not on my list of expected FIRST moments

I knew when I moved to Panda Land I would have a fair number of FIRST moments.

Like...
     my FIRST time living overseas...
     my FIRST time eating a huajiao...
     my FIRST time hanging my underwear to dry on the balcony...
     my FIRST apartment that has no oven... 
     my FIRST Christmas away from my family...

Ya know, such things must be expected with a life change like this one.

I did not expect that these FIRST moments would also include:
     my FIRST head trauma...
     my FIRST time being knocked unconscious...

my FIRST trip to an emergency room for my own injury... 

my FIRST C.T. scan...

my FIRST time being admitted to a hospital...

my FIRST I.V. ...

my FIRST time sneaking out of a hospital...

my FIRST time being denied care by the campus doctor because he was afraid to break the foreigner...

my FIRST time sneaking back into the hospital for another I.V. since the campus doc wouldn't do it...

my SECOND time sneaking out of a hospital... so I could sleep in my own bed and use my own toilet
          (something that is more important than I can explain to a dizzy,
  light-headed American girl looking at a dirty squatty potty)

my FIRST black eye...

Yeah, such things were NOT on my list of expected FIRST moments.

But oh... sometimes, life exceeds your expectations. Ha. Yes. Welcome to the craziness that is my life. It's been "fun." I'll tell you the story tomorrow, but in case you haven't figured it out... I lived through it. So, while you wait in suspense... Don't worry.