Saturday, September 6, 2008

Friday NEWS!

It is 9:30 p.m. and we just got home from Carefour store. Had to get a few things.
Last night, during the night, I could hear a bug just above my head buzzing and I felt all itchy and like I had been bitten. I could not get back to sleep and it was 4:00 a,m. I finally drifted off to sleep and when I woke up I discovered that I had been bitten numerous times - by a mosquito, I think. You should see me... I have 3 on one arm - one is all swollen and makes my arm look all mis-shapen. One on my neck and one by my eye and it is all swollen. Today, Rog saw one flying around here in the apartment - but could not find it to kill. He (the mosquito) is just lying in wait for the lights to go off and us fall to sleep and he will reappear!!! But tonight I will put insect repellant on and fool him.
Today, we worked on our lesson plans for about 6-7 hours. Rog went up to the classrooms with the two other men to check out the computer possibilities in the classrooms around 12:30 and got home around 4:00p.m. They wandered all over campus and stopped and had some photocopies made for me and then went to lunch. Well..... they decided to go to a little authentic restaurant and I guess they could'nt read the menu , so they just pointed at a few items. They ended up with rice, a cut up chicken - feet and all and another dish they couldn't ever figure out what it was. One of the other patrons finally went to another store and bought they all a bottled water!!! He said, "ultimately a good time was had by all". Funny huh?
I have most of my first weeks lesson plans all figured out - I think. Here is how my schedule goes...
Weeks starting with an even number - Monday - no class Tuesday - 1 class 8a.m.-10a.m. and 1 class 10a.m.-12noon
Wednesday - 1 class 10a.m.- 12noon Thursday - no class Friday - 1 class 8a.m.-10a.m. and 1 class 10a.m.-12noon.
Weeks starting with an odd number - Monday - 1 class 8a.m.-10a.m. and 1 class 10a.m.-12noon Tuesday - 1 class 8a.m.-10a.m. and 1 class 2p.m.-4p.m. Wednesday - 1 class 10-12noon Thursday - 1 class 8a.m.-10a.m. Friday - 1 class 10-12noon.
Every class is with different people and therefore, I have 12 different classes in 12different classrooms.... I am running all over the place....
Rog, on the other hand, teaches Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 8a.m - 12noon. He has every Friday off... What a life. We are doing things totally foreign to us and we are loving it. This next week our classes are in full swing. My "odd weeks" or weeks with the Freshmen don't officially start until October 13 - because of military training for all Freshmen.
This afternoon, when we got on the bus to go to the store, I watched as a little Mom and her son got on the bus with the little old Grandma and looked in their faces. There was such love for each other and the young woman was so kind, loving and respectful of her mother. They are so very proud of their children and the old Grandma's always have the children. These peoples faces have so much character and sometimes sadness in them. They really are a beautiful people. I just know that I will cry when I have to leave here, we have made acquaintance with so many of the people we see on the streets and in the little vending areas. The little ladies that sell their fruits by our University gate and the ones who sell their fried food on the street.
I really must go for now. We are going on a road trip tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. to Laoshan Mountain - a famous area in Qingdao. I will take the camera.
Much Love - Jane

1 comment:

Unknown said...

You guys are having too much fun! Roger, I thought you would be wearing a suit, not cutoffs! What kind of work is this?