phone it in

So last night I tried for the first time since being here in china to order food over the phone. So nice to be in a real city again. So I pick up the phone and dial the number that is on the take-out menu and I get a ringing. Oh so exciting I get to order food in chinese over the phone.. ring....ring...ring...ring...hummm, what is taking so long to answer the phone? Ring... ring... ring.. ring... What? What the hell? ring..ring..ring. God damn it. Why oh Why do these things happen to me? I hung up and tried again. Endless ringing. So instead I had a ham sandwich and and some ramen. Not that I mind sandwiches and noodles but I was so excited too order over the phone in chinese. Now I have to get back to the grind and lesson plan a bunch of classes for next week. Sometimes it feels like there is no rest for the wicked.

busy busy busy

I gave my first powerpoint lecture today for a class about the culture of english speaking countries. I thought it went well. No serious fuck ups or anything but it is odd how engaged the students were. Just put a pretty picture on the screen and they ooohhh.. and ahhh.... I will give the a small quiz next week to see how much they took in. I am not so sure they were really paying attention to the information that I was presenting but they seemed to enjoy the slides. I have another two classes in the morning but these are about the history of western civilization and I have made a pretty good powerpoint for that. Again I worry that the students will not really take it in but will be passive observers to the screen, but hey all I can do is present the info in an engaging way if they dont want to learn it, well not much I can do. I must go to buy some beers and think about the classes for next week, these days go by so fast, already I have been working for 1 week and I need a vacation. Thank the lord I only have 15 more weeks to go.

shout it out

Just want to start by giving a little shout out to my father sister and niece. They all got a little older in the past few days and I want to take the time to tell them happy birthday and best wishes for the year that is in front of them.

Ok. enough with the family and wishy washy crap. What do I want to tell you about today. Ah the level of ineptness that seems to be all about. So i mentioned yesterday that I had a fairly long talk with the FAO and had asked about the other facilities at the college. I learned from a student that there is a library. So I was sort of feeling that the orientation wasnt up to snuff. After a moments thought the FAO told me well you know where the classrooms are and you know where you live so that pretty much covers it what else do you want to know? Oh jeez let me think? Anything that may make my life here easier, lets start with a copy machine. Where is there one? And water how do I get a new 20L bottle? And any other fucking information that I may want to know. Blank looks. So I said ok if you think thats all then ok. Well today after class I go to the school canteen to have lunch, and I try to pay with cash. Oh sorry no cash you must have a card. Well if that doesnt beat all. So as I am going back to my home I happen to run into the FAO and mention that the canteen doesnt accept cash. She says of course not use your card. What card I ask? She says you dont have one? Like where in the name of all things holy would I have gotten a card? I say no where do I get on. She says in the FAO office. I thought to myself someday the world will pay you back. I may not believe in karma but nobody that inept can continue unscathed. I had lunch and took a nap. Now I feel much better.

Fight, Fight

The glory of combat fell upon me like a drunk and a sidewalk. Here is a good story. At least I think so. The contract that I signed for work here in beijing(defended from the inside) states that I must work 12 teaching hours. I am currently assigned 10 per week. No big deal right. I thought that perhaps I would be working extra hours in the next term and thus I was prepared to go along with my business. Well yesterday I stopped by the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) and they said I would be teaching another class but made up of staff that needs to improve their english. And it would be tuesday and friday for 1.5 hours each time. I went home and slept on it. I am not a sucker (no matter what my friends tell you) and I remember that during the application process a mention had been made of an informal small english corner and that it would be 2 hours a week. I wondered if this was the same english corner. So today after teaching (I am the greatest by and by) I went to the FAO and asked about this anomaly. Low and behold they actually expected me to have not an informal small group but instead to teach 23 staff for 1.5 hours and another group of 23 for 1.5 hours. I said that ain't gonna happen. So almost two hours later we worked out that I would have 2 one hour classes and I get paid extra money for doing it. So in the end I work the hours that my contract states but got a slight raise for doing what is my job. And who says the economy is in the crapper.

butterfly in the sky

So I begin the new term tomorrow and I must admit that I am a bit nervous. I always get nervous before the first day of school. I think that I am ready but you never know. Do I have enough material for the class? Is it going to be interesting? What level are the students? How interested will they be? Will I be able to find the classroom? Will I remember my pants? You know the regular anxieties that we all have on the first day of class. I remember the same feeling when I was a kid going to a new school for the first time, but I had no idea that the teachers felt the same way. If I had known that I would not have been so nervous myself. I guess that is a little of what being an adult is all about, not letting the world see the truth. I am sure it will be fine and I will tell you all about it after the fact. Can I just mention that I am really not looking forward to waking up early to go teach. I have been getting up whenever I please since the 26th of December.Now my work day will begin at 8 am. And I have to get up that early 3 times a week. Ok finishing touches on my powerpoint presentations.