What does '什么' mean again?

I think it says something about the decline in one's language ability when - upon opening a practice paper - you get stumped by the first 4 characters. In my defence, I haven't really read anything in Chinese or practiced my characters (or been to Chinese class) for a few months. Wait, is that a defence?

I can practically feel your shock through the screen. The title of my degree is, indeed, "Chinese MA Hons", but did you know friends that the actual language portion of my degree counts for only 20 credits out of 120. 20/120. 1/6 (<<<<<maths). At least for this year - I'm not actually sure how much of our degree rests upon our year abroad/ actually being able to speak in Chinese. Anyway, when I get to my oral and they find that I can't remember the word for 'language ability', on their heads it will be. Maybe you should put the oral at the beginning of the year, huh?

Or maybe I should actually make some more effort? I am planning on going back to China....and how I do in this section of the exam diet (occurring oh-so-imminently) will probably affect the rest of my grades too. I think I was kind of assuming that I'm gonna do well in everything else. And you know what they say about assumptions....

So, need to get my sh*t together, in short. How have I only just come to this realisation, you ask? I'm usually a bit more aware of my limited capabilities, and much more willing to do something about it (you know, 笨鸟先飞 and all that), but recently I've been a bit more of a 闲人 (now, although this literally translates as 'idler', I'm gonna take a less literal approach and interpret it as 'wasteman'). Well, again in my defence, I've been concentrating a bit more on my seriously overbearing, often boring, and in some cases far too confusing, content courses.

Those who study Politics and Policy in Contemporary China, can I get an amen?

But no more. With what feels like 48 hours until my whole world comes crashing down, I've decided to re-open the ol' pack of flashcards-I-made-in-China-when-I-was-super-keen-and-apparently-a-lot-smarter-than-I-am-now. Man I've forgotten a lot. Too late? Never. I am determined. Library from 8am everyday from now till forever!!

Now I've just got to add all these extra flashcards from this year, figure out why Structure and Agency are important, and essentially re-learn everything about China and Chinese (not forgetting traditional characters w/ancient meanings for literature :D) by the end of this month. Seems legit.

No death threats necessary

I got a job! Yay! Remember that time I threatened to throw myself out a window if I didn't get British Council - I got British Council. Yay!

What am I going to be doing for them...? Well, something about teaching kiddies English. For a year. In China. Yes, China is a big place but, no, I don't know where I'm going to be placed yet. I had, in a fit of excitement, chosen Sichuan (commonly know as Szechuan or something) as my preferred location. After realising that I may not be placed in my preferred 'environment' (which, coming from London, is obviously 'city or big town') I soon started to feel apprehensive about my choice. Far from the rapidly developing coastal boom-provinces of Fujian and other places near Shanghai, Sichuan is one of the poorest, most densely populated provinces in China. Having taken away Chongqing (one of the most developed parts), the government has left approximately 1 place where anyone not obsessed with being 'that-foreigner-who's-too-cool-to-hang-out-with-other-foreigners' would possibly want to live - and no, it's not the border of Tibet.

I just wanted to see some pandas man.

Sichuan: Famous for spicy food, not being in North China and, of course,
where the pandas are.

"What about the law stuff, Edi?", I hear you cry. Well, that search isn't over. As this contract only lasts for a year and is hardly gonna provide me with enough savings to fund a master's (apostrophe? No apostrophe?), I will have to return to the UK or some equivalently developed native-English speaking country to find a real job.

I'm hoping that this stint in China will allow me to 'find' myself as it were, but productively - I can't stand doing anything unproductive. Hopefully I'll develop some sort of research interest and improve my Chinese, whilst also having something to put on my CV besides 'extensive travel and deep connection fostered with the Far East'. I'll have something like 20 hours a week teaching time, so that'll give me plenty of time to do other stuff, right? Not that my salary will allow for it, but that's a story for another time I suppose.

Previous teachers of Chinese students: your advice and comments are more than welcome!