Month 1 in Shantou (version 5.0)

I've been having a little trouble getting a proxy to connect me over here since I got back from Macau, hence the lapse in my shiny new resolution to actually blog this year.
We did do our professional development in Macau and it DID involve plenty of bus time. Got to spend an evening in Zhuhai and got some Thai food (craving #1 satisfied), bought and applied the third iTouch cover I've gotten in a month (#1 sucked, #2 I managed to put the wrong way out- I'm Skilled!), went to a casino for a drink and saw some very scantily clad ladies, stayed in some pretty awesome hotels I couldn't afford for myself, wandered around in Macau rain at night and in daylight, finally purchased a Starbucks tumbler (been coveting people's for a while and this one is Macau so extra awesome), got a massage from a woman whose primary job was clearly not to actually give people a legitimate massage, got rained on some more, went to a farm/tiny village/ tourist trap... oh yeah, and had some professional development!
The professional part was in Macau and was both lecture- and discussion- style. The discussion I joined was about motivation and motivating students. It wasn't nearly as good as the lecture about the same topic and mostly got me thinking "Oh just wait until you meet and work with These Students" when I heard the new teachers give their opinions... I pretty much believe that some students are not motivate-able at all, especially after last semester when I had the most difficult student I've had so far I think- knock on wood That doesn't happen again!

When we came back, we had to perform for freshmen, so I've now danced on stage Bollywood-style for Freshmen Orientation as we have new Indian teachers who helped us put together that particular "dog and pony show". It was really fun and I could definitely do it again! Apparently we didn't look TOO stupid, so hey, it's a victory of some sort... no Yellow Submarine for us this year!

The usual proctoring and grading of freshmen placements came and went without too many horrible moments and one or two highlights, most notably the student who wrote he/she would "get hard for English" because of his/her enthusiasm... as a friend noted "I'm all for enthusiasm, but that's pushing it!"

Our "Activities Night" when we present our clubs was also pretty commonplace- I presented my shiny new Women's Issues Group and was apparently quite vague about it. A few girls came to talk to me about it after and seemed really interested, including one who was really intense about "what will happen if too many people come?!" I reassured her that I didn't anticipate that being any kind of a problem (I'm supported in this by the fact that I have received emails from exactly ZERO people so far), but she was really worried. A few others seemed intrigued and one who I know from EC suggested that some good topics would be relationships (including physical distances and dating practices) and sex. Even that would be a good start, I think.

Had a meeting with Felix, Marjorie and Feng Yuan the head of Women's Studies Department to discuss some Women's Issues issues and we will be having a Women's Issues Festival at the end of the semester between Nov 25th (Elimination of Domestic Violence) and Dec 10th (Human Rights). I should probably get started on actually having people working with me if I'm not going to be totally useless for this. Why do I already feel like I'm in over my head?! So far, I've made a blurb for the ELC website and designed a logo... I am not good at this!

Other than that, time at home has been mostly unproductive, other than today's construction of a shelf, which I'm way too proud of- I have been needing a place for teaching materials and this was a good project. I've done a lot of reorganizing of my piles of stuff (no other way to put it really!), but mostly that was to avoid actually doing any real work. Ordered books on Amazon and got them in record time- depressing lit, here I come!

Been getting to the pool about 4 days a week for 2 weeks and pilates also. I'm hoping to keep this up until the pool here closes end of October. I arranged my office hours so that I can make it at least Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and maybe Thursday if it's not too crowded at 5pm. Sunday and Tuesday are yogalates so that would just leave Monday, and that's ok with me. I'm still aiming to get a bike but haven't gotten around to that yet. Even just for around campus it would be convenient... for me. I got a few clothes this summer and just ordered a dress from the tailor (yesterday was quite the productive day with a trip to the fabric district and a big order to the tailor- bought some black fabric with a white swirly embroidered pattern on the bottom for the dress) and it would be mighty nice if those still fit well, even a little less snugly in a few months!

Today started painfully with a headache due to the really fun atmospheric pressure change we're experiencing due to the typhoon heading towards Taiwan but the massage this afternoon and pizza and drinks evening helped to remedy that! Tomorrow I have a lunch with a friend who will hopefully also be helping me with Women's Issues, and EF meeting and some lesson prepping to do. And picking up my books from the office!
Bring on the semester!

Back in China

While I put off typing up what I wrote while in Tibet, I'll attempt to put something up here, just so you know I haven't disappeared and that despite the censorship issues, I'll be aiming to keep up with posting this year... which is what I say Every Year.
For now, I'm back in my apartment in Shantou, dealing with year-start stuff- such fascinating activities as faculty meetings, professional development trips to Macau (would be good if the whole trip was actually IN Macau, but it's a lot of bus time and little visit time), freshman orientation (no Yellow Submarine this year, please), and placement tests, grading... the list just goes on.
New teachers seem to be settling in fine. I think this is a shock to a few, but hopefully they'll be ok in a couple of weeks!
I'm hoping to find some fun extra-curricular activity to do as I will not be doing my usual EF/ Coordinator combination. So far the only suggestion I've made that has been retained is a new ELC video. Could be fun, could be hellish... thoughts? It that or admin-y stuff, I think. I was trying to come up with ideas for a "women's issues group", but I worry that it wouldn't be nearly as intelligent and academic and generally awesome as it should be. Aiya, already too much angst and I've been here 48 hours!
Back to a little TV and procrastination of cleaning before faculty meeting.