Awesome Faux Pas

I decided to quit my Chinese lessons. We're leaving China in three months, and I realized it was pointless to keep studying, especially when I kind of begrudge that hour and a half every week. It's fun once I'm there, though. I have a cool teacher who is fun to talk to. We read some interesting articles, and our conversations take some fun turns.
For example, this week we were talking about... something. Some phrase that means "being unaware of how the world actually operates." I tried to talk about Marie Antoinette and her whole "Let them eat cake" fiasco. But on the way, we started talking about the British monarchy. Turns out, we both thought Prince William was one of the best looking teenagers on the planet. And unfortunately, Prince Harry was pretty gangly and freckly. (I felt like Lydia Bennet: "Who could care about such a nasty little freckled thing?" Hee hee hee!) But now that they've both gotten a bit older, it's pretty much the opposite. What? There's new vocabulary in that discussion! Whatever... it was very cerebral.
Anyway... I have fun in my Chinese lessons. But I have no purpose. I'm not trying to learn more to get around. I'm not trying to pass a language exam for the Foreign Service. I'm not trying to get certified in anything. I'm just learning for the joy of learning. But now I want the joy of getting my free time back.
So I told her a few weeks ago that I'd need to quit at the end of January. We're leaving in April, and I need time to get things done. This week rolled around, and I knew I had one week left, so I didn't worry about getting a gift or saying my goodbyes.
Um.... next Friday is in February. This was my last lesson! My teacher gave me a cute photo album to put pictures of China in. I gave my teacher.... nothing. I've lived in China long enough to know that you HAVE to give gifts. Pretty much all the time. When someone leaves, you give them a gift. When you visit someone's house, you give a gift. When you go out to dinner with someone, you give them a gift. When you get home from vacation, you bring gifts for your friends. When you attend your last Chinese class, you bring gifts for each other. I KNOW THIS. I know this. Somewhere in my brain, I know this.
But on Friday, I'd just spaced it. Because I'm lame like that. And very rude. It's not like in America where you say, "Oh, you didn't have to," and you mean it. Here, people might say, "Oh, you didn't have to," but you actually do. It doesn't have to be fancy or nice. It can even be edible. But you need to have a gift.
So I made her a gift. It will be a few days late, and I'm going to make Kevin give it to her. (He has the same tutor, luckily.)

I just finished it tonight, after working on it all day. It turned out pretty cool-- if I do say so myself. And it's just in time for Chinese New Year.