Still alive and well!!

Another Tuesday. This is the day of my split shift. Unfortunately, the time that I have off is useless for anything. I can't really go home and accomplish anything, so once again, I basically sit at the office and try to finish work that I normally wouldn't be able to do. I really don't know if my brain has something against concentrating when it is supposed to, but it seems to be the case.

I am having loads of fun with my classes now. The Advanced students are doing things that "real" university students are supposed to be doing, and my Intermediate students are nontraditional students and therefore more focused and serious. I have sat in on the math class, a couple science classes. These have been both fun and informative. I have reaffirmed some of my ideas that I have, but of course, this doesn't allow for the fact that I have no power to do anything except suggest.

I am learning so much here, and I may actually decided to spend another year here in hopes that things improve. (I was supposed to have made that decision by yesterday, but they don't have the new contracts for us to look at yet. I was informed that they are reevaluating the pay, which will be a HUGE plus.) I still look at other positions locally and in other places as I like to keep my options open and to dream, but I will not make a final decision until they finally present a contract.

We were told that all of the complaints we have been having about not being listened to, and that they were trying to run things from Lebanon while not really knowing what is going on here have all been heard. It seems that they have actually been looking to us to help them in the planning and implementation of everything. They realize that they need our help because we are the ones here and, therefore, the ones who know what is going on. I am not sure where, but somewhere along the line, this message has not been getting through.

My sleeping and eating habits have not really gotten much better. I know they are bad and need to be improved; I just hope that I am able to do that. I drink too much coffee, but it puts me to sleep, so it doesn't cause quite the problem one would expect. This probably has to do with the needing of various vitamins and minerals that I am not currently getting, but I am working on it. Fruits and vegetables are my friends!

All in all, I am doing well. Vacation is coming and I can't wait! I get to meet up with a friend, go to a teacher conference in Athens, hopefully go to Sophia, Bulgaria, and then tour around Istanbul, Turkey again. There will hopefully be other stops on the way, but we shall see that when the time comes. Here's to hoping~