Week 2: Okay. I have managed to cut down the 功课from 2hrs to 1hr and the 预习 from 3hrs to 2hrs, shaving 2hrs off of my total nightly workload! I’m still only averaging 6hrs of sleep (or less) and the homework shave only works when I focus. Regardless, we’re moving in the right direction. I think my Mandarin has certainly improved, but I still find myself getting frustrated not being able to fully flesh out my thoughts. I’m also having trouble connecting new grammar to my thoughts by applying it in general conversation.
In less boring news, I did get to meet and have dinner with my Taiwanese “host” family! I have a host brother who is 21 and a sister who is 25, so it’s really nice to talk with locals my age! We ate at an Italian restaurant whose desserts did not compare to the 花生餅 I had a few days prior. Next week we’re all going to hike a mountain (I forget which), which I’m super excited about!