that is to be expected, but last night the majority of my dream was me ordering and then eating my favorite pizza from Sunrise in Rye. I've had dreams solely about driving, putting on hockey gear, debating the Sawx with Joel, and lounging on Bates's couch. Clearly I'm losing it or I really miss the friendly confines of Rye and Middlebury.

I have to wait two weeks to get home, but I expect them to fly by. I only have exams this week (consisting of a written test I just finished, two essays, also already finished, and three seven minute oral presentations). I have twenty-one minutes of school left in China. How do you like them apples? And then a week in Kyoto, which is guaranteed to be baller. Off to have a suit made for $50.00 Until next time.

To Blog or Not to Blog that is the Question

I’ve now been writing this here blog for approximately three months now and I have really grown accustomed to posting something once or twice a week. Sometime they are received with admiration (trip to Mongolia, Nanjing, what have you), sometimes they are received less enthusiastically (my post on partying in Shanghai, sorry Mom and Dad), but no matter what, I am very happy to have maintained some record of my time here in the Center Kingdom and hope you have enjoyed reading about it.

I just completed my final essay for my one-on-one class, which I’m not sure I’ve ever discussed in this space. First, an introduction to what 一对一 entails and then a few words about my essay. The one-on-one class is a class taught entirely off of a subject that the student chooses, independent of any credit requirements, majors, what have you. This year there are kids studying material ranging from Investment Banks in China to the Metal Underground Scene of Chinese Music. My topic? The Internet and its effects on the modernizing Chinese youth, which I find to be very interesting and relevant to my understanding of my age counterparts. FYI on every corner of every block here there is a 网巴 (Internet Café) almost exclusively there for kids to play World of Warcraft non-stop. China! Its amazing! Anywho, in my essay I attempted to describe why the emergence of blogs and message board websites would dramatically alter the future of Chinese news (something still heavily controlled by your friendly neighborhood CCP). While writing the essay, I happened to look back at a few of the assignments I’d received over time and found that they all were actually critical of the influence the Net has had and continues to have on China’s youths. Although the country is rapidly developing, there is always an undertone of fear of change. Its really peculiar. Nevertheless, being the genius that I am, I finished the essay and now only have to prepare for exams and then I’ll be bouncing to the land of the rising sun.

Question: Should I continue writing this thing when I’m home? I am afraid it will only consist of stories such as but not exclusive to: Middlebury whoops Williams ass again 10-1 and tonight Eric Muther got drunk, tried to fight someone, and ended up at the Grille at 2:00. I’ll leave it to my reader(s) to decide. Keep on keepin’ on.