Quite a Few Things Happening

Today's weather: High = 19 Low = 8
Sunny and just awesome

Alright, quite a few things on the agenda for this year and going into next. Most of it is just in the planning stages, but things are looking to be very productive in the coming years. In fact, I would already consider this past year in Shanghai to have now been the best in my oversease teaching career. The Gr 12 students are doing extremely well, and have gotten university offers at some top dog places, including University of Toronto, McGill, and UCLA (California)

As well I've really been getting into the mathematics paradigm this year, with only teaching math courses and no physics this particular year (unlke other years). I would hope to continue teaching physics in the future, but the opportunity has come up to do an online masters program in math offered by the university of Waterloo. So I'm going to apply and if it goes well, the program would start September -- and can be done while working. Colleagues at other offshores schools are doing it and the feedback is good.

In the immediate future I'll be doing an AP calculus teacher training course. Some of that is happening right now as I'm test-piloting a small class of 4-5 people after school twice a week in order to prepare them for the AP test. It's not an official class and I'm not getting paid for it, but this is helping me get an idea of how to teach AP for next year.

There is also, of course, a motorcycle training course which I'll be doing this July.

An ongoing project I have is to try and get a legal motorcycle license in China. This could take years, but the key is to get my hands on a legal motorcycle license back home first, and the planning will be critical as things went belly up on the license last year.

Meanwhile, I have signed another contract for next year at this school.

In terms of housing, my current lease expires in June and will see about the possibility of moving, if it is required. The current location is rather nice, right in the heart of XuHui district (a downtown district) and very close to work. Most of the time I don't even need to leave this district!! On average, I might use the motorcycle about 80-100km a week, so this is a really nice break compared to previous years. Due to that, my transport costs are barely even 100 RMB for the entire month!!!

The problem though, is that the rent is guaranteed to go up, and it would easily top $1000 / month next year. The school so far hasn't said anything about upping the ante on the housing allowance. If they don't, moving out may be inevitable, and the ball would have to start rolling as early as May on it -- not a wanted proposition. However, friends of friends say they *might* be able to get me a place on Huaihai Road for a deal as they have guanxi with the landlord. This would be an even better location in a more downtown area for a lower price.

This would be the preferred way to go. Will see what happens.