Day 185: Week 2 of School

Today was a strange day, but not a horrible one. I woke up at 5:29 am to make sure I got to school early enough today. Kerry was so kind and got up and made oatmeal for me! I was out the door and into a taxi by 6:30, and I made it to school around 6:41. Then I waited around for the 7:15 bus, which didn't get to the Songjiang campus until about 8:45. It's so crazy, how bad the traffic is in the mornings here. Because I have that 10:05 am class, I can't escape it, so I'm getting the sense that getting up at 5:30 am once a week is going to be necessary.

I hung out in my office until it was time for class.Before class, this one girl, Lily, who's not in my class, asked me some questions about the salon that she and Aleks want me to participate in. She seemed very excited to have me involved and got my WeChat information. (I really like how students here don't see teachers as the enemy. It's refreshing.) Then, for class, I took attendance, gave them back their introductions, had them sign up for leading discussion, and gave two lectures: one on the Puritans and one on Hawthorne and "The Custom House." Then I had them ask some questions of their own. It was a decent class, with the exception of three girls who kept chattering to each other during my lecture. I had to tell them to please stop...annoying. I also noticed when I took attendance that some of the students didn't seem to recognize their English names all that well, which I didn't find with the grad class or Honors class last semester. Strange.

After my class, I caught the 12:20 bus back home. It was very full, but I managed to eat most of my lunch on the bus--I was glad I'd brought it with me because I was starving. I saw Richard on the bus--we chatted to pass time. He seems like a nice guy. He told me about his break, going to Vietnam and such. His mother also came to China to visit during the break as well. One reason I like Richard is that he seems very down to earth, talking about fast food and such. He just seems very friendly. Once we got off the shuttle, he suggested that we jump on the 762 bus and then walk to our building from there. I was game, so I followed his lead. It was such a nice day (again!) that I didn't mind walking.

I walked in the door around 2:15 pm, and Kerry wasn't there--he was outside feeding cats, apparently. But soon after that, we both took a nap. A looong nap. I was really tired. Once we got up, we had leftover spaghetti for dinner, and then I did more work on my transgender presentation for Thailand.

I should also mention that Zach got his passport back..so he's definitely on his way, and should be here Monday!  That will be interesting. So I'm probably going to need to do a lot of work this weekend so I'll have time to spend with him and Kerry. Wednesday is out of the question--I'll be gone all day--but hopefully we can hang out Tuesday and Thursday, and of course in Hong Kong next week, on the weekend.

Fountain is on, Hongkou campus.

Flowers in bloom, outside Administration Bldg., Songjiang campus.

My Short Novels classroom, Teaching Building 5, Room 216, Songjiang campus. Weird desk configuration.