Start all over

In a way, I feel like I am starting all over again. It is because of my new computer. The College provides a computer here, but it is limited. It is not a current model, and seems to be missing some bits, and some days has a go slow period where it takes 50 seconds for a letter you have just typed to appear, for you to type another one.

My own little laptop that had served me well, worked for the first three or four weeks, and then played up. I could not save any Microsoft Office documents, and many I couldn't open. All my work for the course was locked in the computer.

I went from person to person, place to place, and no one could seem to make much of a difference. I am still waiting on some software from Australia, which just might resolve the problem, but in the meantime I had to endure the frustrations of it all.

In the end I purchased a new computer - and while it is working almost as well as I need it, it still has some hiccups, but I will persevere. Maybe at the end of the week, I'll take it back to the shop for some advice. Maybe next week - it is a holiday week, so the people I want to see may well be away. It is not urgent. Just a little frustrating.

As well as the software from Australia, I am still waiting for my new camera. That too is frustrating as the "old" one (still under warranty) chooses when to function or not, and anyway would not let me transfer photos from the camera to the computer. Grrrrrr.

With the new computer I just pull out the SD card from the computer and happily upload the photos to the laptop. Easy.

I have so many photos and stories to write I may never get it all done. It is hard to believe that it is less than two months before we are due to finish the term, and I should be winging my way back to Australia.

I have been asked to return for next semester - and it is very tempting. Some days I am all enthused about it, and other days I wonder at the wisdom of it. One thing that really appeals is that the college I think has been granted university status (we are waiting on confirmation) so it will look good on my resume that I have taught at a university, but the most important thing is that the whole living in China thing, and teaching here is so overwhelming that the first few months are a blur - and I'd like to come back because I know so much more.

We will see. In the meantime, I have work to do - but will post some photos and stores. This weekend - May holiday - I am going to Shanghai for two days - probably with the old camera by the look of things, but I'm looking forward to that!