Two weeks left

OK, just fourteen more days until the program is finished, but they’re not going to be easy. On Monday, I have my Chinese language test with the State Department that will determine whether I’ll get a bonus to my score. I’ve written about that before – the day is finally here.

On Tuesday the 20th we have a midterm in External Business Environment class. This promises to be a tough one because it’s completely closed notes and it’s all essay questions. We got a list of thirteen questions to review; Professor Tom Cargill said he’ll choose 5 of the 13 to put on the test, of which we’ll have to choose three to write about. Not bone crushing, but this is the biggest element of our final grade. (Of the 250 total points, 100 are from the midterm, 100 are from a 10 page paper reviewing Saving the Sun and giving out opinion of Japan’s future, and 50 come from the final exam. Another point of interest is that the final is on the 29th, just a week after the midterm.

On Wednesday the 21st we’re putting together a dinner event at Buca di Beppo and hosting the professors we’ve liked most. On the Friday the 23rd the Chinese classes have to present a rehearsal of our final speeches. I’m doing a comparison of the Japanese and Chinese financial systems, which given my Chinese ability is no easy task. I have a lot of vocabulary to memorize.

On Monday the 26th we have our final presentation for Chinese Marketing – a speech about Coca-Cola’s performance in China. On Tuesday the 27th, we have a two page paper for Chinese Culture class (called IMC for some reason – I still don’t know why), but this one won’t be too bad because we just need to write up something about China and give our opinion (that usually fits the bill well enough).

On Wednesday the 28th, we have our Chinese speech competition. Outside observers will come in that day and watch. I think there’s a prize for the best person in each of the three classes, so I really need to do my best on that.

On Thursday the 29th, we have out final presentations in IMC class, and like I said earlier the EBE final. The IMC presentation doesn’t seem too bad; I’ll cover the 21 Korean War POWs who defected to China. (More on that in the following book review….) Lastly, there’s a luncheon on Friday the 30th at JAIMS to cap it all off.

So although we’ve only got ten more school days left, they’re going to be busy.