Just before the holiday

Couple more shots of Shanghai...the crowded streets was what I expected in Beijing but it was more prevalent here.....fish market where the fish are still alive in small tanks...they take em out plonk em and scale them right there....eels, crabs, just about anything.....the beggar here stayed ther all day...and in that position.I saw another guy just like him about seven blocks over...I dn't think they get a lot of $ but they are sure dedicated....no movement at all...wonder what they do at night?...many beggars too sometimes with little kids....women mainly or people with disabilities or disfigurements.....I don't know if they are looked after at all by the health or welfare system...if they have one....

Just some tidbits from the stuff going on here. Had an interesting idea and will try it out. I am going to have some of my stuff framed here. The trip to the wall in the fall when I golfed off it, I will have that picture framed and some stone put on it and the little plaque somehow mounted on it as well...Will make it a 3D type of picture. Then I intend to do the same thing as well with my Marathon stuff....picture, certificate, medal and maybe my number somehow mounted...we'll see how that turns out...

Seems like I am losing it.....I mean ...somethings....but I've found it.....Lost my favourite CD and and then remembered that I had given it to Monique....Whew...Lost my flash disk with alot of information on it and I want to put all my pictures on it...found it....too...had put it in my knapsack....Maybe I will really "find it" someday....right Dale.... haven't lost my sense of humour though

A writing project for my best class is to write lyrics to All my Lifes A Circle by Harry Chapin.....I modelled it and had a line "If I stay here next year". Several students were surprised....and one even said you can't go back!!!!!! I said oh yes I can and may get tossed out or jailed or whatever...they just laughed....but it is nice to be appreciated....They are doing something interseting re the classes..some students are going to Canada so there are some classes that are getting smaller....so they rearrange the students.......... hopefully by ability and you start with different groups next semester....we will see how that works....

Pulled a fast one on the kids today...took two out an tole these two that I had promised to give them a movie if the rest of them were good and worked hard and tried to do English...but if not, no such luck....but told them they could not talk to the rest of them either in English or Chinese....well both of the classes failed to get a movie....the one girl came up after the class and said not to choose her again because she was getting a little p'd because the students were slacking off and she couldn't do a darn thing about it....told them after, what I had planned and maybe the next time we will have more cooperation...they like movies....we will see.

I get a copy of the Running Room sent over here thanks Renee and read it ..at least the parts that interest me...end up givingthe copy to a student who ran with me from time to time when I was training for the marathon....he said he enjoyed it but some of the writing was a little difficult to read...told him it is for me too. Caught one of my better girl students (Aivi) sleeping in class and gave her a missed class slip...you have to make up missed classes....she came to me and asked how she could make up the class...she had to give a two minute speech ..the topic...The benefits of Sleeping in Mr Walls' class...she did a great job...we had a good laugh.....she got her make up....

Caught my first smoker.....they try to smoke in the washrooms...walked in and there he was puffing away..you can'toverlook it so I took him to the principal and let him deal with it....was a little late for a class but I taught them the workd ironic.....the fellow I caught....puffing his lungs out with all that krud that goes into it was, get this wearing a mask when he went outside into the pollution...sucking all that stuff in and then is worried about inhaling the smoke from the outside world....the students got the meaning of Ironic.....

Eve and Don are leaving for New Zealand during the break....they said we can use their bikes if we nee them...Also will look after their fish....Students are playing basketball outside in the cold with T shirts on....even at night....with the lights....maybe a little like our hockey kids...there are some kids from Korea here right now...grade 5 and 6 checking out the place....gave two of them a hard time this morning saying that they were a little short for the classes.

Looked into volunteering for Olympics...but you need to know some Chinese....not me ...maybe I can work for some Canadian organization doing the groundwork for them prior to them arriving in Beijing.....

WE had an inservice today from a lady from the Dept of Education in New Brunswick....telling us about the evaluation techniques that will be used to show the students levels on their English Second Language Assessment...lots of overlap from any kind of evaluation.... They do feed us well on the days that we have these and Western at that....had good Pizza and then for supper we had wings and veggies and desserts...cool

Will be heading into Beijing tomoorrw to get some stuff out of the way..framing, paying for trips, maybe checking out a bar or two and then back home...Got an email from Rodrigo Patino a student from the Experience Canada group...he is from Mexico but will be travelling to France next year...nice to hear from the group now and then

Am finishing up some details for the trip to Thailand with Merle and will finalize some stuff around Beijing...lots of stuff to see....

Had a talk with the young guy I met going to Mongolia...we are going to meet in Beijing tomorrow to try to get some arrangements so that he can show me around Tongzhou....sure hope I don't get lost....will be nice to have someone to go with to some places where you need an interpreter...I am hoping to go to a Basketball game or some sporting event and am hoping that he can find out about it....we'll see

Went to the World of Suzie Wongs...a bar/nightclub...was an interesting time...said in the brochure an opium den with modern lounge characteristics....it was very nice bar with some nooks and crannies to sit in....then went to Maggies....Bob said it was run by the Beijing Police force..lots of women there and not a lot of room...but the smoke sure gets to you.....you really notice it...and the girls all seem to smoke....maybe it is a status thing....I don't know....the music was ok but loud.....cleaned out my wax out to the eardrums....was able to navigate my way home with the taxi....at about 3:00.....getting a little old for this????

Weather is starting to change...more hours of sunlight....less smog....at least I hope so....this week will be the last teaching week....the students write their Chinese exams on the Wed Thurs Fri and then we get them for a few days (those who failed) to get them up to standards to pass...if the little buggers had just turned in all the stuff that they were supposed to they may all have passed..oh well, they are the same all over the world...some days you're the windshield, somedays you're the bug.....

This may be the last until after Thailand and I will have some photos of that place I am sure...take care and think about me basking in the sunshine....I know that you will all be feeling sorry for me for having all the time off and having to go on holidays, but hey somebody's got to do it....hahahahahahaha

Darryl