August 28, 2010 I like the school, even though it was raining when I arrived. The Taxi cost about $1.50 to take about 4 mile, can you believe? And I thought I would walk, not! Gated and two or three guards at the entrance, very secure. There are many buildings, including a fine arts performance hall and sculpture in the garden. The IB area is housed with one of the public school buildings. I have an office overlooking a grassed roof, go figure. The Art room greeted me with really bad graffiti on the walls, needs a mural to cover it. (Thinking of you Keleigh Brill) The art teacher that left, forgot to clean up! What a mess, looks like I will be pitching stuff on Tuesday and setting up the room for Wednesday first day. The room will be cool when it is straightened, only problem, no AC! (That was an oxy-moron) They are getting me a secondary art room with AC for those sultry days. There is a couple computer labs and a lecture hall. Quite up to snuff, I would say. Some of the hall ways, ours happens to be on the 5th floor, are open air. It is lovely, after you have puffed up the five flights.

I met my western colleagues, an American, Brit and Aussie! We all have such accents. I answered someone in Spanish and that was funny, they thought it was a dialect of English. My Chinese is just 2 words at this point. Have much to learn and it is mind boggling. I am going for latte with the western teachers today and looking forward to chatting.

My back is really sore, could use my inversion table or a good massage! (Where is Susan Cline when you need her?) Casey said to buy an egg crate, hope they have those here.

My space bags worked great but now that I am opening them, everything is so wrinkled, need to buy an iron next. And I need about 100 hangers, I have 6 in my closet.

For those of you interested in my bathroom findings…. The high school facilities are a lovely Prussian blue tiled hole in the floor, at least each hole has a door. I inquired about faculty restrooms and a regular toilet, and since I am the only female western teacher they may accommodate me with something. Maybe a five gallon bucket with a lid! Culture Update #1: Always carry toilet paper on you, as there is none in any of the bathrooms!

Need to take some pictures today. The university has historical architecture and some being renovated. They are using scaffolding made of bamboo that goes up maybe ten stories. It looks like an accident waiting to happen. I was told there is a Buddhist Temple behind the campus, that might be my first photo excursion.