Hello everyone, 你吃了吗. I am sorry that I haven't posted a new story for a while I have been busy, but also a little lazy. As I mentioned in my last post I was giving all of my students an exam last week. Now as much fun as it is to actually administer the exam it was so much work. First I had to write the exam, and for my Freshman oral class I wrote 3 different exams with the same format. For my sophomore's exam I wrote 36 individual exams, but they were just 2 oral questions each so no big deal. Then of course students expect you to actually grade the exams and return them in a timely manner. So I spent all of last weekend grading like 200+ exams. Once again it only took maybe 3-5 minutes to grade each exam, they weren't difficult, but take 3 and multiple it by 200 and you get 600 minutes. That is 10 hours of grading, I don't know how I did it. Then I had to enter all their grades into my excel program another 40 minutes of work per class. As the Beatles said it's been a hard days night and I've been working like a dog.
So after repeated complaints from you guys I decided to switch up the movie situation. Instead of Watchmen I showed Dead Poets Society, a classic with Robin Williams and Robert Sean Leonard. For those of you who are saying, "Robert Sean who?", he is the main character. In the movie his dad wants him to go to Harvard and become a doctor, well he shoots himself instead, Oh SPOILER ALERT by the way. The funny part of this is that the actor Robert Sean Leonard is now Dr. Wilson on the television show House, and the father, played by Kurtwood Smith, went onto be the father of the 70's show. So both actors are just playing to type I guess. However a problem has arose since most of classes overlap, oral and writing, so most of my students have seen both films. So they have witnessed two suicides. So I had to give a P.S.A. in both of my classes telling them that suicide is not the answer. One student got u and mention how in China it is the same as the movie in that they blame the teacher for the mistakes of the students. So I had to go beyond the P.S.A. in that class and we had a conversation with Uncle Josh. In which I told them repeatedly no while wagging my finger at them. I think I got my point across though.
Recently I was introduced to a German man living in Shiyan and working at Taihe hospital, his name is Florian. Apparently he has been living here as long as me, but he did not have the advantage of Finn or Luke to help him. He is here studying Chinese, and is a pretty cool guy. I know Rebecca is jealous as can be, so neaner neaner neaner. This Friday we are going to play Axis and Allies, which as you might of guessed is a WWII strategy game. We aren't sure yet whether or not Florian is going to be the Germans.
As some of you may know a few of my friends are coming to visit China in a couple of weeks. I will be going to see them in Xi'an over the first weekend in December. So if you want to give me anything feel free to call up Casey and ask him to pack it in his bag. I believe my parents are going to put a few things together, seeing as how this will save them the 60 dollar shipping cost for a small package. I am debating whether or not I want them to bring my PS3, still thinking it over.
By the way Yankees rule!!!! Surprisingly so do the Bengals, its strange.
I don't really have much time today because I have some activities and then a class to go to. However I am on skype now, I finally got a webcam and for free. Once again Lily hooked me up by giving me her new old one. So if you want to talk with me let me know and we can set up a chat on skype, or on QQ International as well.
Sad news China is now blocking Vimeo, so I do not know what I am going to do to get my videos to you guys. I am still looking into it. So for the foreseeable future it looks like we will be videoless, sorry.
