chinagreg: Back in Mackay

Monday, October 12, 2009

Back in Mackay

Well here we are back in Mackay Far North Queensland (FNQ), it really is only Central Queensland (CQ) but I like the sound of fnq much better.
We have been "home" three months (now October), and have not seen one drop of rain in all that time, it's been more than 100 days since it last rained in June. In China I did tell my students that we only have two seasons up here - Wet and Dry; but this is ridiculous surely a little would be nice.
The time has flown - busy doing renovations, walking on the beach, making a bread oven, watching football down south in Melbourne, looking after grand-kids, talking and socialising. Now joined the Mackay golf club so will slow down a bit.

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I still call Australia home.

I sing this Peter Allen song when I think about home.

I've been to cities that never close down
from New York to Rome and old London town,
but no matter how far or how wide I roam
I still call Australia home.

I'm always travelling, I love being free,
and so I keep leaving the sun and the sea,
but my heart lies waiting over the foam.
I still call Australia home.

All the sons and daughters spinning ’round the world,
away from their family and friends,
but as the world gets older and colder,
it's good to know where your journey ends.

But someday we'll all be together once more
when all of the ships come back to the shore.
Then I realise something I've always known.
I still call Australia home.

Exams Finished

My 280 students finished their English test today; they all passed. The highest mark being 98% and the lowest 60%. I have now finished walking up 168 steps once or twice a day into a very hot classroom - I will not miss that but I will miss my smiling students; we have had a lot of fun together this semester. The learning here flows in two directions; it certainly was great to hear about life in Mongolia and other remote parts of this big country. Their life was all revealed to me when talking about their "home town and Family" so much detail in a two minute talk.

Weekend in Hunan Province

June 7,8 & 9 was the "Dragon Boat Festival" yes another good excuse for a long weekend - it happens everywhere. We went to Yueyang with one of our students - his Mum cooked the greatest food including chillie eels, chicken and mushrooms, lotus stems, cuttlefish and fried yabbies. All food totally different to the chinese take-away in Moonee Ponds. We visited the huge Port on the Yangtze, the river here is bigger than Sydney Harbour. We then went on to see the Yueyang Tower along with the souvenir shops where we could not resist the hand painted fans and wall scrolls. Once again the food for lunch at a side street was just lovely and very cheap. All in all we had a great time and only 335km by bus away(5 hours).

Exam week for my students at CTGU.

All my students will be looking forward to the three part exam for "English with Greg". The first part is called "Attendance" worth 40 marks is easy enough; just turn up for 10 lectures and earn the points. Miss more than 4 and forget it. Part 1 is the written quiz - 3o questions for 30 marks and the last is Part 2 the oral. I produce a list of ten topics and the students must talk- clearly and slowly for two minutes and then answer a couple of questions. Sounds easy enough. Would be hard for me if I had to do it in Chinese.
Will keep you posted on results.

chinagreg

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