I just can't keep up.
So here are some things that I've experienced in the last 2 weeks...
I've moved out. Well, this isn't new, and thankfully, I'm not homesick. I've done it before and before, Mum couldn't ring everyday. So this is nice and easy! :)
My room is very me. It's personal, it's my space, I get lots of compliments, and I like it a lot.
As of yet, no getting completely wasted! And that has been noted by my housemates. I've drunk plenty, but dancing and the lovely 10 minute walk in the cold home afterwards seems to sober me nicely.
I have had a mixture of lectures, seminars and labs. All are pretty straightforward. They like to set lots of reading tasks. One made the mistake of trying to tell me that the mind, soul and spirit were all the same thing, in the same place, doing the same thing. Why don't they all be called by one name then?
I've had 2 fire drills. Both went smoothly. Both were planned drills.
I've sat in A and E for 4 hours (for a friend), dealt with a lad who passed out, and been told some very personal and in 1 case a mental health related stories. I'm certainly doing what I'm being paid to do.
I got paid £40 to sit in/around/outside the building for 5 hours on Saturday to tour open day people. I showed 2 people my room. No one likes the walk up to my house! :)
I am in training for Ultimate Frisbee. As a result, i have bought a special frisbee for practice. I'm pretty good, actually! :P I've also joined the Christian Union (lovely bunch) and been to Grace Church (New Frontiers). Both places seem to have got it right theologically. The church have a gorgeous starry effect backdrop. That says God is on High to me! :) Might consider getting a job soon. But more prayer is needed in that area. Time? Where? How much work? Lazy?
I love my beautiful house. It's so sweet and already, all us 55 'pinewoodians' (residents) are like an unusual dysfunctional family. I love it. Everyone is lovely. I've met so many people, made some initial friends all over the place. I can't wait to see which friendships really progress.
I miss my close friends though. I can't wait till anyone and everyone visits.
I have not resorted to a single ready meal! I cook, I clean, I live on a floor solely inhabited by men! My student loan hasn't arrived just yet but I have money to survive until then.
This is very bitty, and for that, I apologise. Please comment if you'd like me to elaborate on anything further.
Love always! xxx
Thursday 1 October 2009
Thursday 10 September 2009
Ends and Beginnings
I'm writing this and wondering who will read it now? Now my 'exciting' travels are over and regular life starts. I don't know if anyone will know I've posted, I won't say so.
I'm continuing on with this blog so that I can recount my uni years. I do hope i blog regularly. I expect that of the blogs I read, so this blog deserves the same attention.
China is over. That part of my life has past. What a blur! I loved it, hated it, mourn it and say good riddance to it. So much happened in that 6 months that i don't know if anyone but myself and God will ever know it all. It all comes back to my pet peeve of a question: 'How was China?' In actual fact, you're asking how my last 6 months and constant activity and new experiences was. And you wait 10 seconds for a satisfactory answer. I'll never answer. Not honestly. It was great, I loved it. Thank you very much.
But I don't blame you either. I'd ask the same (maybe not now, but in your position...). Because what can you ask of your friend or relative? When they have done so much and contact has been so minimal. I do hope that I recount some of the best and worst times to my closest, or anyone willing to listen. Because I want you to be a part of that time in my life. I want you to know what I went through and how that has shaped who I am now. So if it overspills into this blog, so be it.
As I said, I'm keeping this blog. And the title remains. My journey doesn't end, it has just moved to Chichester for a while, and then it will move on again I'm sure. It sounds cliché. I wish it didn't. 'Life's a journey', they say. And it is. But you've spoilt that phrase with patronism and misguided hope.
I've just spent a lovely week in Cyprus. I have an impressive tan for only a weeks work. And I've come home alone to a pile of stuff for university. The necessary Natwest account, it's accompanying railcard, debit card, cheque book, credit card and the free gift of a USB memory stick. I'm excited because one of my bestest friends is coming over to drink tea, chat and steal what clothes i won't take to university. I love her lots. She knows it, but I like to tell her so. And for those who can't be here while I pack and chat and drink tea, you're missed. I wish you were here, but wishing doesn't work. So I've probably text you.
I'm in good spirits. My blog doesn't seem to reflect that well. I've had an amazing year to date. I regret nothing. I'm Blessed, Loved, Encouraged, Strengthened and Saved. Hold me accountable this year. God has put me in a position where He can do the same for others through me. Rachel Bradley, reporting for duty to BLESS. Amen.
I'm continuing on with this blog so that I can recount my uni years. I do hope i blog regularly. I expect that of the blogs I read, so this blog deserves the same attention.
China is over. That part of my life has past. What a blur! I loved it, hated it, mourn it and say good riddance to it. So much happened in that 6 months that i don't know if anyone but myself and God will ever know it all. It all comes back to my pet peeve of a question: 'How was China?' In actual fact, you're asking how my last 6 months and constant activity and new experiences was. And you wait 10 seconds for a satisfactory answer. I'll never answer. Not honestly. It was great, I loved it. Thank you very much.
But I don't blame you either. I'd ask the same (maybe not now, but in your position...). Because what can you ask of your friend or relative? When they have done so much and contact has been so minimal. I do hope that I recount some of the best and worst times to my closest, or anyone willing to listen. Because I want you to be a part of that time in my life. I want you to know what I went through and how that has shaped who I am now. So if it overspills into this blog, so be it.
As I said, I'm keeping this blog. And the title remains. My journey doesn't end, it has just moved to Chichester for a while, and then it will move on again I'm sure. It sounds cliché. I wish it didn't. 'Life's a journey', they say. And it is. But you've spoilt that phrase with patronism and misguided hope.
I've just spent a lovely week in Cyprus. I have an impressive tan for only a weeks work. And I've come home alone to a pile of stuff for university. The necessary Natwest account, it's accompanying railcard, debit card, cheque book, credit card and the free gift of a USB memory stick. I'm excited because one of my bestest friends is coming over to drink tea, chat and steal what clothes i won't take to university. I love her lots. She knows it, but I like to tell her so. And for those who can't be here while I pack and chat and drink tea, you're missed. I wish you were here, but wishing doesn't work. So I've probably text you.
I'm in good spirits. My blog doesn't seem to reflect that well. I've had an amazing year to date. I regret nothing. I'm Blessed, Loved, Encouraged, Strengthened and Saved. Hold me accountable this year. God has put me in a position where He can do the same for others through me. Rachel Bradley, reporting for duty to BLESS. Amen.
Monday 22 June 2009
The Last Time
This is it. I'm giving back this laptop tomorrow night and for the last 3 weeks i'll probably not blog anymore! So he's a big catch up on what i've been up to and what i plan to do. Do expect a blog at some point after my return though, which, for those still unsure is the 16th of July.
So, a list of my activities, a 10 day German beer festival, horse riding in the middle of no where, my last ever English Corner for the local primary students, plenty o' shopping, a haircut and the beginnings of some packing!
The last English corner was actually an unfortunate let down. We dodn't have as many kids as most weeks because of the summer rainstorms we've been having. It was a shame not to say goodbye to all of them, and it also leaves Thyra and I with about 20 mickey mouse notebooks and pencils that we signed and can't do anything with! Gutted! But we did have some fun doing the 'Peter Piper' tongue twister!
The German beer festival was a complete, welcome surprise. They have one here in Shenyang occassionally because we have good connections with a part of Germany apparently! Had some crazy Chinese and german bands, all sorts of music and plenty of beer! One band worth mentioning were Panik! Worth looking up! Really enjoyable! So we moshed and had some fun on many evenings at Zhongshan park!
So, next Tuesday is my last day of teaching! So until then i'm just doing revision and games lessons with the kids. I've bought 300 sparkly smiley face stickers which will please my students greatly. I've also got 4 presents for the ladies with whom i share an office. 2 Chinese English teachers a craft teacher and a dance teacher. All have been so lovely to me! I'll miss them!
This weekend i'll be heading out to Dandong to take a peek into North Korea and all things Korean. I expect many things with my camera's oh so wonderful 12X optical zoom! And preferably, i won't get shot! :D
Somehow, my 'stuff' from the past 6 months has to whittle down into a suitcase and a hand luggage size suitcase ready for my flight to Shanghai on the 3rd of July! We'll stay in a youth hostel for a week or so. Visit the sights, do some clubbing and have ourselves a little holiday! Then one the 11th ish i'll grab an overnight train up to Beijing, maybe making a few stops on the way and then spend my last 4 or 5 days hanging out, doing last minute shopping and sight seeing and say my lengthy goodbyes to my friends and to China.
That's the general plan! I really can't say if i'll make it online at all until then. I might try to visit the internet cafes occassionally so don't be suprised if a mini blog appears here and there. And please, feel free to still email and write on my wall. I'll still get them all when i get back!
Well i'm not sure what else needs to be said. Just to ask you not to worry when i seem to be ignoring you! And to say thanks to those who i know have been following this. It really helped knowing i had people at home keeping up with what i'm doing!
And thanks Craig for keeping my blog updated for me! No thanks to China for blocking it...grrr!
As you know very well, i love you all dearly! take of yourselves in the next 3 weeks. Would realy like to come home to all my friends in one piece! And i'll try and return the favor! ;)
Zai Jian!!!!!!!!!! See you soon guys!!!!!!!!!!
So, a list of my activities, a 10 day German beer festival, horse riding in the middle of no where, my last ever English Corner for the local primary students, plenty o' shopping, a haircut and the beginnings of some packing!
The last English corner was actually an unfortunate let down. We dodn't have as many kids as most weeks because of the summer rainstorms we've been having. It was a shame not to say goodbye to all of them, and it also leaves Thyra and I with about 20 mickey mouse notebooks and pencils that we signed and can't do anything with! Gutted! But we did have some fun doing the 'Peter Piper' tongue twister!
The German beer festival was a complete, welcome surprise. They have one here in Shenyang occassionally because we have good connections with a part of Germany apparently! Had some crazy Chinese and german bands, all sorts of music and plenty of beer! One band worth mentioning were Panik! Worth looking up! Really enjoyable! So we moshed and had some fun on many evenings at Zhongshan park!
So, next Tuesday is my last day of teaching! So until then i'm just doing revision and games lessons with the kids. I've bought 300 sparkly smiley face stickers which will please my students greatly. I've also got 4 presents for the ladies with whom i share an office. 2 Chinese English teachers a craft teacher and a dance teacher. All have been so lovely to me! I'll miss them!
This weekend i'll be heading out to Dandong to take a peek into North Korea and all things Korean. I expect many things with my camera's oh so wonderful 12X optical zoom! And preferably, i won't get shot! :D
Somehow, my 'stuff' from the past 6 months has to whittle down into a suitcase and a hand luggage size suitcase ready for my flight to Shanghai on the 3rd of July! We'll stay in a youth hostel for a week or so. Visit the sights, do some clubbing and have ourselves a little holiday! Then one the 11th ish i'll grab an overnight train up to Beijing, maybe making a few stops on the way and then spend my last 4 or 5 days hanging out, doing last minute shopping and sight seeing and say my lengthy goodbyes to my friends and to China.
That's the general plan! I really can't say if i'll make it online at all until then. I might try to visit the internet cafes occassionally so don't be suprised if a mini blog appears here and there. And please, feel free to still email and write on my wall. I'll still get them all when i get back!
Well i'm not sure what else needs to be said. Just to ask you not to worry when i seem to be ignoring you! And to say thanks to those who i know have been following this. It really helped knowing i had people at home keeping up with what i'm doing!
And thanks Craig for keeping my blog updated for me! No thanks to China for blocking it...grrr!
As you know very well, i love you all dearly! take of yourselves in the next 3 weeks. Would realy like to come home to all my friends in one piece! And i'll try and return the favor! ;)
Zai Jian!!!!!!!!!! See you soon guys!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday 6 June 2009
Holidays
Hey!!! I got back from my holiday in sunny Dalian Monday night at around half past 11 (which, I must mention, is when I applied for my student housing! You won't believe how tired I was. But I take this while first come first serve thing seriously. And I wanted those halls!!)
Anyway, as promised to most of you, i'll give the account of my time away...
Wednesday I worked all day and packed after work. Just a little suitcase of things (thank you DT – that thing is invaluable!) Then me and Thyra had our 3rd ritual of beer and cake! Honestly, the cake in China is amazing! Shortly after, the 2 guys coming with us arrived at our place and we hung out till around until 1am. Then we grabbed a cab to the train station.
Our train was an hour late so we actually didn't leave Shenyang until 3 in the morning! But fear not! The Big Mac that I had definitely made me feel much happier about the waiting time. We paid for hard seats for the 6 hour train journey because we're cheap. It cost is about £5 intead of £14. And the difference is huge here in China!!!
I didn't actually sleep the entire journey. For those who know me well enough, i'll sleep through/on ANYTHING! But this train, no. the other 3 did though. So I listened to my ipod and read some of my book. Then we arrived! We headed straight for our hotel, which is the most difficult hotel to find ever! It's just like the Chinese to shove a hotel in a back street ally outside of the main city! Whatever! It was very nice, a family run thing. As Thyra and I were shown to our room we were told in Chinese by the 2 young girls working there that we were beautiful! (I knew I learnt that word for a reason! :P)
So the first day in a seaside town, of course, we head to the beach! Golden Pebble Bay, to be precise! It was gorgeous! Upon arrival we swam in the sea! The Chinese people thought we were crazy (we were, to be fair. It was FREEZING!) So we tanned, we walked, we swam, we buried Kenrick in the sand. Then it was dinner time! To get back to the station to get the train back to the main city we grabbed a ride on a (DONOT READ THE NEXT BIT MUM) a motorcycle! I had complete faith since I only paid 20p for the journey. :-/ I might not try it again. I didn't like it much, in fact I was terrified. I blame my parents. :P
So we head to the hotel, shower and go to a nice local restaurant recommended by our hotel. We ate ridculous amounts of food, drank plenty of beer and then when we holla for the bill, we're told (in Chinese BTW – i'm getting quite good if I do say so myself) that it's free. The manager did not want us to pay. How sweet! We were very touched.
After that we headed to the prak were the Chinese tend to congregate for evening kareoke, ball games, hacky sack kicking and general socialising. It's always a nice atmosphere. And we are always treated like celebrities! Then we kicked back in a nearish pub for a cranberry bircardi breezer (well the others drank beer or something – but I couldn't resist! It was a holiday after all!)
The next we decided not to put our skin through another day of tanning (or burning in some of our case.) So we started by visinting the Russian Street of Dalian. I guess it's like China Town in London. Of course we were mistaken for Russians many times and spoken to in Chinese and Russian most of the time. Not so useful! We detoured around the back streets to check out the Russian slums which was really interesting too.
After all that we made our way to a famous park in Dalian. It was full of street performers, fair ground rides, snack places and Chinese people! We took a cable car to the top of the big hill from where you can see pretty much all of Dalian from! Then we took the mountain slide back down! Imagine a tabogan type situation, except less safe and i'm wearing a skirt! :S As they say in Chinese 每时, never mind, doesn't matter!
We visted some other non-interesting sights then back to the area around our hotel for some dinner. The evening was spent at Noah's Ark Bar which was advertised in someones guidebook. They had 4 guys playing guitars on stage and they were very good! It was pretty enjoyable!
So the next day we hit the beach again. Lao Hu Tan. Well, that was the plan. But we arrived and discovered that some ocean park had claimed the length of the cost there and were charging £20 to get in! Shocking! So some randomer approached us and asked us if we'd like a lift in his mini van. So he took us to another beach for just 50p each – much more managable! It was a gorgeous beach! We would have missed all the gogrgeous scenery and that beach had we paid the extortionate price of the water park! It was hard to believe we were in China. It was more like a tropical island! Plenty of sunbathing and ocean swimming was had!
That night everyone but Thyra and I left. They all had to work either Sunday or Monday. So they take off and Thyra and I are alone! Yay! Shopping! He hit the markets and shops big time! We got a fair amount of very cool purchases. Clothes, jewelery, shoes and a blow up frog chair (don't ask.) And all for about £25! I love Chinese prices!
Monday evening we grabbed our train. I slept this time for a couple of hours. It actually arrived home and hour and a half before we were expecting which was a huge blessing since i'd planned to do my student finance!
And there we have it! I wish I could tell you much more but i'm dying here! That's taken ages and the heat in our flat is ridiculous! And this hot laptop on my lap isn't helping!
A quick update until now...
Tuesday night I had my usual Chinese lesson, Wednesday I taught an evening class of 7 year olds for some extra cash. And this weekend i'm running 4 houres worth of training for kindergarton kids entered into an English speaking competion. That'll be an extra £40! Next weekend i'll do the same for some more money. Thyra can't do it because she's not a native English speaker which sucks. She's got more of an English accent than most and she's the most fluent non native person i've ever met! She's too modest! But i've passed over the evenign class job to her so she can earn some money that way since I have the weekend thing.
And now, I am closing. I'm so sorry for the length of this! Pictures of my time in Dalian and the sports day/performance put on by my Kindergarton will be on facebook as soon as I can!
I LOVE YOU ALL! xxx
Anyway, as promised to most of you, i'll give the account of my time away...
Wednesday I worked all day and packed after work. Just a little suitcase of things (thank you DT – that thing is invaluable!) Then me and Thyra had our 3rd ritual of beer and cake! Honestly, the cake in China is amazing! Shortly after, the 2 guys coming with us arrived at our place and we hung out till around until 1am. Then we grabbed a cab to the train station.
Our train was an hour late so we actually didn't leave Shenyang until 3 in the morning! But fear not! The Big Mac that I had definitely made me feel much happier about the waiting time. We paid for hard seats for the 6 hour train journey because we're cheap. It cost is about £5 intead of £14. And the difference is huge here in China!!!
I didn't actually sleep the entire journey. For those who know me well enough, i'll sleep through/on ANYTHING! But this train, no. the other 3 did though. So I listened to my ipod and read some of my book. Then we arrived! We headed straight for our hotel, which is the most difficult hotel to find ever! It's just like the Chinese to shove a hotel in a back street ally outside of the main city! Whatever! It was very nice, a family run thing. As Thyra and I were shown to our room we were told in Chinese by the 2 young girls working there that we were beautiful! (I knew I learnt that word for a reason! :P)
So the first day in a seaside town, of course, we head to the beach! Golden Pebble Bay, to be precise! It was gorgeous! Upon arrival we swam in the sea! The Chinese people thought we were crazy (we were, to be fair. It was FREEZING!) So we tanned, we walked, we swam, we buried Kenrick in the sand. Then it was dinner time! To get back to the station to get the train back to the main city we grabbed a ride on a (DONOT READ THE NEXT BIT MUM) a motorcycle! I had complete faith since I only paid 20p for the journey. :-/ I might not try it again. I didn't like it much, in fact I was terrified. I blame my parents. :P
So we head to the hotel, shower and go to a nice local restaurant recommended by our hotel. We ate ridculous amounts of food, drank plenty of beer and then when we holla for the bill, we're told (in Chinese BTW – i'm getting quite good if I do say so myself) that it's free. The manager did not want us to pay. How sweet! We were very touched.
After that we headed to the prak were the Chinese tend to congregate for evening kareoke, ball games, hacky sack kicking and general socialising. It's always a nice atmosphere. And we are always treated like celebrities! Then we kicked back in a nearish pub for a cranberry bircardi breezer (well the others drank beer or something – but I couldn't resist! It was a holiday after all!)
The next we decided not to put our skin through another day of tanning (or burning in some of our case.) So we started by visinting the Russian Street of Dalian. I guess it's like China Town in London. Of course we were mistaken for Russians many times and spoken to in Chinese and Russian most of the time. Not so useful! We detoured around the back streets to check out the Russian slums which was really interesting too.
After all that we made our way to a famous park in Dalian. It was full of street performers, fair ground rides, snack places and Chinese people! We took a cable car to the top of the big hill from where you can see pretty much all of Dalian from! Then we took the mountain slide back down! Imagine a tabogan type situation, except less safe and i'm wearing a skirt! :S As they say in Chinese 每时, never mind, doesn't matter!
We visted some other non-interesting sights then back to the area around our hotel for some dinner. The evening was spent at Noah's Ark Bar which was advertised in someones guidebook. They had 4 guys playing guitars on stage and they were very good! It was pretty enjoyable!
So the next day we hit the beach again. Lao Hu Tan. Well, that was the plan. But we arrived and discovered that some ocean park had claimed the length of the cost there and were charging £20 to get in! Shocking! So some randomer approached us and asked us if we'd like a lift in his mini van. So he took us to another beach for just 50p each – much more managable! It was a gorgeous beach! We would have missed all the gogrgeous scenery and that beach had we paid the extortionate price of the water park! It was hard to believe we were in China. It was more like a tropical island! Plenty of sunbathing and ocean swimming was had!
That night everyone but Thyra and I left. They all had to work either Sunday or Monday. So they take off and Thyra and I are alone! Yay! Shopping! He hit the markets and shops big time! We got a fair amount of very cool purchases. Clothes, jewelery, shoes and a blow up frog chair (don't ask.) And all for about £25! I love Chinese prices!
Monday evening we grabbed our train. I slept this time for a couple of hours. It actually arrived home and hour and a half before we were expecting which was a huge blessing since i'd planned to do my student finance!
And there we have it! I wish I could tell you much more but i'm dying here! That's taken ages and the heat in our flat is ridiculous! And this hot laptop on my lap isn't helping!
A quick update until now...
Tuesday night I had my usual Chinese lesson, Wednesday I taught an evening class of 7 year olds for some extra cash. And this weekend i'm running 4 houres worth of training for kindergarton kids entered into an English speaking competion. That'll be an extra £40! Next weekend i'll do the same for some more money. Thyra can't do it because she's not a native English speaker which sucks. She's got more of an English accent than most and she's the most fluent non native person i've ever met! She's too modest! But i've passed over the evenign class job to her so she can earn some money that way since I have the weekend thing.
And now, I am closing. I'm so sorry for the length of this! Pictures of my time in Dalian and the sports day/performance put on by my Kindergarton will be on facebook as soon as I can!
I LOVE YOU ALL! xxx
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Stormy Holidays
So Thyra and i planned to spend our beautiful summer evening going for a walk. Then an hour before a huge thunder and lightning storm breaks it! Such a juxtaposition on the beautiful day we'd just had! So following the brief, but very large storm, we still went for our walk. It was still really warm and the rain was already half dried. It was very surreal. And also my 1st Chinese storm.
So now, it's back to gorgeous weather and i get to go on holiday tonight! I'm going to Dalian tonight on an overnight train. I'll arrive early Thursday morning, check in. And i won't be checking out till Monday afternoon! All the Chinese have to work Sunday but i've been let loose an di don't have to work till Tuesday!
Following that i'll only have 6 weeks left in China. Crazy! It's gone fast. I'm a mix of emotions, i love my new home here, the language, the people. But i miss home terribly!
I'll blog again when i'm back with my activities over the holiday!
BYE!
So now, it's back to gorgeous weather and i get to go on holiday tonight! I'm going to Dalian tonight on an overnight train. I'll arrive early Thursday morning, check in. And i won't be checking out till Monday afternoon! All the Chinese have to work Sunday but i've been let loose an di don't have to work till Tuesday!
Following that i'll only have 6 weeks left in China. Crazy! It's gone fast. I'm a mix of emotions, i love my new home here, the language, the people. But i miss home terribly!
I'll blog again when i'm back with my activities over the holiday!
BYE!
Monday 25 May 2009
Major Update
Hey everyone! So much has happened and i've been awful at blogging it, so here is my catch up attempt.
First off my blog is actually blocked in China, apparently blogspot have done something to upset the government and they've blocked it. This also means i can't check any one elses blog, this is frustrating. So now i'm blogging via my brother! (Thanks bro!)
This past weekend i have been a busy girl. It also means that both Saturday amd Sunday i had to wake up ealier than i do on a weekday! Not good! So Saturday was spent earning some extra pennies judging an English speaking competition for the children in the local area. They had to first introduce themselves, then sing an english song or tell an English story. Then finally they should answer questions that we ask them on the spot. It felt much more like the X Factor or something. We had renditions of 'Adelweiss' and 'Big Big Girl' a few times. They dance too. Quite cute.
Then Sunday i woke up early again to go to my Kindergaton's performance/sports day. It was very cute and i plan to upload photo's soon. Races included: run in your Dad's shoes and for the 2 years olds, waddle to Mummy. VERY cute! Quite difficult to catch on film so my lengthy descriptions when i get home will have to suffice! :D
I've been offered two extra jobs within 2 days as well. This would be really good news if it works out. The first is to tutor one of my 3 year olds privately on a Sunday morning. The 2nd is to work in a local school for £20 for an hour and a half in the evenings. Not every evening. But i'm not sure of the exact details yet. It would be great to collect some extra money.
Last week i taught my 4 year olds the stroy of the 3 little bears. (There is a video on my facebook if you're interested.) I had to read through the story a few times then demonstrate acting it out to them. To understand what that was like, all the Lee Evans fans out there (especially Craig), should cast their minds to the sketch about how to give yourself a raise. I'm a one woman show playing all the parts, narrating and changing scenery. It's not easy! Plus its nakkering!
This week i am going on Holiday! Wednesday night or Thursday morning i'll be catching a train down to the south of the Province to Dalian! I can't wait! Some seaside time! Some sight seeing! Nice hotel! I saved half of my wages this month so i've sacrificed for this! And i need it. Just one last break from school before the final push untill i come home! Apparently Dalian is great so i can't wait to come back and show you all the photos. Well in the words of some looney toon character who i believe was a pig...that's all folks!
Love and peace. xxx
First off my blog is actually blocked in China, apparently blogspot have done something to upset the government and they've blocked it. This also means i can't check any one elses blog, this is frustrating. So now i'm blogging via my brother! (Thanks bro!)
This past weekend i have been a busy girl. It also means that both Saturday amd Sunday i had to wake up ealier than i do on a weekday! Not good! So Saturday was spent earning some extra pennies judging an English speaking competition for the children in the local area. They had to first introduce themselves, then sing an english song or tell an English story. Then finally they should answer questions that we ask them on the spot. It felt much more like the X Factor or something. We had renditions of 'Adelweiss' and 'Big Big Girl' a few times. They dance too. Quite cute.
Then Sunday i woke up early again to go to my Kindergaton's performance/sports day. It was very cute and i plan to upload photo's soon. Races included: run in your Dad's shoes and for the 2 years olds, waddle to Mummy. VERY cute! Quite difficult to catch on film so my lengthy descriptions when i get home will have to suffice! :D
I've been offered two extra jobs within 2 days as well. This would be really good news if it works out. The first is to tutor one of my 3 year olds privately on a Sunday morning. The 2nd is to work in a local school for £20 for an hour and a half in the evenings. Not every evening. But i'm not sure of the exact details yet. It would be great to collect some extra money.
Last week i taught my 4 year olds the stroy of the 3 little bears. (There is a video on my facebook if you're interested.) I had to read through the story a few times then demonstrate acting it out to them. To understand what that was like, all the Lee Evans fans out there (especially Craig), should cast their minds to the sketch about how to give yourself a raise. I'm a one woman show playing all the parts, narrating and changing scenery. It's not easy! Plus its nakkering!
This week i am going on Holiday! Wednesday night or Thursday morning i'll be catching a train down to the south of the Province to Dalian! I can't wait! Some seaside time! Some sight seeing! Nice hotel! I saved half of my wages this month so i've sacrificed for this! And i need it. Just one last break from school before the final push untill i come home! Apparently Dalian is great so i can't wait to come back and show you all the photos. Well in the words of some looney toon character who i believe was a pig...that's all folks!
Love and peace. xxx
Tuesday 12 May 2009
Bad luck comes in 3's - Or some rubbish like that...
Number 1: MASSIVE cockroach that came from no where!
Number 2: I drop my perfectly fried egg!
Number 3: Thyra gets spat at by the frying pan and drops a raw egg!
The timescale: 5 minutes!
Bit of a premature blog I know, but I needed to share my hardships! :P
Love and hugs!
Number 2: I drop my perfectly fried egg!
Number 3: Thyra gets spat at by the frying pan and drops a raw egg!
The timescale: 5 minutes!
Bit of a premature blog I know, but I needed to share my hardships! :P
Love and hugs!
A whole cucumber? Really?
Just got back from lunch, (well not just, i have put a wash load on first) and i had to tell you about what i had for lunch.
It was the traditional dumplings that we have every so often with accompanying soya sauce etc...blah blah blah. But also, a whole cucumber. One for each person. So Thyra and I took ours, brought them home and they'll be used in a salad on Friday evening. Very unusual! And surreal!
The other thing to mention is the crazy weekend i just had dressed as a Hip Hop girl. Yes, MC Li, to be precise. Photo's (and unfortunately videos) are on facebook if you're interested. Here's one for those who won't look though!
Finally, this Friday we have a girls night in planned. Face masks, cocktails, movies, pedicures and a yummy home cooked meal. I look forward to a chilled evening after the craziness of the weekend just gone.
Missing you all. 65 days left till I land at Heathrow! Crazy!
Love and stuff! xxx
Thursday 7 May 2009
Peter, Benxi and Birthdays
That's me, 2nd from the right. In case you weren't sure what i look like anymore! :) From left to right it goes: Zhou Xi, Tian Tian, Li Rui and Dai Na! Or in English: Josie, Thyra, me, Nawwal!
That's us in beautiful Benxi. It was so great to get away from a city to this!!! I breathed in some fresh air, had some laughs, scrap that... many laughs and now i'm fully refreshed. So, the breakdown of the weekend:
Friday: depart at 7.30am!!!!! 5 hours on a bus. Then white water rafting till dinner! Lovely! Got very wet, and subsequently very cold! Then dinner and to end...Kareoke! We reted out the kareoke room in the Hotel we stayed in and had some drinks and cheesy pop music! Good fun.
Saturday: We started at this awful museum. Which, i might add, had no gift shop!!!! They did however have a comment book, so we righted this wrong by recommending they build one. It wouldn't suprise me if they did so withing the month. They'll do anything for foreigners.
Anyway, then we climbed a mountain. yep. 999 steps later i reached the top and had an icecream. The picture here was taken at the top, so as you can see, it was worth it! We then took a boat to a Buddhist island thing. Just devoted to monks/statues and other stuff. We met a dog which we named Happy there. That was the best part!
Then dinner. Yummy. Then we thought we'd chillax in the hotel Sauna. Reckon! No! Oh no! So, a group of us go, boys and girls. We arrive pay our £1.50 and we're seperated into genders. Okay, so we'll have a strictly girly sauna, fine. Oh no!!!! We're then taken to a locker room, told to get naked and enter the next room. They open the door to the next room and 'hello lots of naked chinese ladies showering'. that was it. A public shower. So, still in bikini's, we're like, 'sorry, bye bye' to the employee and leave. The guys however are gone for like an hour. Why? Because they had a sauna! Not just that, but a hot tub and these very funky face on shower things! Albeit they had to be naked but that seems to have helped their bonding.
At least we girls got our £1.5o back! :D
Sunday: This was the dave of the cave. So stunning! I've uploaded a whole album on facebook dedicated to just that! Got a bit lost with Eric. Well you shouldn't trust a Chinese guy whose never been there before really. So, we're lost, in a huge cave, alone. Gutted. But we retraced a bit a found some others form the group eventually! Nothing lost. Except maybe half an hour! So, i come out of the cave, zip wire 400 metres across a river and back onto the coach. Shattered.
It was a good weekend.
On a somber note, Peter Scott passed away last weekend. Hence some silence form me on my blog. But he's no longer suffering, whichh is a blessing. Apparently the funeral went really smoothly and it sounds really touching. I think he would've been proud of everyone who contributed to it. He was very supportive of my journey in China though so I will have a good time and do my job, because he would've wanted that.
Thyra's birthday was Monday. I bought her a watch as her main pressie. Then lots of little things to go with it. She got a hilairious array of pressies! We went to this gorgeous Swiss restaurant for dinner. Everyone came which was great. had like 14 of us! I also had my first, and probably only steak in China! And it was worth the money! Yum-my!
This Friday evening we're having another BBQ in the park so i'm looking forward to relaxing there and playing some hacky sack and footie and stuff. Then Saturday we're making our 2nd appearance at Armani. the new club in town. It's like a performance untill 12, then it's turns into your standard club. It's Thyra's proper birthday night so we're dressing like gangsta's! We've all got bling baseball caps and some chavvy clothes and some bling and we'll rave it up for her! I'll definately get some photos taken! Fear not!
Well, i'm going to end it because i know i've taken up so much of your time already. Love you all muchly! Take care!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Friday 24 April 2009
English Corner
English corner is a group of primary aged school kids from the local community that get together on a Friday evening in the library to be hassled by a crazy Swedish girl and me.
Today was no exception.
So, we're playing naughts and crosses but before naughting or crossing, they answer a question on a various topic.
Animals comes up: Name 3 animals with 6 legs. The answers given? Butterfly, Bee and finally...................................... 3 people! I love their humor! It actually made me laugh. We gave them a point just for that.
Then, food comes up. I, so cleverly, ask them to name 3 food items beginning with the letter R. Rice was as far as we got for a number of minutes. Eventually, some smart alec pipes in with 'red apple' - once again humor prevailed. But no one, not even their highly intelligent teacher (me) could think of a food item they would know that worked. So, i whip out my Chinese phrasebook, look up some R words, and after 5 minutes of dithering, found rabbit. Yes, tudou! (In Chinese). So i showed a young girl who said it in Chinese and english. Sparking numourous debates as to whether or not you eat rabbit.
Colours. Thyra calls up a student and wants to ask what colour something is. She's looking around for inspiration. meanwhile i have lost it and shout out 'water!' She didn't appreciate my imput. Some students said white though - weird.
Finally, a question bugging me. What animal does not have a tail? Help! And no insects allowed. Frog is already taken, Thyra claimed it. Go!
On other news... i'm broke. I sent 3 parcels of stuff home and it cost a lot. So a cheap weekend for me! No unecessary spenditure! (Aside from my long weekend away next weekend - yay! I need a good break!)
Finally, i love you all. Take care. I'll blog again soon.
xxx
Today was no exception.
So, we're playing naughts and crosses but before naughting or crossing, they answer a question on a various topic.
Animals comes up: Name 3 animals with 6 legs. The answers given? Butterfly, Bee and finally...................................... 3 people! I love their humor! It actually made me laugh. We gave them a point just for that.
Then, food comes up. I, so cleverly, ask them to name 3 food items beginning with the letter R. Rice was as far as we got for a number of minutes. Eventually, some smart alec pipes in with 'red apple' - once again humor prevailed. But no one, not even their highly intelligent teacher (me) could think of a food item they would know that worked. So, i whip out my Chinese phrasebook, look up some R words, and after 5 minutes of dithering, found rabbit. Yes, tudou! (In Chinese). So i showed a young girl who said it in Chinese and english. Sparking numourous debates as to whether or not you eat rabbit.
Colours. Thyra calls up a student and wants to ask what colour something is. She's looking around for inspiration. meanwhile i have lost it and shout out 'water!' She didn't appreciate my imput. Some students said white though - weird.
Finally, a question bugging me. What animal does not have a tail? Help! And no insects allowed. Frog is already taken, Thyra claimed it. Go!
On other news... i'm broke. I sent 3 parcels of stuff home and it cost a lot. So a cheap weekend for me! No unecessary spenditure! (Aside from my long weekend away next weekend - yay! I need a good break!)
Finally, i love you all. Take care. I'll blog again soon.
xxx
Tuesday 14 April 2009
I stand corrected
Youtube is still blocked. Will be for ages/ever i think. Meh.
For those who are unaware, i'm going away for the weekend at the beginning of May. To some lakey area about 5 hours away. Will be nice to have a change of scenery for a bit. I need a bit of refreshment at the moment.
My roommate had a great time in Beijing with her family. Visited a part of the Great Wall which was less touristy than the part we've been. I might do the same, there's an Eastern part of the wall in the city i'm in so i might make the effort for some quiet time on the wall.
Been paid for the first time since being in China, about time i hear you say. Well i'm thinking the same thing. But nevermind, i have now and just in time for me to pay for my weekend away and buy my roommates birthday present.
Been looking into flights to Shanghai. I think my plan is to finish here on the 30th June, go to Shanghai for a week then back to Beijing for a week to finish everything i need to do then i'll be on my flight home from Beijing. No idea if i'll be doing these things alone yet or not. But i figure i'll contact everyone in the programme in those areas and see if they'll be around to stay with or whatever. That's the thinking right now. Subject to change of course.
Anyway, missing home lots, especially now the weather's warm, all this summery food i miss from home is beginning to taunt my mind. But the Chinese do summer quite nicely too. In fact we had a BBQ on Sunday afternoon. Had a great time in thhe park, football, hackysack, badminton, BBQ food, ketchup, beer and warm weather. We were there from 3pm till 9pm! So much fun! Oh and a spanish salad authentically made by a spanish guy. That was good! Although it took him a good hour to make!!!
Peace out homies. xx
For those who are unaware, i'm going away for the weekend at the beginning of May. To some lakey area about 5 hours away. Will be nice to have a change of scenery for a bit. I need a bit of refreshment at the moment.
My roommate had a great time in Beijing with her family. Visited a part of the Great Wall which was less touristy than the part we've been. I might do the same, there's an Eastern part of the wall in the city i'm in so i might make the effort for some quiet time on the wall.
Been paid for the first time since being in China, about time i hear you say. Well i'm thinking the same thing. But nevermind, i have now and just in time for me to pay for my weekend away and buy my roommates birthday present.
Been looking into flights to Shanghai. I think my plan is to finish here on the 30th June, go to Shanghai for a week then back to Beijing for a week to finish everything i need to do then i'll be on my flight home from Beijing. No idea if i'll be doing these things alone yet or not. But i figure i'll contact everyone in the programme in those areas and see if they'll be around to stay with or whatever. That's the thinking right now. Subject to change of course.
Anyway, missing home lots, especially now the weather's warm, all this summery food i miss from home is beginning to taunt my mind. But the Chinese do summer quite nicely too. In fact we had a BBQ on Sunday afternoon. Had a great time in thhe park, football, hackysack, badminton, BBQ food, ketchup, beer and warm weather. We were there from 3pm till 9pm! So much fun! Oh and a spanish salad authentically made by a spanish guy. That was good! Although it took him a good hour to make!!!
Peace out homies. xx
Wednesday 8 April 2009
KNAPP!
That was the verification word for me posting a comment on my last post. It's Swedish for button! How boring would my Chinese experience be without my irreplaceable Swedish roomie!
Tuesday 7 April 2009
100 days of China left
That's right kids.
Just gave £200 of my well earned monies to get Chinese lesson. Uh huh. I'll be fluent! That's the plan.
My roommates family gave a Swedish Easter egg! Love them!!! They also many a Swedish edible treat. me likey.
Her dad also brought necessary tools for fixing my laptop. Maybe that will be up and running in a week or so. Whoop!
Just had a 3 day weekend for tomb sweeping. The Chinese respect the dead on those days. They burn money (the sort they believe is needed for their relatives in he afterlife). I got a day off work for that! Cool. Got to see a Chinese movie being filmed on that day. they used explosives and stuff. And guns! All very exciting. I also spent hours playing with the Chinese version of a hacky sack (spelt wrong, maybe).
Did i mention the weather is now amazing? We're having a BBQ in the park this weekend. Love it.
Missing you all long time.
xxx
Just gave £200 of my well earned monies to get Chinese lesson. Uh huh. I'll be fluent! That's the plan.
My roommates family gave a Swedish Easter egg! Love them!!! They also many a Swedish edible treat. me likey.
Her dad also brought necessary tools for fixing my laptop. Maybe that will be up and running in a week or so. Whoop!
Just had a 3 day weekend for tomb sweeping. The Chinese respect the dead on those days. They burn money (the sort they believe is needed for their relatives in he afterlife). I got a day off work for that! Cool. Got to see a Chinese movie being filmed on that day. they used explosives and stuff. And guns! All very exciting. I also spent hours playing with the Chinese version of a hacky sack (spelt wrong, maybe).
Did i mention the weather is now amazing? We're having a BBQ in the park this weekend. Love it.
Missing you all long time.
xxx
Thursday 2 April 2009
Chinese Censorship!
My first experience!!
China blocked youtube (albeit temporarily) because some Tibetan Monks posted a video on the site. It's now been unblocked.
That's all.
China blocked youtube (albeit temporarily) because some Tibetan Monks posted a video on the site. It's now been unblocked.
That's all.
Monday 30 March 2009
Duck neck and honey roast fish satay...
That's what the ladies in the office fed me Friday afternoon. Not so bad actually.
I had a really productive weekend. I decided that we would not all crash on the sofa for 5 hours in the mornings like usual. no, we would do things. So Saturday we headed to the imperial palace, discovered it was quite expensive for a ticket so decided we'd go back another day when the weather was nicer and we could spend a whole day there. So we did some shopping, had some lunch and then we went to countless bookshops on a mission for Josie. Then had some dinner. Yummy. We went to this gorgeous little Italian restaurant - i had Carbonara (not sure how that's spelt) and some garlic bread. Finally we ended up in this crazy club where they put on a show until midnight then it turns into a night club where the only real dancing space was the stage. So an hour or two of dancing and i was ready for bed.
Sunday morning, wide awake at 7.20am - no idea why. At 8 i was aggitated at the lack of doing anything so i took myself off for a run. Got lost. But found a landmark i recognised eventually and managed to get home. Then went to a church service full of Koreans that was in Chinese (we were told it'd be in English). So 2 hours of sitting and watching, then lots aand lots of walking around. Had dinner at a Vegetarian restaurant down the road. but we got there and the menu was full of meat dishes (peking duck, mutton, pork chops) we were very confused. So this boy, maybe my age approached and translated that it was all fake meat and made up of vegetables. Like the mutton was made from mushrooms etc... weird.
Then he and his mum chaatted to us throughout our meal and she basically wants us to work with her in building up her language school. Got her contact details. Their English was the best i ahve heard from any Chinese person so far. Even their accents and pronunciation were perfect. It was amazing. We were all stunned.
And today. I'm supposed to have parents in my lessons this week but none have showed up yet. So this week is a revision week to show the parents what the kids can do. My 2 and 3 year olds were amazing. 4 year olds, not so much. I got very close to killing them. It was a good thing their parents wern't there to see it.
It's lunch time now, i've had lunch, watched TV with my roomie and now she's gone back to work and i am here, as you see.
Having a movie night tomorrow which will be nice a relaxing. It's becoming a bit of a Tuesday night tradition actually. Which is cool. Then Friday my roomies parents arrive in China! Crazy! I'll have to be on my best behaviour. And impress them with my well rehearsed swedish alphabet and odd words.
Missing everyone at home. On the 7th of April i'll have 100 days in China left. Countdown starts then.
Love love, peace out. xx
I had a really productive weekend. I decided that we would not all crash on the sofa for 5 hours in the mornings like usual. no, we would do things. So Saturday we headed to the imperial palace, discovered it was quite expensive for a ticket so decided we'd go back another day when the weather was nicer and we could spend a whole day there. So we did some shopping, had some lunch and then we went to countless bookshops on a mission for Josie. Then had some dinner. Yummy. We went to this gorgeous little Italian restaurant - i had Carbonara (not sure how that's spelt) and some garlic bread. Finally we ended up in this crazy club where they put on a show until midnight then it turns into a night club where the only real dancing space was the stage. So an hour or two of dancing and i was ready for bed.
Sunday morning, wide awake at 7.20am - no idea why. At 8 i was aggitated at the lack of doing anything so i took myself off for a run. Got lost. But found a landmark i recognised eventually and managed to get home. Then went to a church service full of Koreans that was in Chinese (we were told it'd be in English). So 2 hours of sitting and watching, then lots aand lots of walking around. Had dinner at a Vegetarian restaurant down the road. but we got there and the menu was full of meat dishes (peking duck, mutton, pork chops) we were very confused. So this boy, maybe my age approached and translated that it was all fake meat and made up of vegetables. Like the mutton was made from mushrooms etc... weird.
Then he and his mum chaatted to us throughout our meal and she basically wants us to work with her in building up her language school. Got her contact details. Their English was the best i ahve heard from any Chinese person so far. Even their accents and pronunciation were perfect. It was amazing. We were all stunned.
And today. I'm supposed to have parents in my lessons this week but none have showed up yet. So this week is a revision week to show the parents what the kids can do. My 2 and 3 year olds were amazing. 4 year olds, not so much. I got very close to killing them. It was a good thing their parents wern't there to see it.
It's lunch time now, i've had lunch, watched TV with my roomie and now she's gone back to work and i am here, as you see.
Having a movie night tomorrow which will be nice a relaxing. It's becoming a bit of a Tuesday night tradition actually. Which is cool. Then Friday my roomies parents arrive in China! Crazy! I'll have to be on my best behaviour. And impress them with my well rehearsed swedish alphabet and odd words.
Missing everyone at home. On the 7th of April i'll have 100 days in China left. Countdown starts then.
Love love, peace out. xx
Thursday 26 March 2009
Address
Lots of people requested/have requested my address so here it is:
Miss Rachel Bradley
Room 2311 Tower B GreenFreeTown
346 Fengtian Street
Shenhe District
Shenyang PR
China
110013
Well that's not my address, but i collect it from there. PLEASE make sure my name is on it fully and clearly. Stuff should make it without difficulty. Just write as i have. They do all the translation into Chinese characters.
I'm not posting it to make people write. It's just i know some people wanted to. And some people like Chris promised birthday presents :P
And for anyone unaware, it does cost a bit more to post stuff to China, naturally. So be good now!
AOB: Apologies for my silence of late. For those who don't know, Daniel's Aunt passed away last week and I've been silent out of respect, or because i haven't felt up to it, or something. I miss her. 'Nough said.
Expect another blog soon. Love to you all. xxx
Miss Rachel Bradley
Room 2311 Tower B GreenFreeTown
346 Fengtian Street
Shenhe District
Shenyang PR
China
110013
Well that's not my address, but i collect it from there. PLEASE make sure my name is on it fully and clearly. Stuff should make it without difficulty. Just write as i have. They do all the translation into Chinese characters.
I'm not posting it to make people write. It's just i know some people wanted to. And some people like Chris promised birthday presents :P
And for anyone unaware, it does cost a bit more to post stuff to China, naturally. So be good now!
AOB: Apologies for my silence of late. For those who don't know, Daniel's Aunt passed away last week and I've been silent out of respect, or because i haven't felt up to it, or something. I miss her. 'Nough said.
Expect another blog soon. Love to you all. xxx
Wednesday 18 March 2009
I love China
I'm not sure why but i think the place grows on you. I'm becoming so content with walking around and doing my own thing. And i'm getting by. I'm becoming street wise in Shenyang. I've stopped using supermarkets so much and i rely on the little old vegetable lady outside my building and the little fruit shop nearby and the other smaller, more friendly shops.
I'd like to think that one day i could come back here. Not sure for how long or what to do. But the people and the place, i dunno, it's good. That's all i can say. I really like living this way.
That's not to say i don't miss home. I'm ready to go home now if i could. I do miss everyone so much. But i wanted to reassure those who thought i might be hating it. I'm not. There was always hope. I'm happy.
Frightening children into submission. Or hitting them. Still not sure how to deal with seeing it everyday. It's not the debate of right or wrong that concerns me, it's the cultural acceptance of the practice and what it achieves. I don't think it's the most productive, but it's quick. And in China, time is passing by for these people. There's always things to do, learn, sell or see. Time can't be wasted on my 'naughty step' methods i guess. Odd. Different.
My laptop was half way to being fixed, until two rebellious screws decided nothing (and i mean nothing) was going to budge them. Trying has halted in case i hurl my laptop or have a seizure.
I played the guitar for my students for the first time today. They loved it. I'll definately be doing that again. I'm glad it worked. Somthing new and different to catch their attention. Plus they all seem to respect me more. Which is fun, gone are the days of carrying things or picking up dropped things. These kids just wanna be my slaves. And who am i to say no? :P
[INSERT NOTE: The author of this blog has merely made a joke and in no way agrees with child slavery or anything attactched to it. Any offense that has been taken can call 2341383647 for more information.]
On St Paddy's Day i drank free green beer at my local. VERY ODD. But kinda nice. It was nice to get out of the apartment and from lesson planning and work.
I will end this now, love and hugs to everyone.
JAG ALSKAR DIG!!!!
I'd like to think that one day i could come back here. Not sure for how long or what to do. But the people and the place, i dunno, it's good. That's all i can say. I really like living this way.
That's not to say i don't miss home. I'm ready to go home now if i could. I do miss everyone so much. But i wanted to reassure those who thought i might be hating it. I'm not. There was always hope. I'm happy.
Frightening children into submission. Or hitting them. Still not sure how to deal with seeing it everyday. It's not the debate of right or wrong that concerns me, it's the cultural acceptance of the practice and what it achieves. I don't think it's the most productive, but it's quick. And in China, time is passing by for these people. There's always things to do, learn, sell or see. Time can't be wasted on my 'naughty step' methods i guess. Odd. Different.
My laptop was half way to being fixed, until two rebellious screws decided nothing (and i mean nothing) was going to budge them. Trying has halted in case i hurl my laptop or have a seizure.
I played the guitar for my students for the first time today. They loved it. I'll definately be doing that again. I'm glad it worked. Somthing new and different to catch their attention. Plus they all seem to respect me more. Which is fun, gone are the days of carrying things or picking up dropped things. These kids just wanna be my slaves. And who am i to say no? :P
[INSERT NOTE: The author of this blog has merely made a joke and in no way agrees with child slavery or anything attactched to it. Any offense that has been taken can call 2341383647 for more information.]
On St Paddy's Day i drank free green beer at my local. VERY ODD. But kinda nice. It was nice to get out of the apartment and from lesson planning and work.
I will end this now, love and hugs to everyone.
JAG ALSKAR DIG!!!!
Wednesday 11 March 2009
Amazing Discovery!
Well, maybe not amazing...
You know how we as kids would always find the closeness of the word 'six' and 'sex' was funny, in school we'd 'confuse' the two because we were little rebels, well me and my friends did. Turns out that in Swedish, the number 6 is spelt 'sex' and sex is the same word too! They got the joke handed to them on a plate! That has absolutely nothing to do with my journey through China. I just enjoyed that fact.
What you can know is that one of my friends here has a laptop and he can't get internet in his place. Actually he's the guy who is mine and Thyra's weekend lodger, and Tuesday night lodger too. (He has a curfew at his, it's not an interesting story...) but he's here a lot and now he's going to start leaving his laptop here which means i can email and blog more often than i could with the internet cafe. Yay!
Also, one of my classes tomorrow has moved leaving me with a 4 and a half hour empty slot smack bang in the middle of my day and a very long afternoon of back to back classes on Friday. Meh. As we say out here...it's China. They do these things. We get over it. We do our job.
I'm going to have dinner now, which is at the middle school down the road. Normally quite yummy. We've had chicken nuggets and breaded prawns or whatever it was. Yummy.
So anyway, peace out homies. Stay cool. xxx
You know how we as kids would always find the closeness of the word 'six' and 'sex' was funny, in school we'd 'confuse' the two because we were little rebels, well me and my friends did. Turns out that in Swedish, the number 6 is spelt 'sex' and sex is the same word too! They got the joke handed to them on a plate! That has absolutely nothing to do with my journey through China. I just enjoyed that fact.
What you can know is that one of my friends here has a laptop and he can't get internet in his place. Actually he's the guy who is mine and Thyra's weekend lodger, and Tuesday night lodger too. (He has a curfew at his, it's not an interesting story...) but he's here a lot and now he's going to start leaving his laptop here which means i can email and blog more often than i could with the internet cafe. Yay!
Also, one of my classes tomorrow has moved leaving me with a 4 and a half hour empty slot smack bang in the middle of my day and a very long afternoon of back to back classes on Friday. Meh. As we say out here...it's China. They do these things. We get over it. We do our job.
I'm going to have dinner now, which is at the middle school down the road. Normally quite yummy. We've had chicken nuggets and breaded prawns or whatever it was. Yummy.
So anyway, peace out homies. Stay cool. xxx
I can't comment on my blog
This internet cafe is restricting me from doing anything but read this blog so i'll reply to comments in here.
The swedish title from the last blog is an "exclamation" shall we say, for when something bad/annoying happens. we have similar terms in English i believe. ;) It was in realtion to the whole laptop breaking thing.
I have my camera battery now! Yay! Shenyang will now be photographed to death! But obviosuly i still can't show you pictures just yet. But it's all coming together. Fear not, little ones. That brings up a good point... the Chinese arn't all stereotypically small. I am still considered small. The women are quite small. I guess i'm average for them. I'm definately older than my school kids though. Thank God they're not over 6 years old. Even some 9 year olds are a bit too close for comfort!
Thanks for your nice comments. I love hearing your opinions and encouragement. And i put that extra bit about not doing housework at home just for you Dad. Apart from when i have to be your slave nurse :P
I kept you informed with my last blog so this is the end now. Missing you all lots and lots. Stay safe. And don't eat yellow snow.
Love and hugs all round. xxx
The swedish title from the last blog is an "exclamation" shall we say, for when something bad/annoying happens. we have similar terms in English i believe. ;) It was in realtion to the whole laptop breaking thing.
I have my camera battery now! Yay! Shenyang will now be photographed to death! But obviosuly i still can't show you pictures just yet. But it's all coming together. Fear not, little ones. That brings up a good point... the Chinese arn't all stereotypically small. I am still considered small. The women are quite small. I guess i'm average for them. I'm definately older than my school kids though. Thank God they're not over 6 years old. Even some 9 year olds are a bit too close for comfort!
Thanks for your nice comments. I love hearing your opinions and encouragement. And i put that extra bit about not doing housework at home just for you Dad. Apart from when i have to be your slave nurse :P
I kept you informed with my last blog so this is the end now. Missing you all lots and lots. Stay safe. And don't eat yellow snow.
Love and hugs all round. xxx
Friday 6 March 2009
JÄVLAR!
Well, as most of you know, my laptop is broken :( The plan of action is in motion but it could be up to 3 weeks ish. So i'm using my local internet cafe for now. This might explain a lack of emails/posts or general information about what i'm doing, so i'll try to inform you properly.
Firstly, it's no longer the first day of school. Gone is Monday. Gone are the uncontrollable nerves. Gone is the care taken to look presentable. And gone is the faceless/nameless white girl. I am now Rachel - Teacher. No really, that's what they call me. I'm feeling more positive now. I had some friends who encouraged me a lot and i'm settling in. Obviously it's only my first week over and i still have many more to get through. I expect more snot, more tears, more puke, more English, more smiles, more laughs, more naughtiness, more telling off and more hugs. Should be good! :)
Friday evening i will/have depending on when you read this, also led an English Corner at the local library. Apparently the previosu 4 tenants of our flat have all led English corner there for the 5 months they stay here and it's always well appreciated. So the local council/community person man has turned to us and asked the same of us. We're happy to do it though. It will be lots of fun. Basically we'll sit in the library with an uncertain amount of local kids and some parents, speak some English, teach some stuff, play some games, sing some songs and all for only an hour a week. According to our guide in Shenyang, the parents also invite you for dinner and buy you things and it's normally reported in the local newspaper. I'm really looking forward to teaching a different age group and mixing with the community here. Hopefully i'll brush up on some Chinese too :)
Saturday i plan to go shopping, just a bus ride away we have an underground market, it's absolutely massive, you could seriously get lost. I plan to! I've been 3 times already but never for long enough to buy much so this time we plan on having a good look around. So, that's my girly Saturday with some of the girls, the evening will no doubt involve some bar or another to hang out, catch up and chat over a beer.
Sunday is undecided. I'd like to do something cultural though. I don't think many of us have lessons to plan so maybe a day out. Who knows what though. Maybe i'll go swimming or something.
The week will be filled with lessons, early nights and watching Charmed (i have all the series on DVD - only 3 pounds! I just needed something short for the evenings rather than films all the time.)
Next weekend is unplanned. BUT! The weekend after, my good friend Jenny from Beijing is coming to stay, yay! It's gonna be so great seeing her again! I miss her lots. She was like my mummy in Beijing, looking out for me and looking after me when i was sick. She's just so cool, i love her to bits! And she comes from Windsor so when i talk about London she knows what i'm on about! She also is the only one who understands my slang!
After that i don't know but i do plan on updating you before then anyway. As a whole group we're thinking of trips back to Beijing, up to Harbin (northmost China) and hopefully into Russia too since we're so close. There are also skiing trips planned and people from all over China coming to visit us too. In my last week or two of school, my friend Jon who went to a city south of Shanghai is also coming to stay! I'm looking forward to seeing loads of people that i had to part with in Beijing.
For all those who care, i do actually, cook, clean, do washing, lock up, make beds, make tea and coffee, take rubbish out, change bin bags, sweep and mop my floors. So i'm fully house trained now. But before you say anything, since i'll have been doing it for 5 whole months, don't expect me to do it when i get back. Anyway it's China, they do stuff differently here. So, i'm Chinese house trained. NOT, England :)
I'll leave you all alone now. Much love as always. xxx
Firstly, it's no longer the first day of school. Gone is Monday. Gone are the uncontrollable nerves. Gone is the care taken to look presentable. And gone is the faceless/nameless white girl. I am now Rachel - Teacher. No really, that's what they call me. I'm feeling more positive now. I had some friends who encouraged me a lot and i'm settling in. Obviously it's only my first week over and i still have many more to get through. I expect more snot, more tears, more puke, more English, more smiles, more laughs, more naughtiness, more telling off and more hugs. Should be good! :)
Friday evening i will/have depending on when you read this, also led an English Corner at the local library. Apparently the previosu 4 tenants of our flat have all led English corner there for the 5 months they stay here and it's always well appreciated. So the local council/community person man has turned to us and asked the same of us. We're happy to do it though. It will be lots of fun. Basically we'll sit in the library with an uncertain amount of local kids and some parents, speak some English, teach some stuff, play some games, sing some songs and all for only an hour a week. According to our guide in Shenyang, the parents also invite you for dinner and buy you things and it's normally reported in the local newspaper. I'm really looking forward to teaching a different age group and mixing with the community here. Hopefully i'll brush up on some Chinese too :)
Saturday i plan to go shopping, just a bus ride away we have an underground market, it's absolutely massive, you could seriously get lost. I plan to! I've been 3 times already but never for long enough to buy much so this time we plan on having a good look around. So, that's my girly Saturday with some of the girls, the evening will no doubt involve some bar or another to hang out, catch up and chat over a beer.
Sunday is undecided. I'd like to do something cultural though. I don't think many of us have lessons to plan so maybe a day out. Who knows what though. Maybe i'll go swimming or something.
The week will be filled with lessons, early nights and watching Charmed (i have all the series on DVD - only 3 pounds! I just needed something short for the evenings rather than films all the time.)
Next weekend is unplanned. BUT! The weekend after, my good friend Jenny from Beijing is coming to stay, yay! It's gonna be so great seeing her again! I miss her lots. She was like my mummy in Beijing, looking out for me and looking after me when i was sick. She's just so cool, i love her to bits! And she comes from Windsor so when i talk about London she knows what i'm on about! She also is the only one who understands my slang!
After that i don't know but i do plan on updating you before then anyway. As a whole group we're thinking of trips back to Beijing, up to Harbin (northmost China) and hopefully into Russia too since we're so close. There are also skiing trips planned and people from all over China coming to visit us too. In my last week or two of school, my friend Jon who went to a city south of Shanghai is also coming to stay! I'm looking forward to seeing loads of people that i had to part with in Beijing.
For all those who care, i do actually, cook, clean, do washing, lock up, make beds, make tea and coffee, take rubbish out, change bin bags, sweep and mop my floors. So i'm fully house trained now. But before you say anything, since i'll have been doing it for 5 whole months, don't expect me to do it when i get back. Anyway it's China, they do stuff differently here. So, i'm Chinese house trained. NOT, England :)
I'll leave you all alone now. Much love as always. xxx
Monday 2 March 2009
1st day of school.
Does anyone remember their first day of school? Bad memory or good? I'm leaning towards bad.
2 year olds know absolutely nothing. They don't even get English lessons from the main English teachers so I don't know what I'm supposed to do!
3 year olds - very cute! My favourite age group! But know nothing. Don't get my games. At least the teachers left me to it though. Not too bad.
4 year olds - just don't get the games. I can't explain the games therefore they can't play them. Simple as that.
6 year olds - not at the level that i was expecting. Plus their teachers make them sit in rows properly, hands under desks, backs straight, in order to practice for primary school. (Who, by the way i caught sight marching earlier - weird regimes.) Anyway, so the teacher gets really antsy if i let them shout out (which i do) and run around (which i do.) Actually it's quite funny. Until the kids get a bit playful and the teacher smacks them or drags them away. I feel like it's my fault when that happens. but they're 6, they need to move!
I wouldn't be able to control them without their class "mothers". Their the ones who clean the snot and tears. But at the same time, every time i approach a kid, they flinch because they think I'm about to smack them one. It's not really nice to have that with such cute kids. I wanna give them a chance to tell me their names or whatever but the "mothers" just shout at them and then move on so they never get to speak.
I dunno. I'm no expert, but I'm realising more and more how differently the Chinese view education.
And feeding - they feed the kids umteen times a day. I'm not sure why.
I'm going to drink my tea and relax now. I have great respect for all my teachers. Very brave!
Peace out. xxx
2 year olds know absolutely nothing. They don't even get English lessons from the main English teachers so I don't know what I'm supposed to do!
3 year olds - very cute! My favourite age group! But know nothing. Don't get my games. At least the teachers left me to it though. Not too bad.
4 year olds - just don't get the games. I can't explain the games therefore they can't play them. Simple as that.
6 year olds - not at the level that i was expecting. Plus their teachers make them sit in rows properly, hands under desks, backs straight, in order to practice for primary school. (Who, by the way i caught sight marching earlier - weird regimes.) Anyway, so the teacher gets really antsy if i let them shout out (which i do) and run around (which i do.) Actually it's quite funny. Until the kids get a bit playful and the teacher smacks them or drags them away. I feel like it's my fault when that happens. but they're 6, they need to move!
I wouldn't be able to control them without their class "mothers". Their the ones who clean the snot and tears. But at the same time, every time i approach a kid, they flinch because they think I'm about to smack them one. It's not really nice to have that with such cute kids. I wanna give them a chance to tell me their names or whatever but the "mothers" just shout at them and then move on so they never get to speak.
I dunno. I'm no expert, but I'm realising more and more how differently the Chinese view education.
And feeding - they feed the kids umteen times a day. I'm not sure why.
I'm going to drink my tea and relax now. I have great respect for all my teachers. Very brave!
Peace out. xxx
Sunday 1 March 2009
My Boyfriend needs to get Skype
I miss him.
Let's hope this gets his attention.
Also, when's Mothers Day? Have I missed it?
Let's hope this gets his attention.
Also, when's Mothers Day? Have I missed it?
Skiing, lesson planning and flashcards
Skiing was soooooo much fun. Only one small injury, just a tender spot on my back. Thyra's pretty good at skiing because she's used to it in Sweden so we were on the middle slope and she's teaching me how to do turny things and is like, "come on, give it a go" - I took her out. Just completely smacked into her and took her out. Amazingly she came out of it unharmed and laughing a lot. She's cool with it. I landed on the handle of my ski pole but it's okay. That's the worst injury and it's nothing. I'm definately not having any issues lounging on my sofa and faffing on the internet.
Anyway, we plan to make the most of being up north and go skiing at least once a month. It's pretty cheap for the whole day compared to the prices I've heard that others spend on it. It's like £20 for the days. Including rental of equipment, transport and stuff. And since we're so high up, the air is clear - no smog!
Lesson planning is my next job. I've written about a quarter of my weeks lesson plans so i need to do the rest ready for translation on Monday morning. My activity/song choices are: "the rainbow song" for the littluns, "one, two buckle my shoe" for the 4 year olds, "head, shoulders knees and toes" for the 3 year olds and finally "old macdonald had a farm" for my 5 and 6 year olds. I need to make some flashcards for the songs as prompts since they won't understand a word of English.
My roommate made chips last night without the use of an oven. They were amazing. I miss chips. I also got my bed to myself for the 1st night for 3 nights so that was nice. Lots of space!
Got my first lessons tomorrow, quite nervous. I wish i could be shoved in a room alone with the kids but since they're so small, they need their teachers there. That's the real pressure. I don't wanna be judged compared to their previous foreign teacher because they'll only remember how she was towards the end and much improved as a teacher. But hey, we get on with it. It's about time i got to work and got into the routine.
I better go and have breakfast, shower, get ready and do something today. It'd be so easy to sit on my laptop all day and catch up with my emails but i need to prioritise. Maybe later i can catch up.
Love to everyone. xxx
Anyway, we plan to make the most of being up north and go skiing at least once a month. It's pretty cheap for the whole day compared to the prices I've heard that others spend on it. It's like £20 for the days. Including rental of equipment, transport and stuff. And since we're so high up, the air is clear - no smog!
Lesson planning is my next job. I've written about a quarter of my weeks lesson plans so i need to do the rest ready for translation on Monday morning. My activity/song choices are: "the rainbow song" for the littluns, "one, two buckle my shoe" for the 4 year olds, "head, shoulders knees and toes" for the 3 year olds and finally "old macdonald had a farm" for my 5 and 6 year olds. I need to make some flashcards for the songs as prompts since they won't understand a word of English.
My roommate made chips last night without the use of an oven. They were amazing. I miss chips. I also got my bed to myself for the 1st night for 3 nights so that was nice. Lots of space!
Got my first lessons tomorrow, quite nervous. I wish i could be shoved in a room alone with the kids but since they're so small, they need their teachers there. That's the real pressure. I don't wanna be judged compared to their previous foreign teacher because they'll only remember how she was towards the end and much improved as a teacher. But hey, we get on with it. It's about time i got to work and got into the routine.
I better go and have breakfast, shower, get ready and do something today. It'd be so easy to sit on my laptop all day and catch up with my emails but i need to prioritise. Maybe later i can catch up.
Love to everyone. xxx
Thursday 26 February 2009
Here I am...
My friend Daniel just messaged me on facebook and used the line: "I could get lost in a cup of water with enough alcohol in my veins". Love it. Add to that he's spanish and really funny! It's all good. Good times.
This conversation began with me asking if he got home alright last night. Me and Thyra had a few of the Shengyang Massive over for some belated pancakes. We had to educated her, the other Swede and Daniel about Pancake day and the meaning behind it.
It's the cutest thing, we have a girl called Karla from Mexico out here with us and because it's so cold, naturally it snowed, bless her though, she'd never seen snow before. Then we had to get the train to Shengyang, 1st time on a train. Then we found all these ice formation things from pipes and she was so excited. She's discovering new things everyday, it must be really exciting for her. All i have is 'Oh, Chinese Snow, cool.' Well it's slightly more than that, but in comparison! She's also very cold. She comes out in about 14 layers. She's so sweet. And she speaks the best Manderin so we really need her! :P
I know have internet in my apartment. Had to pay to have it installed but it's so worth it. Thyra's laptop doesn't run on wondows but on Lenux, so if anyone knows how on earth you add a broadband connection to her laptop, please tell me ASAP. Otherwisxe we'll both be sharing mine for the internet for the next 5 months. Not a problem but i'm sure she'd appreciate her own.
I went to visit my school today. It's so sweet. All the walls, floors, radiators, ceilings, chairs, tables, everything is a different colour. It's REALLY clean and really tidy. Not sure how long that'll be kept up but apparently they do put these kids in little pollution/dirt free bubbles. It's the walking to and from school that could harm them, but they all have little pollution masks (as do i now). Some kindies insist on health checks for teachers before teaching/spending time with the kids. Very strange. But understandable i guess.
I've been instructed that i am not there to teach, that's what their English teachers are for. No, i'm to bring English culture into the classroom and just talk at them and play games with them. I think they just want the kids to interact with a Westerner and learn to trust them or something. I dunno. There is an element of teaching to be fair. It's actually really hard not to include some teaching, especially since i've spent the last month learning how to teach. But my school has basically given me free reign, do what i like and be paid for it. So i think i'll teach them some stuff, as well as play lots of games and be the cool, much loved teacher.
I have a desk too. It's normal looking. And a cushion on my chair. No more to say on that.
I'm going skiiing this weekend too! Hopefully i won't break any bones before i start work on Monday!
I have to go and shower now. My instrument of drying today, a bath sheet. Don't ask.
Love and hugs to you all. Emails are on their way. And in the next few weeks i should be on skype a bit more or MSN or whatever so maybe we can chat. And i've uploaded a snippit of photos on facebook incase you haven't seen. And Craig, i'll get your new number when i get back. I'm juggling 3 sim cards and 2 phones right now so i don't know what's going on.
Love love to everyone!
This conversation began with me asking if he got home alright last night. Me and Thyra had a few of the Shengyang Massive over for some belated pancakes. We had to educated her, the other Swede and Daniel about Pancake day and the meaning behind it.
It's the cutest thing, we have a girl called Karla from Mexico out here with us and because it's so cold, naturally it snowed, bless her though, she'd never seen snow before. Then we had to get the train to Shengyang, 1st time on a train. Then we found all these ice formation things from pipes and she was so excited. She's discovering new things everyday, it must be really exciting for her. All i have is 'Oh, Chinese Snow, cool.' Well it's slightly more than that, but in comparison! She's also very cold. She comes out in about 14 layers. She's so sweet. And she speaks the best Manderin so we really need her! :P
I know have internet in my apartment. Had to pay to have it installed but it's so worth it. Thyra's laptop doesn't run on wondows but on Lenux, so if anyone knows how on earth you add a broadband connection to her laptop, please tell me ASAP. Otherwisxe we'll both be sharing mine for the internet for the next 5 months. Not a problem but i'm sure she'd appreciate her own.
I went to visit my school today. It's so sweet. All the walls, floors, radiators, ceilings, chairs, tables, everything is a different colour. It's REALLY clean and really tidy. Not sure how long that'll be kept up but apparently they do put these kids in little pollution/dirt free bubbles. It's the walking to and from school that could harm them, but they all have little pollution masks (as do i now). Some kindies insist on health checks for teachers before teaching/spending time with the kids. Very strange. But understandable i guess.
I've been instructed that i am not there to teach, that's what their English teachers are for. No, i'm to bring English culture into the classroom and just talk at them and play games with them. I think they just want the kids to interact with a Westerner and learn to trust them or something. I dunno. There is an element of teaching to be fair. It's actually really hard not to include some teaching, especially since i've spent the last month learning how to teach. But my school has basically given me free reign, do what i like and be paid for it. So i think i'll teach them some stuff, as well as play lots of games and be the cool, much loved teacher.
I have a desk too. It's normal looking. And a cushion on my chair. No more to say on that.
I'm going skiiing this weekend too! Hopefully i won't break any bones before i start work on Monday!
I have to go and shower now. My instrument of drying today, a bath sheet. Don't ask.
Love and hugs to you all. Emails are on their way. And in the next few weeks i should be on skype a bit more or MSN or whatever so maybe we can chat. And i've uploaded a snippit of photos on facebook incase you haven't seen. And Craig, i'll get your new number when i get back. I'm juggling 3 sim cards and 2 phones right now so i don't know what's going on.
Love love to everyone!
Tuesday 24 February 2009
I am in Starbucks
The title of this blog was inspired by my good friend Josie. She has been with me all through Beijing and now she shares her next 5 months avec moi in Shengyang. Shengyang baby yeah - as she puts it.
I'm also avec Thyra, who is lame!!!!! (Only joking, she is very cool and Swedish and stuff, love it!) Here is some Swedish... Jag gillar ost, you can figure it out.
Would you like some Mandarin too, here... Wo xihuan nailao.
Anyway... as most of you know, apologies to anyone i haven't told yet, i'm in Shengyang which is east of Beijing, just next door to North Korea. [insert inappropriate joke here - i'm too scared to do it]. The reason some of you might not know is because it's been a MAD few days of travelling and settling in. I don't start teaching unitll Monday i think although most of the group i came here with have started teaching already.
I'm currently awaiting for my team leader to get internet installed in my apartment so until then, i will be very silent on the internet. Once it's installed though i should be able to send some more in depth emails and speak to those i've neglected since leaving the UK. Honest, i do love you, but it's really been so busy here. But from now on, i'll teach all day - little kindergarton kids, how cute - and then my evenings i'll email and update this as much as possible. I will also indulge you with some photos from my journey.
On facebook i mentioned my cab crash. Let me clarify what i meant. I was in the cab, front seat, no seat belt because it's like an insult to put it on (you're basically saying they're a rubbish driver - irony!) But anyway, i don't remember the ins and outs but we swerved to avoid something and drove straight into a railing. I got a bump on my head which remians, 3 days later. Also suffered headaches since but i'm ok. Didn't bother with hospital - i'm hard!
Anyway, Josie's bored so we're going to play cards now. Oh, it's snowed a lot. It did in Beijing too. It's very cold and now quite sludgy...nice.
Love to everyone. I'll try and update/email everyone soon.
PS- David M - Sorry for he lack of emails and stuff. I'm trying my best to sort it out. We'll chat soon. David T - Thanks so much for keeping me posted, i'll ty and reply ASAP. I'm reading them all though, just no time to reply. Rach S, Joy, Sarai, Sarah, Grace, Clare - you girls are the best, we will chat soon, i'll email you girls ASAP too. Mum, Dad, Craig, we'll chat soon. Missing you lots. Dan - I'll try and email soon, maybe you can phone this week if my parents tell you how. Guys (Chris, John, Ian, Dain, Dan M, Pippa, Gemma and all of you)...i love you all and i promise i'll try and email everyone as soon as i have the internet.
Anyone i've forgotten i'm sorry, but you know you're supposed to be in there. Love you all. Bye!
I'm also avec Thyra, who is lame!!!!! (Only joking, she is very cool and Swedish and stuff, love it!) Here is some Swedish... Jag gillar ost, you can figure it out.
Would you like some Mandarin too, here... Wo xihuan nailao.
Anyway... as most of you know, apologies to anyone i haven't told yet, i'm in Shengyang which is east of Beijing, just next door to North Korea. [insert inappropriate joke here - i'm too scared to do it]. The reason some of you might not know is because it's been a MAD few days of travelling and settling in. I don't start teaching unitll Monday i think although most of the group i came here with have started teaching already.
I'm currently awaiting for my team leader to get internet installed in my apartment so until then, i will be very silent on the internet. Once it's installed though i should be able to send some more in depth emails and speak to those i've neglected since leaving the UK. Honest, i do love you, but it's really been so busy here. But from now on, i'll teach all day - little kindergarton kids, how cute - and then my evenings i'll email and update this as much as possible. I will also indulge you with some photos from my journey.
On facebook i mentioned my cab crash. Let me clarify what i meant. I was in the cab, front seat, no seat belt because it's like an insult to put it on (you're basically saying they're a rubbish driver - irony!) But anyway, i don't remember the ins and outs but we swerved to avoid something and drove straight into a railing. I got a bump on my head which remians, 3 days later. Also suffered headaches since but i'm ok. Didn't bother with hospital - i'm hard!
Anyway, Josie's bored so we're going to play cards now. Oh, it's snowed a lot. It did in Beijing too. It's very cold and now quite sludgy...nice.
Love to everyone. I'll try and update/email everyone soon.
PS- David M - Sorry for he lack of emails and stuff. I'm trying my best to sort it out. We'll chat soon. David T - Thanks so much for keeping me posted, i'll ty and reply ASAP. I'm reading them all though, just no time to reply. Rach S, Joy, Sarai, Sarah, Grace, Clare - you girls are the best, we will chat soon, i'll email you girls ASAP too. Mum, Dad, Craig, we'll chat soon. Missing you lots. Dan - I'll try and email soon, maybe you can phone this week if my parents tell you how. Guys (Chris, John, Ian, Dain, Dan M, Pippa, Gemma and all of you)...i love you all and i promise i'll try and email everyone as soon as i have the internet.
Anyone i've forgotten i'm sorry, but you know you're supposed to be in there. Love you all. Bye!
Saturday 14 February 2009
Teaching Practice
Hardly. 6 kids we had yesterday and today! 6! I’m going to be teaching classes with an average size of 50 in a week and a bit. The most kids i had to teach was 10 this week! I don’t feel well prepared at all. I’ve kept a lot of materials i used during the past week so i already have some resources for the real thing. To be honest i’m getting really nervous now. How am i supposed to control so many kids? I’m just a kid myself! On that note, i have to tell them i’m like 25. Apparently if you haven’t been to Uni yet then you lose respect. So, “Hi everyone, my name is Rachel, i’m 25, married and have an honours degree in English.” Fun times.
My roommate, lovely girl that she is, copied my fringe! Well, to be fair, she’s had loads of fringes. And she’s planned getting one for months. I just think it’s quite funny. Maybe we’re sort of moulding into one person. Maybe one day, no one will be able to tell us apart... the possibilities.
It rained! Chinese winter is characteristically freezing cold and very dry compared to their boiling wet summer. But it rained! All day yesterday! Itwas quite cool actually. Reminded me of jolly ole England. What larks. Oh oh... i bought a flask for my tea. Mmmm... tea. It’s just a plastic flask but it means i can take tea to my lessons with me. Score! Oh and i’m not doing Manderin classes today, oh no... it’s calligraphy today! Which remindsme, i’m lacking in a spirograph set still. *ponders* But anyway, i hope to emerge from my ‘culture’ class with some masterpieces. Or at least some scribbles. Last night’s festivities included a Chinese Mask Show. We watched some crazy Chinese people do some mask swapping, opera and acrobatics. And dinner was included but it wasn't as nice as i hoped. The other day someone asked if i was part chinese... they said it was my eyes. I’m not sure how i feel about that comment yet.
Then onto Bar Tun! So much fun! One of the best nights so far. My other roommate has gone to hospital this morning because she got so drunk, she fell over and her knee is all swollen. (Not why it wasa good night - i only found that out this morning). But apart from that it was really good! I got ID'd at the bar! How funny! Of course i don't have my passport because it's been sent away to have my visa extended so i showed my UIBE uni card to prove at was studying at the uni. Very odd. Normally they just want your mooney, who cares about age? But this bar was run by a 'westener' - that's how we're known out here, i often feel like a celebrity because chinese people keep taking photos of us randomly. So anyway, quite a western feel to the bar but to be honest it's the only place all of us managed to get in. Most the main street bars are tiny!
I have it on good authority that Blink 182 are reforming. This makes me happy. That’s all i have to say. Peace out.
My roommate, lovely girl that she is, copied my fringe! Well, to be fair, she’s had loads of fringes. And she’s planned getting one for months. I just think it’s quite funny. Maybe we’re sort of moulding into one person. Maybe one day, no one will be able to tell us apart... the possibilities.
It rained! Chinese winter is characteristically freezing cold and very dry compared to their boiling wet summer. But it rained! All day yesterday! Itwas quite cool actually. Reminded me of jolly ole England. What larks. Oh oh... i bought a flask for my tea. Mmmm... tea. It’s just a plastic flask but it means i can take tea to my lessons with me. Score! Oh and i’m not doing Manderin classes today, oh no... it’s calligraphy today! Which remindsme, i’m lacking in a spirograph set still. *ponders* But anyway, i hope to emerge from my ‘culture’ class with some masterpieces. Or at least some scribbles. Last night’s festivities included a Chinese Mask Show. We watched some crazy Chinese people do some mask swapping, opera and acrobatics. And dinner was included but it wasn't as nice as i hoped. The other day someone asked if i was part chinese... they said it was my eyes. I’m not sure how i feel about that comment yet.
Then onto Bar Tun! So much fun! One of the best nights so far. My other roommate has gone to hospital this morning because she got so drunk, she fell over and her knee is all swollen. (Not why it wasa good night - i only found that out this morning). But apart from that it was really good! I got ID'd at the bar! How funny! Of course i don't have my passport because it's been sent away to have my visa extended so i showed my UIBE uni card to prove at was studying at the uni. Very odd. Normally they just want your mooney, who cares about age? But this bar was run by a 'westener' - that's how we're known out here, i often feel like a celebrity because chinese people keep taking photos of us randomly. So anyway, quite a western feel to the bar but to be honest it's the only place all of us managed to get in. Most the main street bars are tiny!
I have it on good authority that Blink 182 are reforming. This makes me happy. That’s all i have to say. Peace out.
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Great Wall, Green Tea and Chalk
First of all, my sincerest apologies for not blogging sooner. I might try and do little and often blogging rather than big catch up blogs. Anyway, I'm so sorry, I've been so busy, but here it is.
To begin, Great Wall, well, it's pretty great. I was quite overwhelmed actually. everywhere you look it's like "oh more great wall there, bit more there, or and over there" needless to say it's not a well kept secret. We spotted it very quickly. And for the sports fans, in the same day i visited the Olympic Area, or whatever it's called. Bird's Nest, Bubble, the lot. I got there when it was light and managed to stay until it got dark (like an hour later) so i saw it during the day and then all lit up at night. That was overwhelming. And so inspiring! Then blast out the "one world, one dream" song constantly all around it.
Green tea...not much to say about it. It's become like my standard tea. After that it's the Jasmine tea they serve in most restaurants. But i now have a box of green tea bags in my kitchen for my morning tea.
Another reason i haven't blogged is because I've been quite ill. I had an awful cold for a while we made me miss a lesson one day i just felt so rough. I was coughing and heaving and stuff, not pretty. But I'm almost better now which is very good.
Another reason i haven't blogged much (are you noticing my excuses?) is because I'm currently in the middle of a teaching practice week. I've been teaching a class of 9 and 10 years old kids about animals, colours, actions and tomorrow, parts of the body. Friday will be sports and hobbies. They're very sweet though. I want to take them all home. Only problem is the chalk boards! You'd think China, fastest growing nation would invest in some interactive boards or even a white board! But no, chalk boards, everywhere! My clothes will never forgive me.
Anyway, the lessons are going well. I've been writing up lesson plans for them all. Next week is my last in Beijing i leave on Friday the 20th. I'll be teaching full time in just over a week! Crazy! Who knows if I'm prepared enough for this? I'm not sure i am actually! It's a bit scary!
Photos, if i haven't told you already then I'm sorry but i can't get on facebook very well so i can't upload any. I'll try my best to figure out a way of doing it on someone elses computer.
Apart from that, i think that's all the main stuff. I've bought 3 scarfs, a jacket, a hat, a bracelet, a pendant, oh and a Chinese phone so i could have a chinese sim card.
Ooo, and i have a Chinese name too Bei Rei Qian (pronounced - bay-ray-tee-n). I won't tell you what it means though :P You can work it out.
Love to you all, i'll blog sooner next time!
xxx
PS. I have skype now so i can have free video/audio chats with people over the internet. If you're interested then let me know and i'll email my username. I'd say it'd be nice to hear your voices but i spoke to my mum and dad yesterday and it sounded a bit weired. Maybe that's just because i haven't heard their voices in a while.
To begin, Great Wall, well, it's pretty great. I was quite overwhelmed actually. everywhere you look it's like "oh more great wall there, bit more there, or and over there" needless to say it's not a well kept secret. We spotted it very quickly. And for the sports fans, in the same day i visited the Olympic Area, or whatever it's called. Bird's Nest, Bubble, the lot. I got there when it was light and managed to stay until it got dark (like an hour later) so i saw it during the day and then all lit up at night. That was overwhelming. And so inspiring! Then blast out the "one world, one dream" song constantly all around it.
Green tea...not much to say about it. It's become like my standard tea. After that it's the Jasmine tea they serve in most restaurants. But i now have a box of green tea bags in my kitchen for my morning tea.
Another reason i haven't blogged is because I've been quite ill. I had an awful cold for a while we made me miss a lesson one day i just felt so rough. I was coughing and heaving and stuff, not pretty. But I'm almost better now which is very good.
Another reason i haven't blogged much (are you noticing my excuses?) is because I'm currently in the middle of a teaching practice week. I've been teaching a class of 9 and 10 years old kids about animals, colours, actions and tomorrow, parts of the body. Friday will be sports and hobbies. They're very sweet though. I want to take them all home. Only problem is the chalk boards! You'd think China, fastest growing nation would invest in some interactive boards or even a white board! But no, chalk boards, everywhere! My clothes will never forgive me.
Anyway, the lessons are going well. I've been writing up lesson plans for them all. Next week is my last in Beijing i leave on Friday the 20th. I'll be teaching full time in just over a week! Crazy! Who knows if I'm prepared enough for this? I'm not sure i am actually! It's a bit scary!
Photos, if i haven't told you already then I'm sorry but i can't get on facebook very well so i can't upload any. I'll try my best to figure out a way of doing it on someone elses computer.
Apart from that, i think that's all the main stuff. I've bought 3 scarfs, a jacket, a hat, a bracelet, a pendant, oh and a Chinese phone so i could have a chinese sim card.
Ooo, and i have a Chinese name too Bei Rei Qian (pronounced - bay-ray-tee-n). I won't tell you what it means though :P You can work it out.
Love to you all, i'll blog sooner next time!
xxx
PS. I have skype now so i can have free video/audio chats with people over the internet. If you're interested then let me know and i'll email my username. I'd say it'd be nice to hear your voices but i spoke to my mum and dad yesterday and it sounded a bit weired. Maybe that's just because i haven't heard their voices in a while.
Saturday 31 January 2009
Happy Birthday!
Verdict on birthdays in Chinaland...very cool! Wednesday night the program leaders threw a suprise party for all the birthdays happening during this training month, incidently, mine was in that catagory, so, upon stage with about 9 others and sung 'Happy Birthday' in all the represented languages. We had Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Swedish, German, Dutch, Polish and a few others... it was like having just the one plain English version on your birthday but 10 times more embarrassing. But very sweet. Anyway, all the birthday people got a cake each, a crown and a present. Then we had a pub quiz type thing. My team came joint 3rd out of 9 or 10 i believe.
Then, my birthday, i had classes during the day but in the evening i went to dinner with, what i thought would be just Josie and Jenny, turned out to be 13 of us which was really cool. Had a gorgeous meal, and if i haven't said before, China...so cheap! £48 for 13 of us! And it was a really nice restaurant too! Then finally, the bar district here. In one bar one of our lot told the bar staff it was my birthday, to which i was took one stage, sung happy birthday to in English and Chinese and given a 2nd crown and a 2nd cake. Very yummy. The have sponge cakes full of fresh exotic fruits! Really nice! I was given a free drink of rice wine in another bar down the road, it's not good. In fact, it's disgusting.
And today, i climbed the Great Wall! Yes! I finally felt, yeah...I'm in China. But, i didn't realise how tiring that wall could be, it's so steep! I was shattered! We managed 5 towers from the entrance in the time we were allowed to explore. We visited the Ming Tombs afterwards which was dull, but nice for a break. There was a nice picnics sort of area surrounding it so it was really pleasant. Then onto the Olympic area this evening. We saw it as it went from daylight to darkness so from being not lit up to all the lights on, gorgeous, so inspiring! They blast out that 'One world, one dream' song over the PA surrounding the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Very Cheesy, but it works! :P
I'm going ice skating tomorrow afternoon which will be very cool! Oh and I'm very proud of me, i managed to buy myself a phone, just a cheapy nokia for my Chinese Sim Card but i was all aloney and there are lots of fakes and things that just don't work here so i was a little nervous. For all those on facebook, just to let you know I'm having some difficultly getting on it so it might be quite unkept. I can read your wall posts though because it emails me those so thank you all so much for the lovely messages, you just make me miss you more.
Plenty of love and hugs for you all! xxx
Then, my birthday, i had classes during the day but in the evening i went to dinner with, what i thought would be just Josie and Jenny, turned out to be 13 of us which was really cool. Had a gorgeous meal, and if i haven't said before, China...so cheap! £48 for 13 of us! And it was a really nice restaurant too! Then finally, the bar district here. In one bar one of our lot told the bar staff it was my birthday, to which i was took one stage, sung happy birthday to in English and Chinese and given a 2nd crown and a 2nd cake. Very yummy. The have sponge cakes full of fresh exotic fruits! Really nice! I was given a free drink of rice wine in another bar down the road, it's not good. In fact, it's disgusting.
And today, i climbed the Great Wall! Yes! I finally felt, yeah...I'm in China. But, i didn't realise how tiring that wall could be, it's so steep! I was shattered! We managed 5 towers from the entrance in the time we were allowed to explore. We visited the Ming Tombs afterwards which was dull, but nice for a break. There was a nice picnics sort of area surrounding it so it was really pleasant. Then onto the Olympic area this evening. We saw it as it went from daylight to darkness so from being not lit up to all the lights on, gorgeous, so inspiring! They blast out that 'One world, one dream' song over the PA surrounding the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. Very Cheesy, but it works! :P
I'm going ice skating tomorrow afternoon which will be very cool! Oh and I'm very proud of me, i managed to buy myself a phone, just a cheapy nokia for my Chinese Sim Card but i was all aloney and there are lots of fakes and things that just don't work here so i was a little nervous. For all those on facebook, just to let you know I'm having some difficultly getting on it so it might be quite unkept. I can read your wall posts though because it emails me those so thank you all so much for the lovely messages, you just make me miss you more.
Plenty of love and hugs for you all! xxx
Monday 26 January 2009
Happy New Year!
Chinese New Year kicks ass! It’s exactly how you’d imagine it and more! I got in at 5am buzzing. Even today, after everything that went on last night, fireworks are still lighting up the sky! I had no idea when it even turned 12am. Fireworks were non stop all night. I took some pictures and a video in order to try to do it some justice, but it doesn’t. The deafening noises and variety of fireworks can’t be caught on camera.
Forget safety too. They are set off all around you, bits of shells from the rockets hit you and smoke surrounds you. I could barely breathe with all the smoke! Often, when walking down the road you have to walk around fire crackers being set off right there in the middle of the pathway. There’s no other way to avoid it other than stay as many metres away as you can and run past during the breaks in fire. The Chinese would just stand right by them and dance around them, set them off right by cars and electrical wires.
Truly amazing. I want to come back every year for that one night. Unforgettable. I just don’t know how else to describe it.
I’ll fill you in on the past couple of days too. Time is very precious out here at the moment. My lessons for my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course have started. We work from 8.45am-5pm, with breaks for lunch and to stretch our legs. My first lesson was straight in there with Phonetics and Phonology. It was supposed to be about classroom management but my teacher (Neil) is a real intellectual and went straight for the complicated stuff. I’ve actually just finished the homework he set us too.
The food here...yeah. It’s not like home at all, not that i expected it to be, but it’s very different. None of your prawn crackers and spring rolls and the like. But they do have some gorgeous food out here. Just today I had this beef noodles dish, gorgeous. I washed it down with a lovely cu of hot citrus tea. I can say with about 70% assurance that I have not eaten dog. I can say with 0% assurance that I have not eaten snake. It was chewy.
I am learning the odd phrase in Chinese but it’s difficult to remember it all when so much else is going on. Next week I start Mandarin lessons though so that should help me focus on learning it.
The girl on my flight out here, Heather, has been struggling a great deal with homesickness, culture shock and the food. She’s decided she wants to go home so I’ll be saying bye to her shortly, as soon as she can get a flight. She’ll have lost her money which she paid for the entire thing but she’s made up her mind to go because she can’t see herself being happy if she stays any longer. It’s a shame. A real shame. We’d been getting on quite well so I’ll miss her being around.
(A note that only my mum will care about...) Hi Mummy! I did my first lot of washing today. I’ve discovered the art of guessing what the Chinese writing says and going for it. Clothes in, powder in on top (shaken out from my bag of ariel powder because I have no way to measure it out), comfort in the strange leaky drawer, shut lid and hope for the best. It went very well; everything is still the same size as before. It’s now all hanging out to dry in my conservatory/balcony area. I did a black wash and a colour wash. Oh and on an aside note – all the public toilets are those hole in the ground toilets, squatting is the new sitting, so I’m told. The strange thing is though, they all flush! Why not just stick a seat over the hole?? At least the toilet in my apartment is a normal one. Oh and it’s a toilet paper in the bin rather than flushed down the toilet situation too. – Maybe I should’ve emailed this instead...whatever.
Today I went to a Festival Fair for the New Year. It was absolutely packed. Everyone was squished up against each other despite how massive the place was! Insane and nakkering! But good fun! Everyone’s taken it easy today because we’ve all been getting up early everyday and then staying out till 4am Saturday night and 5am Sunday night. We’re all having early nights tonight because we have our second day of lessons tomorrow. I don’t think we’ll go out that late again until Thursday for my birthday. We plan to go to either Mix or Vix – two local clubs that night. I look forward to it. Everyone’s really up for celebrating it with me, which I find very sweet.
Last night we ended up in a bar on the main bar street where a band were playing. They were a very talented bunch to be fair. Although their range of music was hilarious. Bon Jovi, Bob Marley, Greenday, Rianna, Evenessence. The main singer was a Chinese guy with dreadlocks! But yeah, a great night out.
I will end this now because I have no doubts that you’re probably bored to tears. I must mention though that my roommate Nawwal is, it must be said, the best roommate ever! And! She had a special treat today when a guy she thinks is very pleasant looking, emptied out her washing machine full of underwear so he could use it! We think he stole her yellow socks as a souvenir though. :S
Love to you all xxx
Forget safety too. They are set off all around you, bits of shells from the rockets hit you and smoke surrounds you. I could barely breathe with all the smoke! Often, when walking down the road you have to walk around fire crackers being set off right there in the middle of the pathway. There’s no other way to avoid it other than stay as many metres away as you can and run past during the breaks in fire. The Chinese would just stand right by them and dance around them, set them off right by cars and electrical wires.
Truly amazing. I want to come back every year for that one night. Unforgettable. I just don’t know how else to describe it.
I’ll fill you in on the past couple of days too. Time is very precious out here at the moment. My lessons for my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course have started. We work from 8.45am-5pm, with breaks for lunch and to stretch our legs. My first lesson was straight in there with Phonetics and Phonology. It was supposed to be about classroom management but my teacher (Neil) is a real intellectual and went straight for the complicated stuff. I’ve actually just finished the homework he set us too.
The food here...yeah. It’s not like home at all, not that i expected it to be, but it’s very different. None of your prawn crackers and spring rolls and the like. But they do have some gorgeous food out here. Just today I had this beef noodles dish, gorgeous. I washed it down with a lovely cu of hot citrus tea. I can say with about 70% assurance that I have not eaten dog. I can say with 0% assurance that I have not eaten snake. It was chewy.
I am learning the odd phrase in Chinese but it’s difficult to remember it all when so much else is going on. Next week I start Mandarin lessons though so that should help me focus on learning it.
The girl on my flight out here, Heather, has been struggling a great deal with homesickness, culture shock and the food. She’s decided she wants to go home so I’ll be saying bye to her shortly, as soon as she can get a flight. She’ll have lost her money which she paid for the entire thing but she’s made up her mind to go because she can’t see herself being happy if she stays any longer. It’s a shame. A real shame. We’d been getting on quite well so I’ll miss her being around.
(A note that only my mum will care about...) Hi Mummy! I did my first lot of washing today. I’ve discovered the art of guessing what the Chinese writing says and going for it. Clothes in, powder in on top (shaken out from my bag of ariel powder because I have no way to measure it out), comfort in the strange leaky drawer, shut lid and hope for the best. It went very well; everything is still the same size as before. It’s now all hanging out to dry in my conservatory/balcony area. I did a black wash and a colour wash. Oh and on an aside note – all the public toilets are those hole in the ground toilets, squatting is the new sitting, so I’m told. The strange thing is though, they all flush! Why not just stick a seat over the hole?? At least the toilet in my apartment is a normal one. Oh and it’s a toilet paper in the bin rather than flushed down the toilet situation too. – Maybe I should’ve emailed this instead...whatever.
Today I went to a Festival Fair for the New Year. It was absolutely packed. Everyone was squished up against each other despite how massive the place was! Insane and nakkering! But good fun! Everyone’s taken it easy today because we’ve all been getting up early everyday and then staying out till 4am Saturday night and 5am Sunday night. We’re all having early nights tonight because we have our second day of lessons tomorrow. I don’t think we’ll go out that late again until Thursday for my birthday. We plan to go to either Mix or Vix – two local clubs that night. I look forward to it. Everyone’s really up for celebrating it with me, which I find very sweet.
Last night we ended up in a bar on the main bar street where a band were playing. They were a very talented bunch to be fair. Although their range of music was hilarious. Bon Jovi, Bob Marley, Greenday, Rianna, Evenessence. The main singer was a Chinese guy with dreadlocks! But yeah, a great night out.
I will end this now because I have no doubts that you’re probably bored to tears. I must mention though that my roommate Nawwal is, it must be said, the best roommate ever! And! She had a special treat today when a guy she thinks is very pleasant looking, emptied out her washing machine full of underwear so he could use it! We think he stole her yellow socks as a souvenir though. :S
Love to you all xxx
Thursday 22 January 2009
Cold, so very cold
Depsite the below freezing temperatures outside, our bedrooms are baking hot! It just makes going out so much more effort. Although knowing you have that room to go back to is also lovely!
Well, i slept the whole night. It's a hard matress but i was that tired! Most people slept in or got little sleep so it worked out well for me. But they should all be tired enough tonight to sleep on the beds the whole night.
I'm getting on really well with Heather, it's like we've known each other for ages. She picked Shanghai to go to afterwards too so we're desperately hoping we'll be together, if not close by. We've already decided that we were so good at waltzing earlier that we make a very cute couple :P Yes, waltzing. We had some very strange activities in our team building day. Had to draw out personal crests that represent us is some way. I attempted to draw things like the Arsenal shield, a guitar, a cross etc... although if anyone knows the extent of my drawing talent, you can probably imagine how awful it was.
We got these Uni T-Shirts when we arrived yesterday which they want us to wear for all the group things we do. It's fine, just washing it will be an effort. I haven't done anyway washing but i've seen where i can buy the powder and comfort, both for less that 1 pound!
I have my welcome dinner tomorrow at some posh restaurant. Going to the great wall on Jan 31st. Probably won't be back till July 16th, earliest and i'm getting a Chinese Sim Card tomorrow which should make things much cheaper.
Missing everyone lots
Love love xXx
Well, i slept the whole night. It's a hard matress but i was that tired! Most people slept in or got little sleep so it worked out well for me. But they should all be tired enough tonight to sleep on the beds the whole night.
I'm getting on really well with Heather, it's like we've known each other for ages. She picked Shanghai to go to afterwards too so we're desperately hoping we'll be together, if not close by. We've already decided that we were so good at waltzing earlier that we make a very cute couple :P Yes, waltzing. We had some very strange activities in our team building day. Had to draw out personal crests that represent us is some way. I attempted to draw things like the Arsenal shield, a guitar, a cross etc... although if anyone knows the extent of my drawing talent, you can probably imagine how awful it was.
We got these Uni T-Shirts when we arrived yesterday which they want us to wear for all the group things we do. It's fine, just washing it will be an effort. I haven't done anyway washing but i've seen where i can buy the powder and comfort, both for less that 1 pound!
I have my welcome dinner tomorrow at some posh restaurant. Going to the great wall on Jan 31st. Probably won't be back till July 16th, earliest and i'm getting a Chinese Sim Card tomorrow which should make things much cheaper.
Missing everyone lots
Love love xXx
Wednesday 21 January 2009
A Message to my Friends and Family
I've made it, safe and sound. I've also managed to find a weak connection in my room which is very handy. It's only 10pm but i'm about to call it a night, i haven't slept in over 24 hours. For some reason i just couldn't sleep on the plane. I watched three films during the flight instead, 'Knocked Up', 'The Simpsons Movie' and some film about racing cars. Aside from not sleeping on the plane, the flight was fine. I only got an ear ache during the landing.
Not too much else to report. Apart from everything is so cheap! 2 Litre bottle of pepsi cost me 58p. Yay. And it's much the same story for lots of stuuf. Like my 2 litre bottle of water which cost me 25p. Yay.
Anyway, expect better blog entries than this, i just wanted to reassure you all that i'm here and well.
Missing you all muchly. Love love.
Not too much else to report. Apart from everything is so cheap! 2 Litre bottle of pepsi cost me 58p. Yay. And it's much the same story for lots of stuuf. Like my 2 litre bottle of water which cost me 25p. Yay.
Anyway, expect better blog entries than this, i just wanted to reassure you all that i'm here and well.
Missing you all muchly. Love love.
Monday 12 January 2009
Preparations:
Greetings Friends and Family. This will be the space where you should come if one of the following happens:
- You haven't heard from me in a while
- You want to hear what I'm up to
- You're not sure what to pray for me, or
- You're mind numbingly bored.
In the event of such cases I have provided this place and I will try my up most to keep up to date.
Here are all the details I have so we're all on the same page, so to speak:
- My flight is from Heathrow to Beijing on Tuesday 20th January at 5:40pm. It will last 10 hoursish and will get me to China at 4amish - 12pm local time.
- I'll be 8 hours ahead of you so phone calls and catching me on MSN will be a rare occurrence, much like when I'm the the UK in fact.
- My Teacher Training Course (Teaching English as a Foreign Language - TEFL) course starts on the 22nd January.
- I will be studying at the University of International Business and Economics for the first 4 weeks of my trip.
- 3 weeks into the course I will be informed of where I'm going to teach for the remainder of my time out there.
- I haven't started packing yet.
If there's anything important I've missed out then just ask. I'm going to use this blog as a place for my musings, my thoughts on my experiences, my diary and to keep you all informed. You can always email me at: spirited_child@hotmail.com or rachelbradley@gmail.com or message me on facebook if you're that concerned.
Thank you for your time, support, prayers, money and love. Next time you hear from me, I'll be in China, 再见 !
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