I think I can, I think I can, I think I can

You know the old story of the Little Engine Who Could? When another train full of toys and dolls for the little boys and girls on the other side of the mountain broke down, nobody else would help the train accomplish it's goal. Finally a little train offered to help, even though it had never been over the mountain before. It pulled and strained, working hard to get the train up the mountain. As it heaved and lugged the heavy train, it told itself, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can." Eventually, after much hard work, the little train made it to the top, and coasted down the mountain with the other train in tow. The train was heard during the ride down the mountain: "I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could." And all the little boys and girls were so happy that the Little Engine Could.

I feel like language-wise the last couple weeks, I'm facing the uphill battle. I keep saying to myself, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can," working hard to study, to attempt to hold Chinese conversations, to try and catch bits and pieces of what I hear. And yet, it's slow, hard work. It takes so much time. I'm just a little engine with a big (overwhelming, at times) task. And instead of just one mountain, I'm sure there are quite a few. But they are farther away, and I have to get over this this mountain first. I love when I get over a little hill, seeing the faces of the little boys and little girls, who understand me and can make themselves understood. And so I keep striving, straining, studying, waiting for the moment when I can say, "I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could."

This Little Engine