The near future

I made a decision this week to stay on in my position in Taitung. My contract at my school ends in March and I am going to stay until the end of the semester, until June 2007. (Wow, I can't believe it is 2007, weird to write that!) I really enjoy living in Taitung, my students, my friends, my roommate, and in general my life here. This extra time will also give me an opportunity to attend a few different Chinese classes that are starting up this semester. I have found that it takes humbled practiced persistence to learn Chinese. I've been here for two years and still I struggle with basic communication. So I am looking forward to putting in extra study time to learn this fascinating language. I am constantly reminded of how important communication and language is. For me it is like discovering a precious jewel when I learn a little more. My goal is to be able to have a conversation, this I want to do before I leave Taiwan. So pray for me, for patience, persistence, humbleness, and a hardworking attitude.