Startalk fever!

I am ridiculously excited for Startalk. For the uninformed, it's a 3 and a half week intensive Chinese language camp at BYU. I went last summer and it was probably the best experience of my life. Not only did I learn an entire year's worth of Chinese, but I made friends that will hopefully last a lifetime. I've been waiting to go back ever since I left.

3 days until I go home. To the place where I felt more acceptance than I have anywhere else. It sounds funny, but I think common goals unite people better than anything else. Language is thicker than blood. I miss having that connection, and being with those people all day. I went through a severe Startalk withdrawal last August. I spoke Chinese without even thinking--谢谢 and 对不起 came to my mind so much faster than "thanks" and "sorry." It was extremely difficult to start thinking in English again; I even sometimes dreamed in Chinese. 

And now I can finally go back. I get to enjoy old connections and make new ones. And learn, of course. Most importantly, I get to push myself--my brain's getting mushy after doing nothing this summer. AND this year I get to live on campus, which means I won't miss out on all the fun that happened after I left each night. And I'll have a bed.


Words are inadequate to express my excitement. This emoticon gets pretty close. :D!!