Months ago, I reported that I would be tutoring two girls–an 8 y/o and her 14-y/o syster. At the time, I was getting all worked up about it, because well… because kids make me nervous. They’re so unpredictable and uncontrollable. Needless to say, my anxiety was about three months premature. Their mother said the family would be on travel but that she’d call when they were ready to start. Several weeks later, I called but no answer. I texted her, but no reply. Now, months later, I get a call to start Monday. In the last week, I’ve realized that I get way too stressed out about my jobs. I’m going to prepare as best I can but just chill out afterwards. No reason to give myself ulcers (I know, I’m retarded that way).
I’m still trying to make some inroads with NGOs here. But I’ve determined that my best bet is to contact US NGOs with interests here. So I’ve contacted Family Health International (FHI) and hope to break the ice with Winrock International, Bridge to Asia, ICRW, etc. Networking is so much work!
John is doing well. He’s loving his new bike. A Lawson’s (a Taiwanese convenience chain store) opened right at the main entrance of our complex, so now we have another quickie-mart option. Since we pay our utility bills at Lawsons, this new store is an added bonus for me (otherwise, i’m always on the search for one to pay the bills).
My new friend Helen is going to a speed dating even next week. She’s nearing 30 and is growing increasingly anxious about not having found someone. It actually seems quite normal… I know plenty of fabulous women around our age who are unattached. But understandably, she gets a lot of crap from her somewhat overbearing, very traditional Chinese mother so the pressure is really on. Anyway, her spoken English is really excellent so she’s going to participate in the English-speaking speed-dating event. 20 dates, 5 minutes each. I would never have the confidence to pull something like that off. I mean, it sounds fascinating, but 5 minutes to come off cool is just not enough time. I’m not that socially adept. Anyway, the coincidental thing about this event is that the money raised goes to charity– Habitat for Humanity, of all places. So I am thrilled to discover HFH over here. I’ve already contacted the organizer and hope to get involved soon.
In other news, so many of my friends have relocated yet again for school. My friends are such nerds. Grace begins here OB/GYN residency program at Albert Einstein in NYC. Matt starts B-school at NYU. Nathalie enters her final year of vet school at NC State. So everyone is moving about.
The weather here is miserable–extremely hot and humid. The locals call this time of the year “huang mei tian,” or yellow mold days. Somehow mosquitos are making it all the way up to our 17th floor apartment and they are eating me alive. I may have to get a net to tent over the bed (our windows dont’ have screens). I can’t stand bug bites; I scratch my itches raw. Where is eucalyptus soap when I need it?