Shanghai!

Hey!  It looks like things are just beginning to wrap up around here.  I'm going to be going to do some "lasts" and "firsts" while I only have 1 week remaining here in Shanghai.  On Monday, my friends and I are planning to head out to Shanghai's "River Town" which is supposed to be the Venice of Shanghai.  Judging from the pictures, it retains what old Shanghai is supposed to look like - white and brown houses, stone bridges, cobblestone roads, up-turned roofs in that "oriental" style, etc.  I'm really excited --- I meant to travel there during the summer time and, again, when my mom came to visit.   Both times I backed down - but this time will be different.  Plus, I'll be bringing people who I got to know a whole lot better through this semseter (James and Josh - from Salford, England). 
It's still not cold enough to use the air conditioner (which also doubles as our heater) to warm the room.  Instead, Virginia and I huddle under our blankents in fear that we have to pay outside of our electricity limit.  The quilts that are sold on the street tempt us, but we both know that we would never be able to fit them in our suitcases (maybe wear it as a sweater while walking around the O'Hare airport?  I feel like the security wouldn't be too happy....). 
It's kind of odd -- I won't be ending my Chinese lessons with a definite end, seeing as my final has already passed as well as leaving mid-week and mid-lesson.  It's almost poetic - as if my Chinese won't have ended here, and that I'm expected to carry it out by myself.  I guess I don't have any qualms with that -- being here has made me realize how wonderful it would be to be even more fluent and come back to China!  Although I'm still not interested in interpreting or translating, I really want to use Chinese to guide my way around China.  Like some others I know, I always catch myself thinking how neat it would be if I could stay out in the west -- where 外国人(foreigners) have left less cultural "footprints". 

Even in this cold weather, flying kites can be seen outside of my window.