old stomping grounds and word lists.

The observations continue.

So does the rain outside.

Bah.

Today I was at my old stomping grounds, HDU where I taught for my first two years in Ch.ina - the first year as a masters student finishing classes, then wrote my thesis during the second year. It was memory lane! The halls even smell the same! (like wet books). I picked up this school this semester when I took over the city for my job, so it was my first time observing students at my previous employer. It felt strange to be in a role-reversal from 3 years ago. I'm now the one being called, "Professor." Cool.

One of my students referred to me as, "Mam" and, "Miss," during his lecture. I almost didn't realize he was talking about me. Guess it's time to be a Mam. Ha. I'll let you know when I figure out the secret to being a Mam. Any tips? :)

The classes went well and then I rushed to my campus on the bus (after a stop for sea salt coffee!) to attend my readings in philosophy course. I have no idea what is going on in that class. But I'm there, so it has to count for something.

My other philosophy class, what I understand of it, is incredibly interesting. Last week we were discussing if Chin.ese medicine was science or not. My prof was saying something like Chi.nese medicine was before the discovery of science and it is more holistic in nature while Western meds depend on science. I disagreed because I think Western medicine is also subjective - doctors guess what is wrong with you based on your description of symptoms. There is also room for error - unlike scientific fact. So, to me, both Western and Chin.ese medicine refer to science but cannot be characterized AS science.

Nerd alert!

And that my friends, is why I don't talk a lot about school here - bored yet?? :) :)

Here's some proof that I work:

I love looking through the notebooks in the desks. Chin.ese classrooms are incredibly messy. Books are cheap (as opposed to America where you sell your soul for a textbook). Books here go for about 3$ and can be photocopied in a copy shop. No copyright laws! Tea bottles, notebooks, umbrellas, even packaged snacks are strewn across the under part of the desks - for days. I like to see what students write. Here were some of my findings today...

A vocab list including "must-knows" like: sushi, hostel, yummy, pooped, breeze, neat...

Another student did what I do with Chi.nese characters, made them take over the paper..."segregate, nucleus, antenna, invasion, excrusion, stoop, colonial, inertia..."

Your job is to use all the above words in a paragraph and get back to me.

I'll be bussing all over Hangzhou in the rain if you need me.

walk slow. xoxo.