Kamis @ UKSW 8 Okt - angkota update & new brolly

Dallied this morning, trying to get my work diary up-to-date. Part of the assessment regime.

Love catching the angkota to work. Great way to travel, as it involves no waiting, either where I catch it at the end of the lane or, at the end of the day, in front of UKSW. As I walk down the lane to the sign Gang Enam (lane 6), one invariably passes. Even if I'm 50 metres away, they'll slow down or, if they've gone past, reverse back. If only Canberra buses were so accommodating. Today, I was basically the only passenger. Luxury. Got to stretch out. Usually 7-9 people can cram in the back, with 1 next to the driver. Most days the driver is alone; on occasion they can have a helper, much like a tram conductor (which seems excessive, given the number of passengers), whose job is to collect the money. A couple of times, when I've thanks them in English, they ask: "Orang Australia?" (AUS-tra-lee). "Ya, betul," I reply.

Today, because the driver was short of passengers, it took longer than usual to arrive at UKSW. On constant look-out for passengers, the driver kept backing up, pausing, beckoning likely customers. Standing still on the sidewalk? Expect to be approached by a driver or at least beeped and tootled at in the friendliest way possible. A short wave of the hand is signal enough for them to realise that you're not interested; this morning, quite a few pedestrians simply ignored the driver's queries. So it was a stop-start-backwards journey. At one stage he reversed 40 metres and then continued to reverse into a lane on the off chance of seeing whether some people he'd seen walking would prefer to ride with him. Eventualyl he stopped at spot on the main road, waiting for a larger bus to arrive so he pick up some extras. Two more got in. Off then to UKSW.

At the kantor FBS I was given an umbrella (payung), which was a timely gift because we're heading into rainy season. Rained yesterday arvo, really heavy, the type of rain that Canberrans would dream of.

Work: two classes - "Interpersonal Speaking" and "Critical Pedagogies and Literacy."

Situated on the top floor, so can really experience the percussive thrum of the rain as it torrents. Not overcast, yet the tattoo continues, drowning out the students in the hall. Bucketing, pummeling. Great weather to wear the Docs.