All posts tagged: campus

Why I Love My Job

Published by Sula H.

There are many reasons for why I love my job. One of them is that working with freshman students reminds me a lot of working with first graders. In high school, Chinese students – generally speaking – have to work and study so hard that literally they hardly have time to live, enjoy life, spend time with friends, develop socially. So, when they come to university, in many ways they are like little children, just discovering the world. Many a times, therefore, I’ve had it happen to me that I’d run into one of my students outside of class, and their excitement about seeing me overpowers any reservations – they wave at me with great enthusiasm, give me a big hug – just like a first grader would do – and tell me how excited they are to see me! Or they keep telling me about how they love their English teacher (that’s me!), and how beautiful they think she is (that’s me again – though basically every foreigner is beautiful/handsome in their eyes). Or …

Saturday Feature: Bake Sale

Published by Sula H.

Bake sales are great! They happen about twice a year, and it’s the one chance you get to indulge in western style baked treats. Our bake sale offers the full range of deliciousness: cookies, cupcakes, bagels with cream cheese, granola, and full size cakes. And this time they offered apple cider, coffee, and other hot drinks. There always is a silent auction for all the cakes, and the profits of the bake sales go to support orphans in our area. So, not only do you get to have yummy treats, but your treats also get to help children in need. What better way is there to indulge oneself?

Why I Love Midterm Exams

Published by Sula H.

Seeing my post the other day, you must think now that midterm exams for me are a thoroughly nasty thing. But to be honest, I also find enough reasons that actually make me like midterm exams – the most important one being that they usually give me an extra day or two off work. Now, who doesn’t like that, right? So, I’m guessing weighing the good and the bad of exams, it comes to a tie, which means that I haven’t spent an altogether awful week so far. And I’m really thankful that my house is warm and cozy now! Yay for heaters that work!

Why I Hate Midterm Exams

Published by Sula H.

You would think that as a teacher I don’t mind exams, but that’s not quite true. Yes, it is true that I get to give the exams, not take them. But I still don’t like them. Because giving an exam is just as hard work as taking one. Because for two hours you have to pay 100% attention to each of your students; because you’re not allowed to slack – even for a moment (as it could mess up the students’ grades); because students come with expectations, and all are hoping that you’ll give them an A, which simply doesn’t happen; because you get to hear the same phrases over and over; because exams are just boring, and annoying, and really hard work – whether you give them, or you take them. I’m just glad that for me the midterm exams are over. And I’m glad that the heat in my apartment finally kicked in, which means heater day is in effect! Having heat now, is something that I’m really thankful for, esp. since it …

Heater Day Has Come

Published by Sula H.

Finally! Heater day has come, and that’s supposed to be good news. Probably because of the recent chill, they decided to turn on the heat a day earlier than usual. After all,  remember – in China the heating system is regulated corporately, which means no one can individually control it, and it usually is turned on on November 15, and will last until March 15 – no matter whether you’re home or not, or whether it’s cold or not; the heat will be on. Except that my radiators have no sign of heat – yet. So I’m still hoping and wishing, and I’m very thankful that the last few days the weather has warmed up a little again. Still, I want a comfy home, and that means I’ll have to keep an eye on my radiators these days. By the way, talking about keeping an eye on things – I saw one yesterday. A tree shaker, that is. Remember Saturday’s post? And yesterday, I was out on my bike, enjoying the sunshine and what not, …

Saturday Feature: The Mystery of the Leafless Trees

Published by Sula H.

I figured it out! I discovered the secret to the question that has puzzled me for such a long time (even in one of my last posts): The question as to why the trees on campus only have green leaves, or no leaves; and why there are never any leaves on the ground that crunch so wonderfully when you walk. (With all my “grown-up-ness,” I love crunching leaves!) The answer to that question: It’s the tree shakers. What? You don’t know what tree shakers are!? Well, let me enlighten you: Tree shakers are the people who shake the trees to make all the leaves fall off. Makes sense, right? Our tree shakers work on campus to keep the grounds clean and tidy (and they do a meticulous job at that, I assure you), and you could either call them gardeners, maintenance people, or – as a matter of fact – tree shakers. So, believe me or not, in China you can actually make a living with shaking trees. (Or, at least it’ll be part of …

Autumn’s Fashion

Published by Sula H.

Autumn is the weirdest thing around here. While some trees still are in full and green summer splendor, others have lost all their leaves already. And interspersed between these two – if you look hard enough – you can actually find them – those beautiful autumn colors that I love about this season! So, whenever fall puts on its most colorful dress, I can’t resist! I just have to pack my camera, and get out there to capture some of the season’s latest fashion. In that spirit I went out for a little walk the other day, and look what I found … And then I went out again yesterday, for the sole purpose of taking pictures with my friends, because it’s fall, and because it was a pretty day. And guess what awful thing happened? The battery died! Yes! It died. Just when we wanted to start the photo session. That is, I knew it was almost dead when I left home. But that’s what you got your spare battery for, right? Duhhh! The …

Survival with the Bike Bell

Published by Sula H.

It used to be a lot better looking. And it even used to have a compass on top – before the compass decided to have a divorce (and it never even asked for my permission – ungrateful thing!). Now it’s just a simple, compassless bike bell. But it’s a good one. And I need it. Almost as desperately as I need the breaks on my bike. Because without my bike bell, trying to get to class with my bike would be an almost hopeless case. There are just too many students on the road when I’m on my way to class. And even with the bell it’s quite the challenge to weave through the crowds of students. So, my bike bell turns out to be a life-saver, both for myself, and for any student that would inadvertently run into my bike if it wasn’t for the bell. What a lucky thing to have that bell. Even if it’s a divorced, compassless bell! Saying Thanks … And, since we’re talking about bikes and bells already today, …