Dear Andrew:

How time elapses, another year has passed by in a mere blink of an eye. In the last letter a year earlier, I told you that I would take some exams. Yes, this year I have taken two exams, the marks for both of which haven’t been released, so I have to wait for a month longer. But I know I would fail in one of them, because after I signed up, I noticed that the exam-time was against each other. Finally, I attended one exam and was absent from the other. But I still attended one of two subjects the other exam required. Anyway, I just want to tell you that I did what I had said that I would do.

Now, I am more confused. I am not young, as you know, when I thought about changing career, I felt afraid of age discrimination, because I had read some job advertisements, in which a certain age was required. Then I felt embarrassed and nervous.

Another problem is I wanted to learn French and code. But when I started to learn, I found that the knowledge for these is too deep, which needs years to learn. But my time seems limited, so I gave up on them.

In my city, there is not much use for English, unless you teach students English. I was thinking what would happen if I left my city searching for a job. But it seems a dumb idea to work out of my city as a man who has been married and has a daughter who needs to be taken care of. I find a realistic way which is to teach English for students who study in middle school. My wife runs a training centre, I can make a use of it.

I still learn English everyday, but I don’t spend as much time on Wechat as a year earlier. I’ve found that something cannot be done on it, which needs some time off Wechat. I read English magazines everyday, like The Economist. I learn new words, hard words everyday as well. I practice speaking and read some reading materials out loud at home. I listen to English reports and radio channels everyday. I feel the subject of English language has too much to learn. Maybe the learning process will cost my whole life.

In a year ahead, I will take the exams that I failed or missed, no matter how many times, until I pass them. I will focus more on teaching English. I have written articles in a Wechat public account which specializes in teaching. And please give me another year to quit on my current job. I need it now, for living. But it is a matter of when not if. I will try my best to fulfill the coming year’s life, hoping that I can leave my current job as soon as possible, because every time when I walk in the office, I feel ashamed. I will keep my weight. Last year I managed to gain weight in case of a tough time of post resignation. But as the worst scenario was triggered, and as my weight has reached a warning point, I should keep it by any means.

Hope the coming year will make me stronger, mentally and physically. Wish my wife, my daughter, my parents and my friends good health and luck.

May you have gained what you have been pursuing!

Yours faithfully!

Andrew Craven