I currently have an overwhelming amount of postcards I need to send out, but I do not have most of your addresses on file...
So, if you would like a postcard, please send me and email with your address to
timothyhogg@gmail.com

Christian, I have yours and I sent you one. :) (Special thanks to you for sending me a reminder to post something new)

Sorry about the lack of updates, there will be more to come...
Things here have been busy at times as I am trying to decide what the next chapter of my life will be. When I am not researching prospects for new employment, I am trying to catch up on sleep as I have found myself more and more tired as the terms seemingly drags on.
One thing is for certain, I will not be staying in Chenzhou for another term. Although the University has agreed to my terms for another semester, I simply cannot ignore the fact that the city holds little interest to me.
I have been applying to work in some other cities and have found impressive results, but my mind is more and more geared to coming back to the states. I miss many things, including my family. I can't help but think if I was younger that I would stay in China for much longer, but the simple fact is that I, like many other college graduates, have an overwhelming debt and staying in China is costing me more than living here-this is a fact in which I can not ignore for much longer.
The other issue is my recent relationship to my german girlfriend, dear Lilifer. Never before have I met such a beautiful woman that so wonderfully matches both the person that I have become as well as the person that I am. I am truly fortunate to have discovered someone who I really feel I could feel comfortable with for the rest of my life.
But, still we have problems. She does not enjoy China for many of the reasons that I do not enjoy China and the time is drawing nearer and nearer for us to begin thinking about where this relationship is going to go and the best way to handle it. We have a shared interest in coming to the states, but this is also difficult as I will need to begin life anew once again and she will need to go to Germany to take care of her degree and exams in January.
She could come to the US to do an internship for her degree with a company or with a school and then return for a brief period and take her exams and come back to the states if it all worked out, but this might be a slightly difficult task to pull off. This seems like the most viable option at the moment, if we dont consider China.
So, as always, its confusing and difficult. I am leaning more and more to coming back to the states as my resume has already gotten me a couple of interviews from perspective employers and I think that the job market, overall, has changed significantly over the last year in Seattle. At this point, I would like to just have the chance to come back, get a job, get a car and a place to live and begin to establish myself in the hopes that Lili and I can begin our lives together, but it would more than likely cost a lot of money--all factors to consider, but not to get bogged down on. Love will find a way--- We hope.. :)
I'll tell you, its crazy.
A couple of months ago, I feel like I was living a totally different life. A year ago, I was living a totally different life. These moments in China have been some of the worst (food poisioning, what up?) and some of the greatest. Too many to count, but go back in the blog and you will see that my journey has been a good one.
Stay tuned for more. I am off to Beijing again in four days to see Lili and talk more about our future together. It has only been two weeks since we have seen each other, but it feels like months. This will more than likely be my final visit to Beijing and we will be spending time at both the summer palace as well as temple of heaven, so there will be some great pictures to display. I will try and upload some more content over the weekend. Read more!