I am having a bit of a mystery at present.
The English Language Resource Center has a 5-gallon jug water dispenser which has 2 levers: one for hot (to make tea or instant coffee) and one for cold. In China, we can’t drink water from the tap so many offices have water dispensers and order sanitized water to be delivered. I have my own water company that I use and I decided to use them for my resource room.
I ordered 2 jugs to get us started. One was placed on the dispenser and the unused jug beside the dispenser.
During the 1-week National Day holidays, the jug was completely full. No one used it. But when I returned, the 5-gallon jug was empty! No one uses that room or has keys for the room except me, Zuri (the Peace Corp volunteer), 2 department administrators and the one used by my volunteer students.
It is a huge mystery as to what happened to the water. I asked all the key folk and no one knows. I am pretty certain my students wouldn’t be in the room and lie about it. Most of them were gone for that week, anyway. The administrators never go into the room but just hold onto the key for emergencies. That leaves me and Zuri. I use the room but Zuri rarely does so . . . .
Where did the water go?!
Someone suggested that maybe the dispenser was broken and all the water had dripped out but in that case, there would be water all over the floor. 5 gallons is a lot of water to drip out. Don’t think it would evaporate that fast.
My explanation? I think we have some little American gremlins who hid themselves in one of those boxes of supplies sent from overseas. They currently have set up residence someplace in the room. I bet they have a wonderful time once the lights go out. They were probably thirsty after the holidays, having a full week of being cooped up in there with nothing to do but run around, party and enjoy themselves.
Ornery little things!
I’m keeping a close eye on the second jug, now in place on top of the dispenser. We’ll just see what happens. Halloween night is fast approaching. Who knows what mischief those wicked critters will get themselves into?!
In the meantime, here are some photos from last Monday evening. It was a rainy , cold night where those not busy attending night classes pretty must stayed inside their dorm rooms, huddled under blankets and doing homework. While numbers were slim, those who came had a great time, as you can see.
Little Andy is my teacher’s assistant. I put him to work in the Center stamping “Great!” on homework papers which my seniors completed last week.
Uno is a favorite game for all of us.
My volunteers take over instructing others how to play the games we have available.
One of our teachers brought his son to the Center and ended up watching one of the movies rather than playing a game.
Bruce Li, my co-teacher, is here with his son. He is teaching him vocabulary by drawing pictures.
connie's space 
Sorry for your troubles! I didn’t send the gremlins!
Once an UMCOR school kit bag disappeared from a bulletin board display. I asked everyone, but it remained a mystery. Later, during a Circle meeting, someone asked me if I ever found the missing bag. Just as I was saying, “No,” we heard someone in the room gasp loudly. She, embarrassed, said she took it as a pattern to make bags. This was a current project. This dear friend made 50 of our 100 bags. I hope you have a pleasant and rewarding outcome of your conundrum!