It is arts, you know ?

Today, I had my very first formal Chinese Class in my life-time. I found myself being surrounded by many undergrads of FASS (don't read it as Fat ASS, it is Faculty of Arts and Social Science). That's the difference between maths/engineering departments and arts and social science departments. The students - both male and female - are so fashionable and the professor was - I think, compared to her counterpart in SoC - a little bit over-dressed with Shawls, Make-ups etc. Wow ! It is arts, you know ?

I was amazed when I learned that she won't upload her lecture slides on IVLE (it is a web-based facility for teaching/learning needs; for those outside NUS, it is a social networking site plus online office/calender application specialized for educational purposes). She's using her own (copyrighted :P) slides and won't share it with other professors teaching the same modules. Wow ! It is arts, you know ?

In FASS, I feel like they have extensive use of IVLE. In SoC, some professors put up websites they themselve developed for each module they offered. Lack of technical knowledge is, sometimes, good in this case. Since IVLE also serves as one-stop knowledge sharing platform, it is way much more convenient for students. Wow again ! It is arts, again, you know ?

I still haven't had approval for this course. My supervisor green lit but those in Arts are taking so long to reply, Ami* (a friendly office staff from our faculty who deals with such kinds of thing e-mailed me). My professor told me to personally visit their office. I am amazed again since e-mail is the first priority intra-departmental contact in my department. Yet another Wow ! It is arts, yet another, you know ?

My lunch was after class. Rice with sweet-n-sour pork, fried cabbage and some vegetables, whose English name I don't know (It is called "Sukar" fruit in Burmese). After lunch, I may need to visit their department office to make enquiries. Whoo !