My new haircut and contract

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Well, as everyone has been asking about my haircut, I have decided to attempt to post a picture to allow you to see just how short and ridiculous it is.

Lately things have been going alright, though I am so sick of training and orientation. We are going over some of the stuff that I helped to create and put into place, so it is a little boring for me. I know it is important, but I can't help that my mind keeps floating off into other realms when he is explaining it all.

Last night was the dean's 60th birthday party, and that was quite the blast! We sat and joked, caught up on old times, and related our feelings about present situations. I heard horror stories of the 1st graders at the primary schools and felt a bit nostalgic. I remember when I taught the young ones in Korea; I honestly do miss it, though I do like teaching at the university level as well. I am thinking that perhaps I have to stay at the older level because if I start teaching the younger ones, I may end up stealing one for my very own. I think it would just be safer (and more advantages) if I got married and had one the old fashioned way :)

Today the university teachers are going to get together to discuss the issues of life in general. The science teacher is Palestinian and used to teach in the Gaza Strip. I asked her if she could tell me about her experience there, and it ended up being an invitation to her house. She is going to fix a couple of traditional Palestinian snacks, so it will be very exciting I think.

While I haven't seen the other teachers in a while, I can't help but keep thinking about how comfortable I was with them. Generally, I have a very difficult time going through people's cupboards in their kitchen, even when I am told to do so. At their house, I do not have this issue. I helped one of them cook, I helped another one clean, I was able to just sit with them and talk and relax, all of this without awkwardness. There is one woman from Lebanon named Daisy. She has a 5 year old brother named Jason, and told me that I am her younger brother now; she could take care of me. Well, I think that everyone needs this every now and again, so I decided to agree. Now, people say things like this all the time, but nothing really ever comes from it, but she is different; she actually treats me like her younger brother. I actually feel like I have an older sister in her. The fact that she is of a different ethnic background doesn't seem to matter, nor does the small detail of my being older than her! It feels good to have someone that I know will be willing to listen should I so need it, and someone who will help with making soup or something when I am sick... it is an interesting feeling.

I have been back since the 20th, I believe. Before I left I signed a paper that stated that I was agreeing to come back to work for my present employer with the only change in the contract being a change in the pay. I naively thought that this was the contract, as did the dean per our discussions about it. It turns out that it was not. Today I was emailed my new contract they wish me to sign. Unfortunately, they have changed things in it that I didn't agree to, and I will not agree to. I must now renegotiate my contract and see if I can get what I want. Perhaps this is one of the best things that could have happened to me. Perhaps I can get suggestions from others about what I should be putting in it to protect myself from the overwork and exploitation that I know the company is capable of (and almost is required to do). Hmmm...what to do, what to do?