All posts tagged: campus

Rain Proof

Published by Sula H.

It’s raining. How I know? Well, the tell-tale sign is when you look out of the window, of course. I, however, have another way of telling that it’s raining. All I need to do is … … go down to the lobby. And then I know. I know by the number of buckets set up everywhere. And by the numbers of additional puddles collecting slowly on the floor of our, yes, brand-new lobby! Puddles that could also do with their own buckets. But I’m learning these days that “brand-new” doesn’t always mean rainproof. And I’m learning that rainproof doesn’t always mean what you think it may mean. “Rainproof” in our lobby means that our lobby will always do a good job proving to us that – in fact – it’s raining outside!

Weather the Storms

Published by Sula H.

This year’s sports days are on the rough side of things. Yesterday, we got quite the storm blowing over us, and today, it’s been rainy. Poor freshman students who are required to participate in all events, either as athletes, or as part of the audience. My advice to my freshman students earlier this week therefore was: dress warm and take something to keep you from being all too bored for two whole days with you (a good book will always do, in my opinion).  

Going for Gold

Published by Sula H.

Sports day is always an important event at every university in this part of the world. My contribution to sports day is that I stand in the crowds watching the great parade of school representatives marching into the stadium, and then I usually try to catch an extra hour of tennis myself (since for once the courts aren’t taken up with classes). At any rate, as much as I love being in class with my students, I don’t mind getting an extra day off work, and getting to spend that time with a racket and a ball. It’s sports day after all …    

It’s That Time Again …

Published by Sula H.

… that time, which is called “midterm exam”. And while I really don’t like exams (despite the fact that I’m on the other end of it, meaning, I’m giving the exam, not taking it), there’s one thing I do like about exams. It’s the fact that I get to have an extra day off, and that again means, I’m still in the middle of the holiday season. So, taking into consideration this aspect of it, I do have to say that may I do like exams, and even if it’s just a little …

Somewhat of a Holiday Season

Published by Sula H.

No, we’re not on break. As a matter of fact, school can get even tricky at times, because you always have to keep an eye on the calendar to make sure you don’t miss Sunday school. Oh, wait! Did I say Sunday school? Well, what I mean is classes on Sunday. Yes, I agree with you. Having to go to school on Sunday doesn’t really sit right with me, either. But having classes on Sunday means, on the other hand, that there are some extra days without class. Today would be such a day. Because it’s the Tomb-Sweeping-Holiday. And since I’m lucky enough to teach on a Thursday, it means that I have an extra day off because of the holiday. It also means that I try to get that extra hour or two of tennis (after all, you’ve got to seize that rare opportunity when there’s a day midweek, when there’s no classes out on the tennis courts). But playing that extra hour of tennis also means you’ve got to make some sacrifices elsewhere. …

And then … nothing happened

Published by Sula H.

Do you remember the construction progress on our building that I’ve mentioned a couple of weeks ago? Well, they’re still building the scaffolds. And their favorite time tends to be early on weekend mornings; that is at times when residents are actually trying to sleep. But if you take a closer look at the progress they’ve made you have to realize that actually … well, nothing really happens. At least not to the building. I’m sure they’ve been putting up the scaffolds for a reason, though, so I guess I’ll have to continue to wait and see …  

That Foreign Faculty Photo

Published by Sula H.

I was in for a surprise today. No, no! Not what you think: of course we knew about the foreign faculty photo appointment a couple of days ago. The surprise, however, was how quickly everything was over again. You see, trying to get a 100+ people to one place at one time, and even on the same picture can be a daunting task sometimes. It may take up to 20 minutes of arranging, re-arranging, and then re-arranging the re-arrangement in order to ensure that a decent picture will turn out. And on top of that, we’re dealing with photographers who usually don’t speak English at all – so there’s usually a lot of motioning and hand clapping (though I haven’t been able to figure out what that means, yet). Today, however, was rather different. Within fifteen minutes of leaving my house, I was back in the comfort and warmth of a cozy home, and glad that both, photographers and all the many models, had managed to get it over with in record time. Great job, …

Bake Sale No. XY

Published by Sula H.

We love bake sales. Simply because they give us the pleasure of enjoying some of the comforts we’ve known from home. And tonight, it was one of these days again – one of these, rare, wonderful, and yummy occasions to join a long line of fellow teachers (and students) who are willing to indulge themselves for the sole purpose of supporting orphans in the area (which is the reason why these bake sales are organized in the first place). And what a wonderful reason it is to get a couple of extra sweet treats when you know it’s all for a good purpose and not really only to spoil yourself and put on a couple of extra pounds …

Early Sunday Morning Surprises

Published by Sula H.

Sunday mornings. Not everywhere do they stand for sleep-ins and lazy mornings, for quiet and solitude. Here, they certainly don’t. The other day, I woke up to a surprise … a rather unpleasant one at that! I woke up to heavy banging, to voices shouting all over the place, and to the clanging of metal against metal, and it dawned on me that the workers were at it again. At it in ways I wish they weren’t. And when I looked outside, I knew what was going on. I guess, for the next couple of weeks I’ll have to deal with people talking on the other side of my walls, sounding as if they’re standing in the room with me just the same. Bye-bye lazy sleep-ins, bye bye quiet and peace.