Hot, Humid and Foggy

It is again warm in Nanjing. I have had the air conditioner going since Thursday. Today when we crossed the Yangtze river on the way to classes it was very foggy and it was hard to see anything on the river.

On Saturday my internet suddenly quit working and the internet office was closed so I was without internet until I was able to get to the office after my class today. We pay a deposit on the internet and the money gradually gets used up. However after using only 20 yuan worth in September, I was shocked that 3o yuan worth was used up by the 18th October and I mentioned it to the lady in the office. She looked up my record and asked what I downloaded on the 12th Oct. because I used up 24 yuan worth that day. I couldn't remember downloading anything, but on the way home it hit me that that was the Sunday the branch watched general conference at the Church. Instead of getting dressed and going to Church I stayed at the apartment and watched three sessions on the computer, so that was what depleted my internet deposit.

The Chinese have trouble telling the foreign teachers apart. A friend and I were waiting for the bus the other day and we got introduced to a Chinese teacher. He said he couldn't tell us apart. My friend is about 5 foot 2 and weighs about 125 pounds. I guess I shouldn't mind being confused with her. Her husband is over 6 feet and one of the students told Bob he could tell the difference between the two of them because Bob always wore a tie to classes.

It was a quiet week for us, but the campus was very busy over the week-end. I think it must have been graduation, but I am not certain.

We went to Billy's Steak House on Friday evening. None of the waitresses spoke English and we had 4 giggling waitresses trying to take our order. The menu had English sub-titles for the main dishes but not for the sauces and side dishes and they tried to figure out how the steaks were to be cooked. We decided this was one place we didn't need to go back to.

I sat beside a Chinese teacher on the bus Thursday. She teaches English writing and showed me a passage from the text book and asked me to explain it. How do you explain anal-retentive legal principal?

Bob visited the Massacre Museum on Saturday. I had read the book "Rape of Nanjing" and I didn't want to hear any more about it. It was quite gruesome. Bob admired the architecture of the building.

Yesterday was High Council Sunday in our ward. The high councilor was Wayne Schmirler. He and his wife both spoke. She was raised in Taber and used to be in 3rd Ward when Leo Davidson was bishop. He is from Calgary. They lived in Magrath at one time.