Bored Games

The first semester is over; summer break is here for the students. They get a nice vacation, July 21 – August 30, during which they can play outside or relax or study at various private academies that specialize in different subjects. Some students even sign up for English camps, but there will be another post on those later.

So for now, I have to show up to school for “work days,” also known as "desk warming." Thing is, I’ve finished all my work. Summer English camps are planned. Lessons for next semester are already filed neatly in three-ring binders with digital copies saved in a folder labeled “John” on my computer desktop. That means I’m here and there’s not a whole lot to do. Here’s a rundown of my day.

8:00. Arrive at school.
8:00 – 9:15. Check email, read the news, IM Beth on Facebook, listen to my iPod.
9:15 – 9:20. Listen to my iPod. Look out the window.
9:20 – 9:25. Stare at the wall. Also, listen to my iPod.
9:25 – 9:40. Watch some music videos and live performances on Pitchfork.tv.
9:40 – 9:42. While I’m looking for the principal to sign off on the sick leave I took Monday, one of the office workers asks what I’m doing here.
9:42 – 9:50. Daydream about vacation.
9:50 – 10:30. IM some more with different people on Facebook. Decide to listen to Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago all the way through. On my iPod.
10:30 – 11:30. More surfing the Internet and playing flash games. Order Chinese for lunch.
11:30 – 12:00. Read American Gods.
12:00 – 1:10. Lunch. Fried rice, dumplings and ice cream.
1:10 – 2:30. Nap.
2:30 – 4:20. Read American Gods.
4:20 – 4:30. Check email, surf the Internet, post this blog, pack up.
4:30. Leave school.

The semester ended yesterday. Today’s Wednesday and I have two more days of this. Don’t get me wrong; it’s kind of nice to have a bit of a break and be left to myself, but this is what a “work day” entails. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be more productive.

Found this video today. It pretty much sums up the desk-warming experience: