diff --git a/pygwin/__init__.py b/pygwin/__init__.py
index 58cbcde..0c6525c 100644
--- a/pygwin/__init__.py
+++ b/pygwin/__init__.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from pygwin.rect import rect
 import pygwin.image as image
 import pygwin.mixer as mixer
 from pygame.locals import *
-from pygwin.font import *
+import pygwin.font as font
 from pygwin._win import *
 from pygwin._pg import pg
 import pygwin.ui as ui
diff --git a/pygwin/image.py b/pygwin/image.py
index be2aa6a..b61d345 100644
--- a/pygwin/image.py
+++ b/pygwin/image.py
@@ -16,8 +16,10 @@ def load(path):
             surfs.append(surf)
         return surfs
     else:
-        surf = _surface(_im.open(path).size)
-        surf.blit(_pg.image.load(path),(0,0))
+        im = _im.open(path.encode('utf8').decode('utf8'))
+        image = _pg.image.fromstring(im.tobytes(),im.size,im.mode)
+        surf = _surface(im.size)
+        surf.blit(image,(0,0))
         return surf
 
 def save(surface, dest):
@@ -27,15 +29,15 @@ def save(surface, dest):
         orig = surface._orig
     _pg.image.save_extended(orig, dest)
 
-def toString(surface):
+def toBytes(surface):
     try:
         orig = surface._surface_orig
     except:
         orig = surface._orig
-    return _bz2.compress(_p.dumps([_pg.image.tostring(orig,"RGBA"),list(surface.size)])).decode('latin1')
+    return _bz2.compress(_p.dumps([_pg.image.tostring(orig,"RGBA"),list(surface.size)]))
 
-def fromString(string):
-    string = _p.loads(_bz2.decompress(string.encode('latin1')))
+def fromBytes(bytes):
+    string = _p.loads(_bz2.decompress(bytes))
     surf = _pg.image.fromstring(string[0],tuple(string[1]),"RGBA")
     surface = _surface(tuple(string[1]))
     surface.blit(surf,(0,0))
diff --git a/pygwin/ui.py b/pygwin/ui.py
index 627e178..f404357 100644
--- a/pygwin/ui.py
+++ b/pygwin/ui.py
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ class loadingBar(widget):
             self.loaded = self.length
     def reset(self):
         self.loaded = 0
+    def get(self):
+        return self.loaded
     def draw(self, win, pos):
         self.surface = _s((self.width,self.height))
         self.surface.fill(self.borderColor)