Monday, July 12, 2004
day 2 in wuhan
we spent another day getting ready today. more meetings, more discussion, etc. the best part was seeing our classrooms. they aren't pretty--kinda like the rooms i've always taught in at OSU--but they have huge wide-screen TVs in them that are hooked up to computers, DVD players, and opaque projectors. really great equipment. the desks are bolted to the floor, in rows. i will try to make a photo available sometime soon.
as for the weather, it has rained for both days we've been here. the temps have probably been in the high-80s, making the air outside kinda soupy. no complaints though--i spend a lot of my time holed up in the hotel. we eat all three meals here in a dining room around big tables with a lazy-susan that the attendants are constantly putting dishes of food onto, and also our program's computer lounge is set-up here. however, after dinner tonite a couple friends and i actually made it down the hill part of the way, to a nearby athletic field, and threw a frisbee i brought.i would also like to show you a photo of the field we played on, with a big track around it. it is sunken into the mountain [hill] a little, and there is an unbelievably majestic traditional-style building perched overlooking it. it is quite dramatic and impressive. the chinese seem to pay particular attention to landscapes and creating powerful visual effects.
tomorrow we meet our students for the first time. everything the last 5 days [5 or 6 weeks really] has been leading up to this moment. it has been easy to forget the last few days--as we toured the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square--that we are in fact here for one purpose mainly: to teach. but now, it is upon us and it is time to show the Wuhan University that we are worthy. i sure hope it goes well. i know i will try to put on a great day over-and-over again for the students who come through my class.
i hope everyone is well and i would love to hear from you. i know there is a Comments feature on the blog, but i am having some technical difficulties and it's hard enough to get my posts up there so i can't really manage to check those yet. so if you can, please email me because it helps me feel connected and not halfway around the world.
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as for the weather, it has rained for both days we've been here. the temps have probably been in the high-80s, making the air outside kinda soupy. no complaints though--i spend a lot of my time holed up in the hotel. we eat all three meals here in a dining room around big tables with a lazy-susan that the attendants are constantly putting dishes of food onto, and also our program's computer lounge is set-up here. however, after dinner tonite a couple friends and i actually made it down the hill part of the way, to a nearby athletic field, and threw a frisbee i brought.i would also like to show you a photo of the field we played on, with a big track around it. it is sunken into the mountain [hill] a little, and there is an unbelievably majestic traditional-style building perched overlooking it. it is quite dramatic and impressive. the chinese seem to pay particular attention to landscapes and creating powerful visual effects.
tomorrow we meet our students for the first time. everything the last 5 days [5 or 6 weeks really] has been leading up to this moment. it has been easy to forget the last few days--as we toured the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square--that we are in fact here for one purpose mainly: to teach. but now, it is upon us and it is time to show the Wuhan University that we are worthy. i sure hope it goes well. i know i will try to put on a great day over-and-over again for the students who come through my class.
i hope everyone is well and i would love to hear from you. i know there is a Comments feature on the blog, but i am having some technical difficulties and it's hard enough to get my posts up there so i can't really manage to check those yet. so if you can, please email me because it helps me feel connected and not halfway around the world.
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