Sorry
I really haven't been keeping my blog up to date, have I? Well, it's been kind of strange returning to the hum-drum of life in Beijing.
I talked to my mother about this: in September it was the excitement of starting something new and different. Now I'm simply coming back to what I already know, what I'm already used to.
However, this term does look exciting. I'm only working 16 hours/week. I was thrilled to hear that I was working only 14 hours at first, and only going to teach my HND students (nine first- and second-year classes, where students will pass an exam to try and finish their studies in England), but then my department added another two-hour class of "trainees" - adults who work in companies who send them to Beijing for four months to improve their English skills. So this is an extra class I'll have to prepare for but usually adult classes go a lot smoother than my younger, larger HND classes.
There are lots of reasons I take an interest in my classes this term, but I won't bore you with the details because it's really not all that important.
What's important is that you realise that I only work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays!!! I have a four-day week-end!!!
And Gaetan's off with his girlfriend from France for three weeks so we won't start Chinese class until he comes back. I hope this means I can do some short trips on week-ends. Unfortunately, Loic has class Friday evenings and Monday mornings which isn't cool. Katia and Gaetan are only taking two freaking classes this term, and they're both on Wednesday, so they have six-day week-ends!!! We'll see what happens...
I was extremely sick last Friday. I don't know why. I woke up and puked and decided to shower and get dressed anyway. I had to go to work to pick up my schedule and I went to buy water at the campus grocery store. I didn't make it back home without puking on the side of the road...but nobody who saw me seemed to mind or care. I spent the rest of the day in bed, sleeping and throwing up. It was horrible.
But Saturday morning I was fine. And Saturday evening I had dinner and watched a movie with my cousin, whom I haven't seen in a few months. And then I went out to party with my French buddies in Beijing's foreign bar district. Gaetan and Loic came over afterwards and didn't leave until 5:30-ish in the morning...it was quite the long night. Gossip central: Katia wasn't there because she's trying it out with Guillaume - at least we're all hoping they get together.
Katia, Loic and Gaetan came back from their trip around the western and southern parts of China a week before I came back from Hainan. They had a great time, it seems, with many adventures. They randomly ran into a few people from Erwai (our university in Beijing), crazily enough. Gaetan showed me his pix, Katia showed me hers, they're wonderful. Guillaume was traveling with his parents before coming back to Beijing to move; he's now living in north-west Beijing (opposite corner from us) and doing an internship at some company.
This afternoon I'm going to finally buy a new cell phone with Yang Yang and Xiao Sheng. I'm excited. I love the feeling of being connected that a cell phone gives me. I haven't had one in two months!!!
My mother is getting me to seriously think about my future. I'd like to do different things. I'm going to visit Tsinghua university (north-east Beijing) on Monday to ask them what kinds of programs and courses they offer foreigners. I just might stay here another year!
I talked to my mother about this: in September it was the excitement of starting something new and different. Now I'm simply coming back to what I already know, what I'm already used to.
However, this term does look exciting. I'm only working 16 hours/week. I was thrilled to hear that I was working only 14 hours at first, and only going to teach my HND students (nine first- and second-year classes, where students will pass an exam to try and finish their studies in England), but then my department added another two-hour class of "trainees" - adults who work in companies who send them to Beijing for four months to improve their English skills. So this is an extra class I'll have to prepare for but usually adult classes go a lot smoother than my younger, larger HND classes.
There are lots of reasons I take an interest in my classes this term, but I won't bore you with the details because it's really not all that important.
What's important is that you realise that I only work on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays!!! I have a four-day week-end!!!
And Gaetan's off with his girlfriend from France for three weeks so we won't start Chinese class until he comes back. I hope this means I can do some short trips on week-ends. Unfortunately, Loic has class Friday evenings and Monday mornings which isn't cool. Katia and Gaetan are only taking two freaking classes this term, and they're both on Wednesday, so they have six-day week-ends!!! We'll see what happens...
I was extremely sick last Friday. I don't know why. I woke up and puked and decided to shower and get dressed anyway. I had to go to work to pick up my schedule and I went to buy water at the campus grocery store. I didn't make it back home without puking on the side of the road...but nobody who saw me seemed to mind or care. I spent the rest of the day in bed, sleeping and throwing up. It was horrible.
But Saturday morning I was fine. And Saturday evening I had dinner and watched a movie with my cousin, whom I haven't seen in a few months. And then I went out to party with my French buddies in Beijing's foreign bar district. Gaetan and Loic came over afterwards and didn't leave until 5:30-ish in the morning...it was quite the long night. Gossip central: Katia wasn't there because she's trying it out with Guillaume - at least we're all hoping they get together.
Katia, Loic and Gaetan came back from their trip around the western and southern parts of China a week before I came back from Hainan. They had a great time, it seems, with many adventures. They randomly ran into a few people from Erwai (our university in Beijing), crazily enough. Gaetan showed me his pix, Katia showed me hers, they're wonderful. Guillaume was traveling with his parents before coming back to Beijing to move; he's now living in north-west Beijing (opposite corner from us) and doing an internship at some company.
This afternoon I'm going to finally buy a new cell phone with Yang Yang and Xiao Sheng. I'm excited. I love the feeling of being connected that a cell phone gives me. I haven't had one in two months!!!
My mother is getting me to seriously think about my future. I'd like to do different things. I'm going to visit Tsinghua university (north-east Beijing) on Monday to ask them what kinds of programs and courses they offer foreigners. I just might stay here another year!
posted by Caro at 9:01 AM
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