Day 13
3:37 P.M.
So, uhh...
What's there to say? I studied all morning for the exam. I thought it was at 1:30, turns out it was at two.
Except there was no exam. They took my exam ticket and gave me a class schedule. I'm utterly bewildered. I thought there was an exam to judge my proficiency, you know, so I don't start out with basic sounds and the like. Do they have a beginners class for people who know a bit, or did they just stuff me in a class? Damned if I know, there doesn't seem to be a place where these questions are answered.
When do classes start? I don't know that, either. I figure I'll just show up at the room every day until I see students and a teacher. Meanwhile, I wonder if my textbooks are paid for, like they are supposed to be, or if I have to purchase them myself, like I've had to do for everything else except for my classes. I wonder what textbooks I'm supposed to get, to boot.
Well, I have heard from other students that the teachers and classes themselves are magnificent, so that'll make this all the worth while. It seems to be the case; students that had no knowledge of Chinese are fluent after one year of study. It doesn't surprise me; I have classes in a solid block from 8:30 till 11:40, or 8:30 till 3:00, depending on the day, 5 days a week.
So, there is good and bad. It's just that the poor lack of communication really irks me.
Ah, and one more bit of news. If I figure out how, I'm going to either return early on the 5th of December, or stay until June. Staying and leaving till the end of January is simply not an option. Advisors from both schools, UF and FIU, have told me that it is not acceptable that I arrive so late for a semester. So, if I do stay until January, I would have to miss out on the entire Spring semester. Which would be stupid for either school; I'd miss out on the scholarship from FIU, or I'd be accepted, but unable to attend classes at, UF. So, I can cut my stay short, learn a little less but still earn a full semester's worth of credits. Or, I can prolong my stay for two semesters until June.
I was just informed that I had a choice before leaving. I had no idea I could choose from 3 lengths of study, or that the one presented to me could potentially horribly cripple my studies for a semester. Huh.
Someone here is going to get an earful they won't understand. : /
I should inform the two people looking for a professor of my schedule, so they can see if I can meet their demands or not, but I don't think I should speak to anyone right now.
3:37 P.M.
So, uhh...
What's there to say? I studied all morning for the exam. I thought it was at 1:30, turns out it was at two.
Except there was no exam. They took my exam ticket and gave me a class schedule. I'm utterly bewildered. I thought there was an exam to judge my proficiency, you know, so I don't start out with basic sounds and the like. Do they have a beginners class for people who know a bit, or did they just stuff me in a class? Damned if I know, there doesn't seem to be a place where these questions are answered.
When do classes start? I don't know that, either. I figure I'll just show up at the room every day until I see students and a teacher. Meanwhile, I wonder if my textbooks are paid for, like they are supposed to be, or if I have to purchase them myself, like I've had to do for everything else except for my classes. I wonder what textbooks I'm supposed to get, to boot.
Well, I have heard from other students that the teachers and classes themselves are magnificent, so that'll make this all the worth while. It seems to be the case; students that had no knowledge of Chinese are fluent after one year of study. It doesn't surprise me; I have classes in a solid block from 8:30 till 11:40, or 8:30 till 3:00, depending on the day, 5 days a week.
So, there is good and bad. It's just that the poor lack of communication really irks me.
Ah, and one more bit of news. If I figure out how, I'm going to either return early on the 5th of December, or stay until June. Staying and leaving till the end of January is simply not an option. Advisors from both schools, UF and FIU, have told me that it is not acceptable that I arrive so late for a semester. So, if I do stay until January, I would have to miss out on the entire Spring semester. Which would be stupid for either school; I'd miss out on the scholarship from FIU, or I'd be accepted, but unable to attend classes at, UF. So, I can cut my stay short, learn a little less but still earn a full semester's worth of credits. Or, I can prolong my stay for two semesters until June.
I was just informed that I had a choice before leaving. I had no idea I could choose from 3 lengths of study, or that the one presented to me could potentially horribly cripple my studies for a semester. Huh.
Someone here is going to get an earful they won't understand. : /
I should inform the two people looking for a professor of my schedule, so they can see if I can meet their demands or not, but I don't think I should speak to anyone right now.
