View from the Bathroom Window

My classes at the university are divided into two 50 minute blocks with a 10 minute break in-between. For evening classes, I typically skip the break and leave class early. For the 8 A.M.'s, I like to take the break and get a coffee from the machine and typically smoke a fag in the W.C. While puffing on my death stick, I like to look out the window and take in the wonderful events unfolding around me.

At the top of the photo there is a big chunk of white space and this is actually smog and not some kind of error with my phone's camera. Smog is common here in the winter, and it has covered  many buildings in the distance. The trees have begun to die as the impending winter comes (note:I guess it's still technically Autumn, but here in Dalian the only two seasons are Summer and Winter, with a small intermission between them). The building in the center is the graduate building, where I teach graduate-level literature on Monday mornings. You can also see two small figures off to the right, and these folks are African students at the university. I actually live next to the international students dorm and walk by them quite often, though seldom do I strike up conversation. My old room was right next to their dorm and I could hear the Russians coming home late at night, drunk as skunks and obnoxious as all hell. I do like the international community in the student body though, and have hung out with some of the Turks and Russians. Many of the students who come here don't have the same opportunities for higher education in their home countries, and I think it is swell they can come to China and get a collegiate education for a reasonable price (though I'm not sure about the price, I have heard from some it is free of charge but I don't know this for certain).

It is a relaxing time of day to look out on the scenery, as I huff and puff the sweet nicotine. Watching from high above as the ants busily march through the campus. Sometimes I get a glimpse of DUFE cat as she (it turns out he was a she, though as a liberal I need to ask her if this is the gender she identifies as or else other liberals will crucify me) scurries along the sidewalk and dives into the bushes. I wonder how many people have stood in the same place as myself and had similar thoughts. Wondering what the people down below are thinking about as they hurry along on their busy days. How many of these people struggle with internal demons and tiny hobgoblins in their minds? Are they, like me, trying to find their place in this vast world? Their movements from up above all look the same, and perhaps we are all the same, with tiny differences here and there.

I take the final drag of my fag and put it out. Today we are talking about the differences of Eastern and Western culture. My students are happy to talk with me and I can see joy emanating from their faces as we converse and participate in fun educational (most of the time) activities. For the time being, that's the only sense of purpose I need.