Had a little trip down memory lane last Sunday when I joined my friend Mint for lunch and then realised how bizarre the whole situation might seem to some who rarely travel. Here was an Australian and Thai person having lunch in a Vietnamese restaurant in China.....talk about blending of cultures!!! Had a delightful time recalling memories of my trips to both Thailand and Vietnam as I devoured the most wonderful vietnamese food. Then I thought to myself but isn't this what this wonderful life is all about. I am privileged to be able to experience so much diversity while living the life of my dreams....who would have thought getting out of DHHS would make me this lucky!!! Suckers to those who thought I would fail!!!!!

I continue to battle with the intricacies of the Chinese language. Oh little did I know what a challenge this would prove to be!!. My mind is spinning with weird little characters...many of which I've had to make up stories about to remember!! My tongue does not seem to understand that it has to move around my mouth to make certain sounds, my fingers are blistered from trying to write all those weird characters and my brain seems to be in meltdown mode as I try to understand the grammar. BUT all in all the challenge hasn't beaten me yet and I continue with the fervent hope that very soon I'll be able to have an intelligent conversation!!

University life and teaching is a breeze for me at the moment. All my lesson planning is done until the end of the semester and all I have to do is write the exams for the students. As one who hated sitting exams when I was a student I do feel sorry for mine but when in China one must do what Chinese do!! My third year students have the added pressure that they commence working at the hospital next semester and they are all scared witless at the moment.....I'm getting so many questions about working as a Nurse and heaven forbid what if they have to look after a foreign patient!! I have to keep reminding them that they can speak perfectly good English and have the advantage over the other hospital staff who didn't learn their course in English as well as Chinese - I'm not sure the "pep" talk is working that well.....


Needless to say with winter fast approaching I am feeling less inclined to go "walkabout" around the city and think I will leave the sightseeing until the warmer weather returns. I'm still having trouble coming to grips with the fact that it gets so cold here in Nanjing that we get snow BUT we dont have any heating in the classrooms?!?!?! CRAZY!!!!

I think I will be spending a lot of time in my apartment with the heater cranked up high.....with no power bills to pay I will not be freezing for anyone!!

Thats it for now....so till next time....bye.xxx