From a Student

Respectable Ms. S:
I'm so sorry that I have to ask for a leave. Yesterday the doctor gave a notice to me that I have something wrong with my boo blood and I have to do some examine about it. Because I am a flight student. So I have to do the things doctor arquirst me to Please forgive my absence and I'll come back as soon as possible. I hope you will will let me come into the classroom. Thank you!

Your Student
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November 14th

I let him in.

Mongolian Salty Milk Tea

This is a comforting drink on a chilly morning. I got it in powdered form as a gift from one of my students. Think my tastes are adapting because when I first arrived here I would have spit out something that tasted like this, but now I like it.

Aviation University

Am now living and teaching at the Aviation University in Guanghan, where China's commercial pilots are trained. China is facing a great shortage of pilots, who have to know English, so there are many students and lots of work - I have three hundred and sixty three first year students from all over the country. In their English classes taught by locals the students are given three days to memorize several paragraphs of English. These students are all reciting their passages:


Aircraft engine maintenance building:


The grounds are really nice, though have an under construction feel. The new library:


The students have to keep up a demanding physical program, including workouts on equipment to train their balance and control. Behind the propeller-like swings you can see both fixed and free rolling wheels that the students have to be able to control.


My students brought me to try these out one day and it was very fun, though I didn't try to spin one all the way around.