Sarte’s vacation
So you enjoy your “me” time and have an independent streak? I have just the vacation for you! Hehehe. A month in China with days in a row to yourself. In fact, you’ll be surrounded by people who don’t speak English. Enjoy!
I really do love my alone time, and I enjoy puttering around the house, reading, etc. But this much me time is making me thankful for all that I have in my life, and for my boys who arrive in 7 days.
And today was kind of a social day, for a few hours.
On Tuesdays I get up at 6:30 and leave at 7:20 to catch the bus to Minhang campus. It takes about an hour to get there. Then I have time to go to the library, make copies, chat with whomever shows up, and check out books. I also go to the faculty lounge before class.
At the faculty lounge, one woman seems to be in charge of the coffee machine. She usually offers me coffee and makes it before I can say no. It’s like quadruple espresso. Today she felt brave enough to talk to me in English. Her husband lived one year in Ohio while getting his PhD, and she has been to America 4 times with him, to various places. She took her 5 year old daughter to Disneyland in U.S. I told her I will take my 10 year old to Disney land in Shanghai.
I went to teach class. There were about 18 students there today. After class I asked if I should change my teaching (so more students would come), but they said they really like it. I asked why more students were not there. They said they don’t know but probably they are having exams now and are too tired or busy.
Last class they said they want to know more about American politics, etc. and TV stuff, so I sent them a YouTube of SNL where Alec Baldwin is making fun of Trump. Next week we can talk about the references.
Today for class I asked students to write a juicy, detailed introduction showing the problem of either food waste or bicycle hazards. They could use what they have seen or look stuff up on the their phones. Then they had to state the problem and a “think outside the box” solution we could try.
We had seen two sample introductions and thesis statements before, but still, what they can produce in 15 minutes is amazing! Thoughtful and beautifully articulate. These are graduate students in English at one of the top universities in China.
Then I made them give a 1-2 minute “Ted Talk” with no notes, just passion, based on what they just wrote. Again, they were amazing! They may have lacked a bit of passion as we would know it, but they were clear and their examples, facts, and solutions were persuasive.
Afterwards, I went to lunch with Adele and Grace at Canteen #2 on campus.
They were super nice and walked me to the bus stop afterwards. I always take the 2:10 bus home (which leaves at 1:50). So from 3-10 pm I am on my own.
I find it’s hard to make myself leave the apartment, but once I do I usually have a very nice time. But today I was SOOO tired. I went and got an expensive coffee (24 yuan) and hung out for a bit. I asked for cream — nope, they don’t have it. I can have a bit of steamed milk. I asked for more milk. Nope, they don’t understand. Okaayy….whatever. Chinese do not get the concept of cream for coffee. Not at Starbucks or this fancy coffee store.
Then I walked a different way from the 5 malls intersection and found another really cool street. Sadly, I found an awesome bakery and got some French bread, panino dolce, and cheese bread. I did pass two McDonalds without succumbing. I passed lots of small shops along this fun street, then went home. By 6:15 pm, it’s dusk outside.