My roommate is the best basketball player ever!

Its true folks, my lovely roommate Terence is the next Yao Ming, that is, if she wasn't 4 feet tall. Today was the first game of the inter-hostel competition that they have every semester, called the Presidents Cup. Terence was playing for the Hostel E team, also know as the best hostel ever, and so I went to cheer her and my friend Helen on. Loudly, very loudly so that they would be horribly embarassed. I think that I did a pretty good job. Helen made a couple of great baskets even though she claims to be a horrible player. I should have played, I would of had the game in the bag because I'm head and shoulders above all the girls, and a good deal of the guys. My team won 40-8, and I look at it as a good start to the semester. I bought my roommate a pack of cookies as a celebratory gift.

I also got my first letter from home! (Thanks Ms. Paula!) I am also really looking forward to my care package of jelly beans and hot chocolate from Allison. It makes me feel really good to know that people are thinking of me and reading this. I am always thinking of everyone back in the states, so I have to say that I miss everyone and love everyone very much. As much as I love it here, no one compares to my family, friends, and loved ones.

Classes have started back up again, and it makes for a nice change. I'm taking 5 classes right now, but since I don't have a job, I feel like I could take more because I will have so much free time. I am really enjoying all my classes so far. Today was my Cultural and Historical Writing class with my one and only American professor. This class is pretty tiny: just myself, one other girl, and 2 boys. Thats it. This is the smallest class that I have ever been in and I know that I can't slack off. Even the professor said so. What made my day though was that they 2 guys in the class were talking about me and the way that they know they were talking about me is that I kept hearing the English word "exchange". I need to learn Cantonese just so I can know what people are saying about me. It didn't seem like anything bad, but I still want to know what was being said. My history class yesterday was pretty entertaining as well. The professor was really excited to talk about the ancient Indus River Valley civilizations. He thinks that Harappa is the greatest place in the world. He said so verbatim. It was really fun to watch and hear him make cheesy jokes. I love professors who make cheesy jokes, they're the best. Tomorrow is my Statistics class (booooooooooooooooooooooo) and also my Film/Cinema Studies class. The Statistics class is the one where the professor talked about me in Cantonese infront of me, so tomorrow should be interesting. I'm also really excited for my film class, because the professor for that is really fun and makes cheesy jokes. They don't compare to St. Mary's professors though!

I think a hike to monkey mountian might be in store for this weekend. I don't know the real name of the place yet, but its a nature park with monkeys, big monkeys that chase people sometimes. Makes for some exciting pictures!

Other good news: Jason told me that he might be spending his spring break with me. I am really excited for that because I really miss my best friend. I am used to seeing him everyday, so his visit is going to be great!

Interesting cultural thing I learned today as well: Here, the guys are the ones who have the sterotype of spinsterhood and cats attached to them. I was sitting outside of my hostel reading with Helen when she told me about it. Mostly the guys will take care of the cats, and a lot of the guys on campus will just hang out with them and talk to them. Helen leaned over to me and whispered "Most of them are lonely because they don't have girlfriends, so they get cats" Interesting cultural flip flop, don't you think?