Today is Monday - a very busy day for me.  On Thursday, I was finally able to get down to the Shanghai fabric market to try on and finish purchasing the four pairs of slacks that I bought 3 weeks ago.  They ask for a week to prepare the clothes which I do not begrudge them as the clothes end up wonderfully tailored.  These pants were no exception - though the white pants were a bit too white perhaps, my choice and WILL dull, no doubt!  Shanghai people hate white as they can never keep them clean, especially tennis/running shoes - however, that is mostly what one sees in the stores - white running shoes!

I received many nice compliments as I also bought two silk ties for 55 yuan - so I went "brown" yesterday.  I would really like to buy a dark wool/cashmere coat as well but I need to figure out the color ... charcoal like my overcoat?  I had picked out a white and black pattern but decided against that ... dark blue? ... hmmm!!!  Choices!  They are beginning the switch away from winter clothes to spring so a choice soon would be wise - ALSO I saw a nice leather coat or two, that would be a great addition as well!  Wonder how much THEY cost!  grinning ...

I returned back in Jia Ding with time to relax before our advanced Chinese class.  I was quite amazed to find myself understanding much of what we were discussing - asking directions to and from places.  After missing a week of class, I had expected a bit more trouble but fairly well stepped up to the plate.  Our teacher, Stella she calls herself, talks SOOO quickly that only the best students understand her the first time (and then sometimes they even have trouble).  I double up and take the introductory class too, which is not really introductory but still fairly basic.  We postponed the Tuesday class to Friday as our Christmas dinner was during class! So last night we had class as well.

Friday I helped one of our better students with applications for school in the US - Rutgers this time.  I do not know him well and have not had him in class so I declined to provide a letter of recommendation, however he speaks English quite well and is interested in behavioral economics.  I believe he would be a good asset to a U.S. school and bring added understanding between the U.S. and China once he returns as he wishes to work on poverty issues in rural China especially.

Then from 10 until noon, we (the Economics Department) interviewed three more candidates for a full time position.  Unfortunately one of the candidates, who had great experience and research, did not have the English skills required.  I know that it must be tough for them that I am in the audience, however they need to have fairly good command of the language to teach in English.  Another candidate, who did not have past experience teaching, had awesome English skills and a very good beginning to his research.  The final candidate had good experience in the securities field, awesome research and presentation background, fairly good English and not bad experience in the class room (not bad in Chinese means fairly good).  Somehow my Chinese doesn't really allow me to understand much of the interview/presentation but I listen and dutifully ask a question in English.  Of course I fill out the evaluation form, written in Chinese, ... check marks mean the same thing in English AND Chinese - AMAZING!  Laughing!

Better get today's PowerPoint finished and the last of the grading done!