Still in China and Still Alive

Hey world, it’s been a while and I still have no idea what I’m doing! But hey, every day is a brand new day, or so they say… here’s my update, over a month after which I arrived in China!

Wait, does that sound choppy?

Which leads me to my first observation: my English is deteriorating. Proof? I had to google the “opposite of improve” to grab the word “deteriorating.” I’ve also been Google translating certain Chinese characters into English. I guess it’s really as they say, language is a skill that you either use or lose. I mean, I’ve been using English with my friends on a daily basis, but only to discuss basic matters, like food, classes, weather and how the smog seems to permeate our entire vicinity before magically disappearing a few days later.

All of my classes are taught in Mandarin, and the local language is, of course, Mandarin with a heavy Northern accent, which prompts me to think and speak in the same manner. While that’s great for my Chinese, it’s not so much for my English. But enough about my little conundrums, here’s a report on China:

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

So I just wanted to elaborate on my first Airbnb experience and to let others know what is out there!

The location of the Airbnb was not very good, which of course depends on what your plans are while staying in France. Yes, Herblay is fairly close to Paris, certainly closer than Pontoise, but it is a really small town. There is not much going on there in the way of nightlife, grocery shopping, events, etc. In fact there isn’t any perceptible sign of nightlife and there is one grocery store — but they do have a really nice farmer’s market Saturday mornings!

Catch Me in Ghana, How ‘Bout That?!

Akwaaba everyone! Welcome to my first of many blog posts this semester while studying at the famed University of Ghana!