It's been a long time since I've written and some people have let me know it's time again. Time has gone very very quickly here. I am now thinking about things like giving exams and starting to get final grades together. It's weird to still live life on the semester schedule while suddenly being on the other side of the podium (though I usually move my podium out of the way before class).

I found out the course I'm teaching next semester is something like "Selected Readings in American Literature". If anyone has recommendations on stories, poems, etc. that are worthwhile and not too difficult, I am open for suggestions. (The ideal piece would be one that makes good reading practice [not too easy, but not incredibly wierd], is short, and lends itself to discussion.) I think I'll have a textbook which will be mostly excerpts from American literature Classics. I also have a tenuous rumor that I have an electronic multimedia room, which would be nice.

Anyway I am coming right up to a whole lot of travel. I head to HKG for xmas, return here to finish up with giving examinations and grading everyone, then head with the other foreign teachers north (Yes, north in January) to see the Haerbin ice lantern festival which is apparently quite cool. After a few days in Haerbin we return to Jilin to pick up our salaries and catch a train south. We'll stop briefly for Beijing and two of the most famous mountains in China. I'll then part with my friends and head directly to HKG for a couple days of relaxing before jetting off to Thailand for a month. It all seems kind of unbelieveable right now, especially after how routine things have been for awhile.

Anyway that's about the whole story. Not much new has happened but I'm up for a lot of changing scenery soon. I always love getting e-mails from people so keep me updated.

Kev