Update on my upcoming move

Well...we keep flip flopping back and forth on the China/Taiwan thing. I've now been accepted to the MTC program at National Taiwan Normal University, and since this program has been mentioned to me specifically by a few faculty members at various universities (and usually in the same breath as the very expensive ICLP and IUP programs), I'm seriously considering going there regardless of scholarship outcomes. This trip is, after all, about getting me prepared for grad school as well as possible. I think I've mentioned before here that if we end up living in Taiwan we'll probably just spend a month or so near the end of our stay backpacking through China, and it looks like that may be what ends up happening.

In other news, I'm writing a 15-ish page paper on the history of the Chinese writing system to use as a writing sample for my grad school applications. I have a good 30 books on the subject and probably a dozen journal articles sitting in my office right now, and I've been getting through them fairly well and writing as I go along. Very interesting topic, and I've learned so much in the last few weeks.

French is coming along well and, as I mentioned last time, I've started studying German as well. One lesson in Assimil per day each, and only worrying about learning to read (though I use the audio as well). This has been going well. This way during grad school I can focus on coursework, research, Chinese, Japanese, 文言, etc. without having to worry about my other research languages.

I take the GRE May 13th. I've been brushing up on my math and taking practice tests and reading test strategy books.  Hopefully my score will be great. I would say 'good', but considering that I lack any academic training in this field, I need them to be great.

That's all for now. 加油！