First Day Teaching

I survived!  I walked the 35 min. To a mtg. With my dept. at 10:00AM.  Then found someplace to make some copies.  Dad and I bought snack/lunch at the student center, ate on a bench outside.  Then I went back to the office, (we share one), took a short nap, and appeared at my class.

We teach for 2 hours with a 10-min. Break in the middle.  I used my intro ppt., and did my quilt demo.  It went very well, my flash drives even worked!  The students are darling.  They are eager and co-operative.  Yes they have cell phones.  They speak quite well and seem to understand what I am saying.  I took pix of all of them with their name cards. This class had 25 girls and 3 boys, 2 of whom called themselves Vincent. So now one is just Vince.

Then I dragged myself back to Subway. The lady remembered us and gave me a straw for my can of coke this time without my asking.  Next door we found a delicious looking bakery.  We bought little square quiches and a small loaf of berry streusel bread.  Can't wait for breakfast.  They had a little decadent square chocolate cake (I hope it's chocolate) that I'll go get for dads birthday.

Then we met up with a student-friend of the Winders.  She came home and showed us how to use the washing machine (interpreted the cycles) so that's our plan for tomorrow,  no classes, so I'm hoping not to walk anywhere!

We're adjusting pretty well.  The weather is hot and humid, but lots of nice shade trees everywhere we go.  We took a taxi across town Saturday night to meet other BYU teachers for a traditional Chinese round dinner.  It cost us $8.00 for the taxi driver each way, but only $5.00 a piece for dinner.

Well my eyes are falling asleep. Dad is already in bed.  We're still jet lagged so wake up at 4:00 AM.  Dad has arisen and gone over to campus and run around the track early.  Then he still has energy to walk to class or Walmart or whatever.  He's amazing, and has taken good care of me.  He still wraps my foot.  It is healing, but swelling a bit too from all the walking.  I think I'll check out the bus for after my late class on Thursday.

 

People are very nice and friendly.  They try to be helpful and understand, even if it's mostly sign language. Be ever grateful for your blessings--like soap, warm water, paper towels, and TP in public toilets.  I think I'll hang a bottle of hand sanitizer around my neck.  They sweep the streets often ( with a broom). But no one has washed a handrail around here this century!