I thought I was finished for a while when I walked out of the school last Friday, but I’m back again today. They asked if I could come by and talk to the Grade 12 students about the college football experience. I’m no expert, but I know enough and have enough materials to keep them interested for most of the class.

After class, I enjoyed lunch with the faculty, and then started on my chores for the afternoon. First, Josie and I go over to the travel agency, pick-up our Tibet Travel Permit, and pay the balance for our trip next week. After we pay, the agent walks us to a pharmacy seven or eight blocks away and helps us buy some Tibetan herbs that are supposed to help with the altitude issues associated with Lhasa.

Next, we hurry back to BHSFIC, where Fisher, the Chinese staff member in charge of all the foreign teachers daily struggles (housing, rent, bank transfers, etc.) is waiting on us. He’s helping me get a tax statement of all the tax I’ve paid in China on my income at BHSFIC. It requires a subway trip and a long walk before arriving in the Tax Office. Fisher takes care of everything. All he needed was my passport. I’m not sure what I need this tax statement for, but it’s much easier to get it while I’m in China, than trying to chase it down when we’re gone. Judy has already gone through the process at her school.

One thing I did confirm today was that the classes I thought I might be teaching in June won’t be happening. The school has some other activities planned for the students. I’m “free as a bird,” at least as it relates to teaching.

Oh yeah! This morning the hot water stopped in the middle of my shower? When I got home, still no hot water, but I noticed a sign on the lobby bulletin board with today’s date and times from 8:00 to 20:00. I couldn’t decipher anything else on the sign. The hot water quit around 8:00, so I’m hoping it comes on at 8:00 pm. My deductive reasoning was correct. We have hot water at 7:45.

This was the note posted on the bulletin board informing us about the hot water.