Campus Pictures

Several people have asked, so I'm posting some additional pictures of the campus of Zhanjiang Normal University. Keep in mind when viewing these that many things in China are all about external appearance.

For example, this is the campus gym. The building has no A/C, so students try to avoid it when possible because there are also too few windows. In addition, it is not an arena-type building as the shape would suggest, but is broken into many smaller rooms for sports such as basketball, badminton, etc.

This is the school library. The facility is actually very nice, inside and out. Unfortunately, a foreign teacher in 1997 stole a couple of books and now the school requires foreign teachers, but not Chinese teachers, to pay a 200 RMB deposit to get a library card. This card is required to even enter the building. I went on a special library tour where I was able to get this photo. I can't afford the card, so I don't have access to the (very limited) selection of English books they keep in stock. Ah well. Thank goodness for the internet!

Last but not least, this is the building where I live! I am on the 4th floor (the right-most two windows are my apartment!). I have to admit that I like the morning exercise during my 20-45 minute trek to work. The time it takes depends on which building I teach in on a given day.

Overall, the campus is fairly nice in comparison to the conditions in which many outside the school are living. I certainly can't complain, especially now that I've found out where to buy peanut butter!