So I've put a couple of videos from the Olympics on YouTube that I caught of the Fuwa (the Friendlies) during their "changing". Here's one of them below.

I also filmed several performances from my school's 50th Anniversary Celebration. Here's two minutes of the one that totally rocked: a Tibetan welcoming dance.

For the past three years that I have taught in China, I've never been a part of the campus-wide sports meet. Not that I've really wanted to be, but to tapped to be involved would have been nice. Well, this year I/the team got our chance.

Just this morning I participated in the shot put. I hadn't thrown one since 5th grade - that's 2 and a half decades ago! I didn't know my rank, but I do know I didn't get in the top 8 out of 23. Oh well.

Wu has been in like 6 or 7 events. I just saw him complete the long jump (actually getting into the finals with a 5.00-meter jump). Yesterday, Daren pulled third in the 400-meter. His prize was Winnie the Pooh's bowls (every foreign teacher's DREAM gift). Rachel ran yesterday as well (I can't remember the event) and got sixth. Her prize was hangers. Vance and Anthony ran in the 200-meter pulling a modest 5th and 4th respectively in their qualifiers. Sarah ran as well, but I don't know the events either. We really tried to get Samantha involved in a race, but, when asked to participate, she simply screamed, "Wow!" (I took that as a "no").

Anyway, the 42nd annual campus-wide sports meet pits departments against each other. There are two groups: students vs. students and teachers vs. teachers. So in each of our events, the team must compete against the teachers from the other departments. I must say I enjoyed it all, but I really do suck at having a good technique in the shot put. At least I now have 364 days to improve for next year. ;-)

After much anticipation, the "Newbies" (a.k.a., Sarah, Vance & Anthony) have arrived in Siping. It was great to finally meet them and feel like our team is now whole.

They arrived without a hitch from LA to Beijing, spent the day at the Mac (my organization's Beijing HQ), and came to Siping via a sleeper car on the train. Around 7 AM, the existing team met the newbies and we had breakfast together. (Sarah, you were there in spirit because I used your frying pan that I bought from you for the fried potatoes.) Afterwards, Rach & I took them around, exchanged some money, rode bus 29 to Zhongxing, did some light shopping, took a trip through a grocery store, then headed home.

The three newbies are cool. I anticipate getting to them and their personalities. This year I'm also helping out as a mentor teacher, so I'm especially stoked about watching them grow as teachers of English. Sarah (who has two adopted brothers from China) & Anthony (who is ABC - American Born Chinese) have been to China before. Only Vance is the truly wide-eyed one about being here.

P.S. - Dad, can you send their names in the next box you send PLUS the following teammate's names: Katherine, Daren, Jennifer, Jude, Will & Samantha?

I about lost a lung! First of all, watch the video below. It's of a Bulgarian "wannabe" named Valentina Hasan who tried out for her country's version of "American Idol".

As a result of this "fame", a website has been launched in honor of her "chutzpah": http://kenleeworld.com. The actual song she sang is by Mariah Carey called "Without You". You can read the actual lyrics here. Hasan reminds me of another wacked out singer from the past. See his video below.

China, US launch undergraduate summer exchange program (September 18, 2008, Xinhua) China and the United States will exchange 30 undergraduate students annually for three weeks of study, tour and cultural activities starting next year, according to China's Ministry of Education on Wednesday. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on the summer exchange program for undergraduates on Tuesday. It aimed at strengthening mutual trust and understanding between young people. The memorandum was based on the "Agreement on Educational Exchange and Cooperation" renewed by the two governments in 2006 and a result of the US-China Education Dialogue held in April. The program is also an important activity to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-American diplomatic ties, and the 30th anniversary of the implementation of the Chinese-American student exchanges and the launch of the Fulbright study program.

AIG's China division reassures policyholders (September 18, 2008, Xinhua) The Shanghai-based China unit of troubled US insurance giant American International Group, AIG, yesterday assured Chinese policyholders that it's business as usual. American International Assurance (AIA), a wholly owned subsidiary of AIG and China's largest foreign-owned life insurer by premium, said in a statement that it is well capitalized and able to meet local regulatory capital requirements. The statement said AIG's liquidity problem would not affect the interests of Chinese policyholders, and AIA "remains confident in the future of the Chinese market while continuing to operate normally to meet its obligations to policyholders". In China, the insurer operates two subsidiaries, AIA and AIG General Insurance Co China Ltd, both of which are headquartered in Shanghai.

To receive updated and more about China, goto www.zgbriefs.com.

My university is in the middle of the most heightened time in its young life: its 50th anniversary. The campus has absolutely been revamped: additional rocks with Chinese writing (very standard on a campus), new lights (a surprise), buildings detailed with neon colors (another surprise that's quite cool), new sculptures, and general campus "tidying" like trimmed trees, cleaned out water fountains, and assorted flags and banners (very Chinese as well).

The activities actually commence on Friday, September 19th. That's when the school turns 50. Tomorrow, the team will have lunch with our organization's President and his wife before enjoying an all-campus celebration and performance for all the "big wigs". I even heard from students that the Head Communist Party leader in Anhui province is coming since he graduated from the school. Wild stuff!

I'll take some pictures tomorrow to show how different the campus is looking around here.

Mark, Darren, and I recently interviewed seniors for the positions of Library Assistants (LAs for sure). They work in our foreign teachers' library helping with checking in and out of books, general cleaning, and "Chinglish" translating. We hired five assistants, working from Monday to Thursday weekly. We went with two for Wednesdays since so many students usually come then. I'm excited on the choices and hope they are equally thrilled at this opportunity.

I returned to China on August 13th with my brother in tow. We went to the Olympics, stayed in Siping for about a week, returned to Beijing to see the Great Wall, and then he returned home on September 4th. In the meantime, I began teaching and was inundated with planning, scheduling, unpacking, and reconnecting with students and teachers. Needless to say, it's been busy. But now, I feel like things have resumed to normal...and my blogging can pick up again.

I know it's been like three weeks! And a lot has happened. If you look in the album, "My Bro & I", you'll see pictures of us in our travels through the Beijing Olympics, Siping, the Great Wall, and other places. (Dad, I'll send you a copy of ALL the pics I took of Jo and me on a CD.)

I've also updated my teaching schedule, which is really strange this year. I teach only four classes but they total 15 teaching hours (1 hour less the limit of 16). I have Graduate Writing (6 hours), Sophomore Writing (4 hours), Sophomore Oral (2 hours), and Junior Speech (2 hours). One class of four different subjects. I also teach these four classes on all day Monday then one on Tuesday morning, then I'm free for the rest of the week. Mind you, I have library times, teaching curriculum planning, team events, student extra-curricular events, and so on, but this schedule allows me more time. Awesome!

I also received the final word that I graduate with my MA. What a hard road it was! This degree involved four summers and three winter "mini-mesters" of classes. My comprehensives finals were written over two weekends in August and was separated into three parts. I used a lot of brain cells, but it was worth the work. I'm thinking, "Maybe 'Dr. Essert' now has a really cool ring to it." ;-)

This year, the teachers returning are Jonny & Rachel (with Samantha), Daren & Jennifer - teaching part-time for a month - (with Jude & Will), Katherine, Mark and me. Our team of ten will expand to thirteen as we are awaiting three new teachers that are currently in training in California. Anthony, Vance & Sarah should be arriving around September 21st to China then traveling to Siping. Rachel & Jennifer are actually teaching these three teachers' classes until they arrive.