I should begin this blog by apologizing for not replying to emails that you all have faithfully sent to me. The two hours a week I spend online is not enough for thoughtful responses. But rest assured, I will answer them. It just may take another month. I love reading them and feeling like I know a little bit about what's happening at home.

With just a little under two weeks until "swearing in" (when my training group officially become PC Volunteers), life is moving both too quickly and not fast enough. It's been great to be home with my host family. I move out of the house in a week and a half, and I'm already getting teary-eyed just thinking about it. Most of my fellow trainees can't wait to get to site. Me, I will be leaving Chengdu with a bit of sadness. But I've been invited back whenever I want to visit, so it'll be OK. They took me to a ballet last Friday night. Zhong Dian and I sat through "Tales of the Silk Road." It's only the second ballet I've been to, and like "Swan Lake" at Miami (good times with Linsey, Kari, and Dara) "Tales..." had me in tears at points. It was gorgeous--the story, the colors, the dancing... Scott, there was also plenty of "hip thingy" going on. I thought of you the whole time. But otherwise it's been mellow at home. My host mom is gone on a business trip this weekend and ZD has started school again, so it's been quiet but nice.

Tomorrow I'm heading to Leshan, which is two hours south of Chengdu and is famous for it's Grand Buddha. According to Lonely Planet it's the largest seated Buddha in the world. I've wanted to see it since I've arrived and with the host mom out of town and ZD at school (yes, on a Sunday), there isn't a better opportunity to go. It's turned into quite the event. There will be at least 8-12 of us in total going. I've been the one organizing the trip, which has been unusual for me, since I never successfully organize any type of outings--even at home in the U.S. But I'm unofficially in charge of the trip. Being in China has already changed me. I'm much more willing to put myself out there than I ever was at home. I guess I'm a bit more confident, if that's possible.

Update on the lip (and for those of you on MySpace, stay tuned for the picture). I talked to the doctor about my hives and lip, showing her the pictures. After she laughed at my photo, she thought it looked and sounded like a part of the allergy. So no bugs were getting fresh with me that night. Thank God. She thinks it may have been the final purging of the reaction, since that's the last break out I've had. I'm still on allergy medication for a couple of weeks in case any of allergy is lingering in my body.

That's all I can think of right now. Thanks for the comments in advance.

Btw, I'm craving In 'n Out like nothing else. The other night I saw a Pizza Hut commercial and my mouth began to water. ZD laughed at me.