The Chinese Way

The alarm would ring at 6:30.  If we had remembered to turn on the hot water heater, we would take a quick shower; if we had not turned on the water heater, showering would be done later.

Breakfast; yoghurt with cereal in it and a piece of toast.

Time was slipping by rapidly, so I'd double check to make sure I had everything I would need for class: the flash drive, student rolls, and whatever else I would need for that day.

Out the door by quarter to eight and then the walk to school.

Past the canteen...
past the elementary school, where the children would be arriving with their parents and grandparents:       some came riding bikes, cars, walking....
past the Xinghan market....
past the other canteen....
now walking the little path beside the dirty, muddy river, but still very beautiful in its own way....
by the side of the library....
on the long wide path under the beautiful trees that shaded the walkway...
through the statue park with its statues of Lenin, Marx, Shakespeare, and others.....
past the morning breakfast-seller's cart...
and then into the building, climbing up the three flights of stairs.

I always loved that walk (except maybe two times when the heat nearly did me in!).

It was a great start to the morning....I would think about class, and what we would be doing that day.  I would think about the students and wonder how I could REALLY help them.

Then, after two classes in the morning, it was a reverse walk home; then after lunch, the walk back again and home again.

What a great way to begin a day...oh, I do miss those lovely walks through Guangdong University!