Have a little help from my friends! 我很感謝你！

So, some of ya'll may be saying...wow, she has done a lot for being their just shy of three days. And you would be right---I have done ALOT. So here is where I break the facade that I am some bad ass. I am only a bad ass in that I have the most AMAZING friend and her name is Ero!!!!

So first off, she picks me up from the airport, hails us a cab, then when we get to the university she talks to the dorm attendant to get me into a dorm. And needless to say this is all in Chinese. I literally have hardly talked to any administrators from either the institutions I belong to (PSU or NSYSU). Ero has taken care of everything. I practically owe her my life . But she won't hear any of that. She hardly lets me buy her dinner (but once I get a little quicker on the draw...I will treat...just you wait).

We immediately go to the westernized super store, Carre Four taking the bus and MRT (high speed train thing) to get me bedding and other stuff for living. I am so elated to be out in the city with someone who moves happily and naturally through the city. Better yet, we add two Panamanian men to our posse, Ramon and Luis. They are extremely nice and total gentlemen. Insisting we enter doors first, pushing the cart, and carrying our bags. It really freaked me out. But I appreciated the sentiment. 很 好 的 男 生！

After escorting me to the book store Ero and I eat and then go to Cijin Island. It is a short walk from campus and then a 10 ferry ride. We sat on the beach and observed. Watched the sun set and we reaffirmed how blessed we are to be friends.

Today, Ero picked me up bright and early and arranged for me to take my placement test. She waited an hour and half for me to get done with the test. Then we went and got my Alien Resident Card. I must say if she were not there....getting my ARC would have been a total pain in my ass. Then...and then....yes folks there is no end to this woman's compassion and willingness to help...she takes me back to Carre Four to get a cell phone. This time she pushes me to talk to the attendant myself. And I felt pretty damn accomplished getting the cell phone in Chinese (and lots of hand gestures). It goes pretty smoothly and I want to hug the store attendant when we are done.

So, this is why I am extremely settled in this very foreign land. And this is only a summary. This does not cover all the little ways Ero makes communication possible. Her Chinese is amazing since studying here (she is saying 我不敢當 but don't believe her she is being modest). Not only has her skills made these past few days possible but it gives me hope that I too will improve studying here at the wonderful 中山大學 (National Sun Yet-sen University).

So, yeah I am fucking lucky to be on tropical island studying Chinese full time. But I am even luckier to have a truly loving friend with me.

Ero， 我愛你！