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