China 2006 09 03

Morning run....80 minutes. I went outside the compound today and ran with the real world. Not too many people up at 5:30. It was dark. The guard was catching a few zzzzzz's so I let myself out. You really notice the poverty when you are up close. The pollution...the smells..the garbage all around. China does have some beautiful places but it surely is a country of contrasts. Wore a t shirt out on the run and it was soaked by the time I got back ...I will lose 20 lbs probably running in the marathon if I don't drink. Some day I will just go around and film the normal day in TuanLi. Terry Fox run is on Sept 19th so we will be tryint to raise some money for it by grades....I think they will be having Pizza nights.

Loads of building being built and or torn down. I am continually amazed at all the scaffolding that is used. Massive amounts and they are used for apartment buildings and bridges and stores. Even used for holding forms for cement

Got our teaching assignments and I have the largest classes in the Grade 11 English group. Total of 133 student in just my four class. Hell, in Chaplin that is almost 3 times the total school population. But that's ok. I hope to do a lot of good teaching. Also got my schedule and I have Monday morning first two classes as prep, Wednesday pm off completely and Friday only one class in afternoon at 1:30 -2:10. We'll see how that works.

Going to check out the rooms that I have for teaching so that I know where I am supposed to be when I am supposed to be and "got all my ducks in a row."

Will finish off later in the evening.

Bob's out golfing today.

Went over to the office and spent the whole day there trying to get my activities together I know that this will be a challenge all year but that's what you get the big bucks for doing. There are going to be a lot of levels that you have to try to reach.

Got my M and M's for the first class. They get a color and the colour represents a category ie Hobbies, Sports, Family...and the student must say something about it. A little incentive...Bribery?

Also will give a Sask pin away to the first student who properly pronounces Sask.

Lots of students here now. They are getting their books and administrivia dealt with. Tomorrow we have to be there for the flag raising at 7:30. I guess that is very important. So since we miss one class, we have to make it up on Thurs.

Bob said the golf was good. And fairly cheap. No carts but you have a caddy carry your clubs for the course. Plus, and Bob says this is a bonus, you can carry your own beer with you. We had supper together and will have enough for next meal as well.

So long to you from the Beijing Boy