I know it's not easy for you...

"I know it's not easy for you to study in another language..."

Now just why is it that my first response when my friend said that to me was a twinge of hurt pride? I have got to get over this so here it goes,

No, it is not easy for me to study in another language.

I'm not looking for sympathy (I chose to come here and it's a brilliant opportunity and learning experience), I just think that maybe saying public that yes, I'm struggling, would be a good thing right now.

I'm used to being the person who understands everything in class and just knows what to write in essays etc. I'm also used to being the person who gets their work done, with an amount of natural motivation.

Here though, I don't understand everything in lectures (although I understand a lot more now than I did at first), I am regularly unsure of what is expected of my work and I seem to spend more time trying to motivate myself than actually doing any work.

But...I am learning new things. I'm not convinced that situations like this, where you are stretched to the point of being unable to measure up, are necessary for growth, but I am convinced that such situations are catalysts.

This year was never meant to be easy and no, I am not finding it easy. But I will continue trying knowing that the success will be in my attitude far more than in my grades.

Escape!

I quite like action movies and tv series. Especially if they have little comedy thrown in. Chuck is a current favourite. Anyhow, a couple of months ago I was thinking about how, in such shows, people often escape by climbing out of the trap door at the top of a lift/elevator.

So, I have made a habit looking at the tops of lifts I go in (what else is there to do in a lift anyway?) and so far, I have only found one that lifts up when you push it. Sadly, I was only going down one floor and was in an airport, so couldn't invistigate it further.

Please let me know if you have ever successfully escaped from the bad guys/the police (depending which side you're on) by climbing out the roof of a lift and how you did it. Thanks very much.

Oh, and happy new year!