Finding the Rabbit
Monday, June 12, 2006
Hi, y’all –
Nihao ma? (Psst: your line is, “I’m fine, thank you. And you?”)
Not a whole lot to report here. Another term has ended, and three of my classes had their final exams this week. CE03 is now CE04, CE04 is now CE05, which means they also start a new textbook, and my junior high class, CJ07, is now CJ08. They have been reading a simplified version of Phantom of the Opera for their class, which we’ve all been enjoying very much. We have one chapter left, which we will finish on the first day of CJ08, before we begin our new reader, Gulliver’s Travels.
The other classes have been doing fine, with the exception of my third adult class, which meets on Monday and Wednesday nights, and my adult writing class, which meets on Friday nights. They have both been cancelled due to low enrollment. That’s a mixed blessing, but a predictable one: adult classes are highly unreliable because the students tend to get caught up in their lives and stop going to class. Children, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of laziness or the freedom of choice, so they keep coming whether they want to or not. I now have room for several more children’s classes to open, which Jennifer is trying to do. It looks likely that I’ll get a new CE01 (beginning children’s) class sometime in July, and possibly a CJ01 (beginning junior high) class too.
Clara has had a friend from America visiting for the past week, and I've been able to join them on a few outings now and then. Her friend isn't in any of them, but here are some more hiking pictures: ¶ 10:56 AM
Nihao ma? (Psst: your line is, “I’m fine, thank you. And you?”)
Not a whole lot to report here. Another term has ended, and three of my classes had their final exams this week. CE03 is now CE04, CE04 is now CE05, which means they also start a new textbook, and my junior high class, CJ07, is now CJ08. They have been reading a simplified version of Phantom of the Opera for their class, which we’ve all been enjoying very much. We have one chapter left, which we will finish on the first day of CJ08, before we begin our new reader, Gulliver’s Travels.
The other classes have been doing fine, with the exception of my third adult class, which meets on Monday and Wednesday nights, and my adult writing class, which meets on Friday nights. They have both been cancelled due to low enrollment. That’s a mixed blessing, but a predictable one: adult classes are highly unreliable because the students tend to get caught up in their lives and stop going to class. Children, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of laziness or the freedom of choice, so they keep coming whether they want to or not. I now have room for several more children’s classes to open, which Jennifer is trying to do. It looks likely that I’ll get a new CE01 (beginning children’s) class sometime in July, and possibly a CJ01 (beginning junior high) class too.
Clara has had a friend from America visiting for the past week, and I've been able to join them on a few outings now and then. Her friend isn't in any of them, but here are some more hiking pictures: ¶ 10:56 AM
YANG MING SHAN NATIONAL PARK
A few Sundays ago, Jennifer, Stephanie and I brought Clara here. This is the same park I'd come to with Jennifer, her two friends, and Rodger a few months ago, but we went to a different area this time. On this trip we went to the Cingtiangkang Grasslands, a popular hiking area. ¶ 10:33 AM
A few Sundays ago, Jennifer, Stephanie and I brought Clara here. This is the same park I'd come to with Jennifer, her two friends, and Rodger a few months ago, but we went to a different area this time. On this trip we went to the Cingtiangkang Grasslands, a popular hiking area. ¶ 10:33 AM
The vast majority of trails are like this, which annoyed me no end. It's so easy to trip on those stones! But I understand why they're like that. On this island, any ground not covered with vegetation is in danger of becoming eroded and muddy. 
¶ 10:23 AM
We came up to the Cingtiangkang Grasslands, a hilltop area where people came and had picnics or played badminton. We did neither, though. We ate our snacks and kept hiking. The day was perfect - overcast and breezy - a blessed relief from the usual humidity and rain.
¶ 10:19 AM
Stephanie took this picture of Jennifer and Clara talking shop. While they did, we took some self-portaits of our own. Now Stephanie has a soft spot for my camera.
¶ 9:56 AM
