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I now know why Nanjing is called on of the 3 "furnaces" of China......the weather is hot, hot, hot, tropical rain, hot, hot ,hot. For the life of me I cannot get used to having to leave my apartment on a sunny day and carry an umbrella!!! Needless to say I have managed to get drenched a few times which is almost a blessed relief from the heat. Most of the Chinese girls use umbrellas everyday to ward of the sun in their pursuit of getting white skin - they think I am crazy not protecting my 'beautiful white skin" and think we are even crazier when I tell them that many westerners actually pay for a spray tan!!!
Started teaching this week and was greeted warmly by my students. It is great because I am teaching the same students I had last semester so we wont have to go through the "getting to know you" routine. The only difference is they have gone up a year so I now teach year 2 and 3 student nurses. Scool years here are like the USA and commence this semester so we are now into the 2011-2012 school year. I am still teaching my postgraduate students and hopefully will have the joy of seeing them receive their Masters degree in June next year.
This week's local news…..A passenger bus was hijacked by four criminals in Nanjing on August 30, according to the local police authorities. According to reports, the hijack occurred near a toll station of the Nanjing 3rd Bridge over Yangtze River as police conducted a routine checkup. At around 14:20, the police succeeded in persuading three of the suspects to turn themselves in, while the fourth suspect was shot down by the police (No mucking around here!). At 14:40, a man who sustained facial injuries was sent to the local hospital; it was unknown whether he was the hijacker or one of the passengers. At around 15:12, all hostages were rescued. For a country not known for its accuracy when it comes to time…..this article was surprisingly precise!!
Despite the heat I have been out and about. Decided to visit the Stone City Park which runs along the riverfront thinking I might catch a breeze (I didn't) which might cool me down a bit. Naturally I walked a lot further than I anticipated and after many hours of walking finally found my way to the area with several western bars and partook (is that word?) of a nice cold , well earned local beer!! Met some new foreign students who have commenced at one or another of the many universities here so ended up joining them to while away a few hours until it cooled down (well into the high 20s) and I could finish my walk home. got back exhausted and slept like a baby last night!!
Stone City Park - aka s***oucheng is one of the oldest and most historic places in Nanjing, though it is hard to see that when one goes there. Built by Emperor Sun Quan of the Wu Kingdom (circa 333 BC) during the Three Kingdoms Period, this area of land served as a strategic point for battles and was compared to a "crouching tiger" by the ancient people. Today, the park is open to all visitors, who can see the (very) ancient fortifications as well as a collection of modern artillery cannons placed throughout the park. At the top of its highest point, there are great views up and down the Qinhuai river and across to outlying suburbs. It is clearly a favourite amongst local people as I witnessed old men flying kites and singing opera, old men and ladies practicing taiqi and young children running around the many stones.
Today I am spending doing lesson planning for my year 3 students - teaching maternal and paediatric nursing this semester. Funnily enough I hated learning anatomy and physiology as a student 30 years ago and as I prepare for this week's lessons I realise I still don't enjoy A&P - seeing it as a necessary evil....of course I won't be telling my students that. Have to admit its going to be a hard slog teaching A&P.
Construction work had not quite finished on campus so as I sit here preparing lessons I am surrounded by the noise of jackhammers, trucks and shouting workers which even I can't drown out with music!!! However the end is in sight......I think the building are finished and they are now repairing the damage they did to the roads and gardens.
Well until next time...its bye for now. xxx
Started teaching this week and was greeted warmly by my students. It is great because I am teaching the same students I had last semester so we wont have to go through the "getting to know you" routine. The only difference is they have gone up a year so I now teach year 2 and 3 student nurses. Scool years here are like the USA and commence this semester so we are now into the 2011-2012 school year. I am still teaching my postgraduate students and hopefully will have the joy of seeing them receive their Masters degree in June next year.
This week's local news…..A passenger bus was hijacked by four criminals in Nanjing on August 30, according to the local police authorities. According to reports, the hijack occurred near a toll station of the Nanjing 3rd Bridge over Yangtze River as police conducted a routine checkup. At around 14:20, the police succeeded in persuading three of the suspects to turn themselves in, while the fourth suspect was shot down by the police (No mucking around here!). At 14:40, a man who sustained facial injuries was sent to the local hospital; it was unknown whether he was the hijacker or one of the passengers. At around 15:12, all hostages were rescued. For a country not known for its accuracy when it comes to time…..this article was surprisingly precise!!
Despite the heat I have been out and about. Decided to visit the Stone City Park which runs along the riverfront thinking I might catch a breeze (I didn't) which might cool me down a bit. Naturally I walked a lot further than I anticipated and after many hours of walking finally found my way to the area with several western bars and partook (is that word?) of a nice cold , well earned local beer!! Met some new foreign students who have commenced at one or another of the many universities here so ended up joining them to while away a few hours until it cooled down (well into the high 20s) and I could finish my walk home. got back exhausted and slept like a baby last night!!
Stone City Park - aka s***oucheng is one of the oldest and most historic places in Nanjing, though it is hard to see that when one goes there. Built by Emperor Sun Quan of the Wu Kingdom (circa 333 BC) during the Three Kingdoms Period, this area of land served as a strategic point for battles and was compared to a "crouching tiger" by the ancient people. Today, the park is open to all visitors, who can see the (very) ancient fortifications as well as a collection of modern artillery cannons placed throughout the park. At the top of its highest point, there are great views up and down the Qinhuai river and across to outlying suburbs. It is clearly a favourite amongst local people as I witnessed old men flying kites and singing opera, old men and ladies practicing taiqi and young children running around the many stones.
Today I am spending doing lesson planning for my year 3 students - teaching maternal and paediatric nursing this semester. Funnily enough I hated learning anatomy and physiology as a student 30 years ago and as I prepare for this week's lessons I realise I still don't enjoy A&P - seeing it as a necessary evil....of course I won't be telling my students that. Have to admit its going to be a hard slog teaching A&P.
Construction work had not quite finished on campus so as I sit here preparing lessons I am surrounded by the noise of jackhammers, trucks and shouting workers which even I can't drown out with music!!! However the end is in sight......I think the building are finished and they are now repairing the damage they did to the roads and gardens.
Well until next time...its bye for now. xxx
- comments
wayne looking cool in the heat i'll try to live upe to your cool example
Judy Martin enjoying the blogs Kate - if not travelling might as bwell do it on the back of seomeone elses blog!