The result of basketball on a sunny, sub-tropical afternoon. Raymond was a tad hot, as was the photographer.

To do this justice you need to view it larger. Click the image.

Captured: July 21, 2008.

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The constant rain, that had me wondering how to build an ark, has passed. The sky over Shenzhen is now a bright seasonal blue and full of fluffy clouds. There is that evil ball of flame some call the sun, it’s only purpose to burn me to a crisp, to contend with. Better that than rain.

My 美国人朋友 (American friends) will be celebrating the 4th of July this weekend. My Canadian brethren celebrated Canada Day on July 1st. I have nothing to celebrate. There are no July holidays in China. National Day is October 1st.

I could celebrate the end of school. The students and teachers have scattered, blown to the four corners of the earth by a powerful wind called Summer Holidays. I could celebrate the start of a summer off. I could, if that were true.

Let’s look at The Stevo’s next few days:

Friday:
Human Resources Meeting
Summer Camp Planning Meeting

Saturday:
Business Teacher Interviews
English Teacher Interviews
Marking Business Teacher applications tests

(The interviews will involve me trying to decipher Chinese resumes, being part of the management panel and asking a question or two. I will listen to rapid-fire questions in Chinese, attempt to understand, get bored, and doodle on the HR forms.)

Sunday:
Course Consultant Interviews

All I really want to do is get a massage. Maybe Sunday evening. After a few drinks.

On the plus side: I’m buying a new camera next week, if my resident permit is complete and the government returns my passport. It’s hard to leave the country without a passport.

Question: What would the border guards do if I brought 20 Grade 1 students to vouch for my identity instead of the traditional passport?

Enjoy your national days of independence. Have a barbecue, watch fireworks and play merry. I’ll be sitting in an overly hot room on an uncomfortable chair.

I’ve been waiting several weeks to take this shot. The rain has finally abated (fingers crossed). For two days there have been blue skies.

The shot is not particularly dramatic, but I like the lines. This is part of the roof of the school building that holds my office and classroom.

RAW image with Landscape color profile.
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I’ve had an incredible run of bad luck. It happens every few years, like the leap year.

Case in Point: Yesterday.

I thought the text message was informing me of a meeting on Friday at 10 am. The “don’t be late” was prophetic. (I’m never late, some genetic quirk has me 15 minutes early for every event).

After hitting the gym (yes, I go to the gym) I returned home to shower the slimy, tropical sweat from my body. As I dried, my cell phone rang (Mirror in the Bathroom by The English Beat is my ringtone).

“Did you get my message?”

“Yes.”

“The meeting has started.”

“The meeting is tomorrow.”

“No.”

“No!”

Read the full story

Classmates, or, tong xue (同学）. Or friends,  pengyou (朋友). Here endeth the lesson.

Captured: April 14, 2008.

Nancy is comically short.

Grade 1 students are small but Nancy’s proportions place her in a different visual class than her contemporaries. I nicknamed her “The Ewok” out of affection. If she was hairier she could easily be one of George Lucas’ Return of the Jedi characters.

I was standing on the stairs between classes. The classrooms are on the 4th floor and Grade 1 students need a little assistance getting to their lessons in a non-tardy manner. A cavalcade of things can distract a seven-year-old: A rowdy classmate, a puddle, or a nearly invisible piece of lint can cause the young ones to stray from a path a straight forward as a flight of stairs.

Nancy stopped beside me. I ceased my shepherding.

“What’s this?” Nancy asked. Read the full story