9/9/2000

It would be 10.10 Shanghai time and my thirteen third year BBA UWS students start to contemplate the reality of an International Economics exam.

No noise except the flow of ink and turning of paper - the fan attempts to keep them cool but not all will benefit from the flow of a little cool air.

Life is what you make of it and if you want a UWS BBA then you have to pass the approved, though recently changed exam : I will pass them!

So, today I wear the Sydney 2000 shirt - first time on my back and not so strong - need another few runs/swims and then the waters of Sydney will be lapped with glee :- not to mention the pleasure of sighting Australian gold.

So this morning I receive the message - the express post - Robert tells me he called to check the delivery of the key - which did not ... lies are told by all - Clinton know when he mentioned the word sex that he was not giving the whole truth - so help his God.

We are all humans, some become animals - this is always going to be the case - but a civilized society should promote ethics and morals that improve the standards society aims to achieve.

We will always have problems and now I consider these to be challenges; so I like the word luck, problems, is a word which will be deleted from my vocabulary.

Luck is preparation and opportunity (maybe this needs to be considered as well).

Problems are challenges.

I wish I was sitting this exam for the fact that now I have to sit here for three hours - and do nothing - maybe some head phones! - a paint brush - a pen - but all I do is write these thoughts - always the same stuff - so reality it is a waste of time - one day before I die (I hope I die of old age), I will discard the same old stuff that is not worthy of longevity : which will be a great dead - but what I will do is just improve/some/all of it.

So Michael tells me Dad has been organising the PM's dinner - I do realise that he has worked - but I did not think he was continuing to increase the workload - I have to say I am happy and pleased that he continues to use the abilities and continues to contribute - he is a great man and it is good for all that he continues to do exactly as he wishes.

I have been out of Melbourne for 12 years now and I would have to say that a little knowledge must have been lost, but the gains outweigh, and it also has given others the opportunity to do what they want to do without my being.

Though I should return to Melbourne next September for a few years prior to life in Sydney.

So for the last three months I have become increasingly possessed by this Hai Xing Xue Yuan - College - and I wuold have to say I could have done a far better job if it had not have been for the Olympics and my desire to be really strong, fit and healthy - healthy does go without saying but the strong has meant that I have left work at 5.30 (ish) to get to the gym - by around 6.30 for weights, to the sight of the aerobics class - fun in retrospect but just as frustrating - though there was only one, once, that look, oh, just so fine!

So whilst I am very happy with the progress the real work will be done when I return - unless I don't get 20% for $100,000!

Just a little on the work - Sat/Sun - 10 weeks of International Economics and Managing Change and Innovation - books - pathetic => course : pathetic.

We have now changed most of the books to Prentice Hall International and I still know there is room for improvement.

Finding good teachers is not too difficult because any MBA will be approved - though I should qualify the "good" teachers - some are better and enjoy - some like the challenge and do it because they want to - they are good - others do it because it is easy money - they are bad - so there is a need to improve the teaching standard - especially as the English ability improves - teaching is a profession and it requires skill.

I am not a good teacher - lecturer - different again - and not bad - but it depends on the student's ability, for I loose most at some stage => no challenge.

We are getting to break-even and about to have a part-time BBA - this is another challenge; the third year had 10 students - now 13, and probably 16 next class - so this is a class.

Corporate development tackled on return - this will give me Rotary and connections.

Pre-U intake is not as positive as desired - may get 30 - one full class - should get at least 2 full - 50, so not good and the Chinese staff will change due to this fact.

The ext thing is to develop the Uni connections => offer the BBA in other locations - when you are in a Uni premises you are certain (almost) of the feeder system - this would be helpful - though I am sure it will take away the profit margin - I will give short term profit for growth and long term profit.

- solutions are found.

- a great deal of thought has been had over the last two years - so much so that thinking that two years has passed seems to be strange - must be more - 10? - though I have got younger!

Step by 10 and exercise gives me 100+, and that is the most important thing - maybe one day family/business will replace the need for longevity?!

China:-

I walk to the rubbish depot, of which there is one for all groups of residential housing and there waiting is a cluster, they take it out of my hand prior to depositing it in the bin - I had some bottles/plastic and maybe some other containers.

Normally there is a lady and her six (approx.) year old son - he might be playing with the cardboard boxes - she will go through the rubbish that is deposited - this is living here.

Yesterday I was walking down the office stairs from the seventh to the sixth - on the landing - laying on two cardboard sheets was a worker sleeping. This morning I washed my socks and jocks in the sink - tomorrow will be the business shirts :- the iron/chinese, leaks water, all over the shirt - when I move it back and forth.

The bike is a constant challenge - requiring on-going repairs once a week; the hot-water trickles - not runs, summer is extraordinarily hot and winter cold, not as freezing as Beijing.

The Shanghaiese are described by one word which starts with c has four letters and is not spoken in public. (That is harsh and not true - as I look at Lance, but: most are a product of the system -

Shanghai was developed by Westerners, roughs/ruffians/scum of the 19th early 20th C, so they were used - females for chores and sex, males to build and beat: so they got rid of them - Westerners, in 1949, to ask them to return - why - money and development.

The Chinese are nice - so as to get what they want - this is a universal reality - but they have been through what Berlin would consider to be a picnic: only to ask and winge for hours - because time in a Communist system takes on another reality.

I go to buy texts - the counter has four staff - one will take the money and the other three will discuss when the change should be given: the road - I ride my bike on the road - beside the people, snakes, ducks, dogs (not many but a new sign of wealth) - there is no room on the footpath for the people because that is where the bikes are parked.

When it rains it floods - and the sanitary system wafts wafts wafts.

The river stinks - running the other day I almost threw up as I passed the shit truck unloading it offerings into the barge - where it was off to not even Zhang would inform you.

Though everyday I smile with glee for the fact is they kill the corrupt, plant tree and build better housing, new fibre is strung and regulations passed.

So with ten minutes remaining the cheating comes to an end - pages/notes get separated from answers and the students consider the next exam.

Tomorrow I will move their seats 1 second before the exam - they will have no notes - let the test begin.

They will improve and I will learn who has learnt.

10 weeks are almost over - it has been long/not too hard, very important (essential) to stay fit, mentally capable to handle.

I have learnt - not as much as I should have, but even Willy Int Eco text is no good - talks of GATT not WTO - and all China talks about is WTO.

Tomorrow I will mark today's.