First Week of Classes!

After arriving in Beijing for a week, classes have finally started and I would say it's been easier than expected. For the past week, all that has been required of us it attending an orientation dinner and taking the placement test, the rest has been free time. I would say this is mostly due to the fact that most IUP　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ａｒｅ　ｇｒａｄｕａｔｅ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ａｎｄ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ａｐｐｒｅｃｉａｔｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｒｅｅｄｏｍ，　ｗｈｅｒｅａｓ　ｍｏｓｔ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｐｒｏｇｒａｍｓ　ｈａｖｅ　ｍｏｓｔｌｙ　ｃｏｌｌｅｇｅ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅ　ｔｒｙ　ｔｏ　ｆｏｓｔｅｒ　ａ　ｓｅｎｓｅ　ｏｆ　ｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｔｙ．Ａｆｔｅｒ　ｃｌａｓｓｅｓ　ｅｎｄ，　ｍｏｓｔ　ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ　ｓｅｅｍ　ｔｏ　ｇｏ　ｈｏｍｅ　ｒａｔｈｅｒ　ｔｈａｎ　＂ｈａｎｇｏｕｔ＂which is what I would have expected to have happen. Though the graduate students and college students do talk and mix, the large age differences dampens the sense of community that we can build, we're in different stages of life (some are married, some even have kids).

Academically, although we're not allowed to look at the textbook during class, I would say that the workload is pretty light. The lack of tingxie (small listening quizzes) makes things a lot easier and the textbook material doesn't seem to be very difficult (many other IUPers also feel like their textbooks are pretty easy). Other than that, classes have been pretty fun because most of the teachers are young so they like to joke around with us.

I'm looking forward to going to the GREAT WALL this weekend! (except for the fact that I'll have get to school by 9am)
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