Tis the season

So the reason for my lack of posts is due to the lack of VPN connection at home. Things have been good.most of my time has been spent at work and outside of work i have beenrelaxing. It has gotten cold and windy so I choose to stay in and be warm and comfy! I do miss not being home for the holidays, but it is fine. Shanghai has lots of Christmas decor and music playing.

I have beenblessed to receive packages from family and friends and that is a wonderful feeling knowing people care and are thinking of you during your absence. I must say, I do miss the Christmas parties with my third graders....snacks and movies and crafts!
Well...i hateto make this short, but I must get going to work!!
Enjoy the holidays..stay warm

Shanghainese

Here are some random pics!

It's been a while!

Hello all!!

Things are still going well in Shanghai!! I've been under the weather a few times..but all is well!

It has finally gotten really cold! For Thanksgiving, we went to Suzhou and cooked a great meal! It was fun and we had lots of laughs. I will add more pics later.

Random pics

I love shanghai

Things to remember during October Holida

Sooo....i have learned what it is like during the chinese holiday and have learned how to adapt...

1. Expect some restaurants to be closed for three days

2. Do not go to yu garden

3. Expect fireworks to go off from 7am to 7am the next day..all day..everyday

4. Expect lots of traffic...most importantly lots of people

5. There may not be happy hour at your usual hangout the first day of the holiday

6. There are tons of people...

7. Book your train tickets far in advance

8. Do not go shopping

The cool docks at the bund

Yesterday was fun...went to go on a river tour and ended up discovering shops and restaurants that are close by! We saw a chinese wedding going on and we got our photos taken randomly by random people!!


The wedding was very nonformal as far as guests were concerned...they were dressed very casually!!! The bride and groom were standing outside for at least two hours taking pics with guests and with family.

As far as other new discoveries go...we were walking towards the wharf and ran into a lot of restaurants and shops..we continued walking and found a huge open area of restaurants...it was nice!!!

The lady below is one of the ones who snapped our papparazzi photos!! I was papparazzi too!! Haha the others are cool statues we saw...the river and no striding sign and the river dinner dragon boat...oh and the alley to restaurant area..good day overall


I must also tell you about the foot massage lady ...very nice people..well she noticed my zipper was down and put it up for me haha..it was very funny and felt like my grandma or somebody helping me...glad to know she has my back and doesnt want my fly open :-)

Fall

So fall has arrived and it feels great out. I have a few days off next week because its the mid autumn festival or moon festival..its been happening all month...lots of mooncake treats...a mooncake is a pastry...it can have .meat..sweets...nuts ...pastes...dried fruit...etc...the job gave us a coupon for haagen daaz moonxake box..it was rather delish.
Mooncakes are to be eaten and given to family and friends when celebrating mid autumn festival...google it ..its cool

Grocery shopping

First off let me just tell you i can only identify the frog, turtle, cat fish and prawns...the other sea creatures ..well i dont know..would you like to fish for your food with out having to go to a lake? Well you can...in Walmart and most grocery stores in china..you can also hand pick your pork beef chickeb and have it cut up whichever way you like...nevermind all the hands that have been touching the meat....dont cringe...its normal here...

Names

Now that I have started my new schedule...I have 9 classes..the children range between the ages of 2-10. My classes have between 3-15 children in them. 15 is the max!

I have many, many names to remember...now most of these names are English names which apparently sound like their Chinese names...or their parents just like the name...I actually like learning their chinese name..1. Because they will respond when I call their name 2. Its cool

ok bear with me as I go through the list:

Qiqi (chi chi)
Dou dou (doedoe)
Helen
Louie
Liang Chen or chen chen
Tiger (he was just visiting)
Yiyi (e e)
Xiao Wei (shou like in shower -way)
Joanna
Xixi(shi shi)
Max
Anna
Tina
Astro
Kitty
Candy x2
Linda
Mike
Eric
Anan (uh uh)
Yi chen
Sherlock
Alan
Thomas
Nan nan
Eason x2
Sissi
Le le (lulu like in lullaby)
Yuan yuan (ren ren sorta) it means circle
David
Dong dong
Shaina
Jerry
Barbie
Beverly
Beita (beta)
Vi vi
Apple


Ok my memory is fading... There are lots more!! I love it

Doctor, doctor!

I went to the doctor today...i entered what looked to be registration and admission and saw tons of people waiting. They must have been the ones who were running from up the street. I knewI was just supposed to go to the 8th floor...which when I got to the elevators...the attendant walked me to the correct set of elevators... Yes elevator attendant to control the crowds of people and one to push the elevator buttons inside...so i enter and the sign in is easy and quick...the nurse takes your vitals and afterwhile the doctor sees you...of course if you need xrays that is done but it takes a while to wait for results...the doctor then sends you on your way to the cashier and pharmacy..you get your meds right there and pay if you have to. There is this machine which slides your insurance card and tells you right away whats covered and whats not ...with your visit. Its a smooth process. The worse part is waiting for the elevators and doctors.


China always amazes me..their record keeping here is very old fashioned in some places. Most of it is on paper in notebooks and carbon paper is used a lot for their forms...especially in banks whereas we're used to the computers . The people here still use bank books..im sure some of our banks use that too, but we rely on online banking more..very interesting!!!

Bu yao!!

So the girls and I went to qipu lu literally sounds like cheapu...ive gone before and it was okay but this time... It was bananas!! A group of foreigners means non-stop following ... You always hear "lady ..do you want copy? Handbag? Watch? Copy clothes? We have polo ..we have louis ...we have big clothes ..."
The phrase that pays bu yao! No!!! Does it always work..?? No!! Some still follow and offer to take you around and some talk and want to know all about you!!! It's a pretty exhilarating experience....and its great when they leave you alone after saying bu yao!!

Crotchless

So earlier in my posts, I tried explaining the crotchless pants that babies wear. I was able to take a pic. There's one of the child using the bathroom. Here the grandmother is holding him. Other times in china you may see the child just squat. It really does make perfect sense and teaches potty training early.. Except it can be awkard for us to see a child using the bathroom...anywhere

I am used to seeing this now...my only question is how did she know the baby had to use the bathroom??

Random

No name lol

Next Week

So next week I begin my new schedule and classes. I will now have Wednesday and Thursday off like most of my co-workers. I will be teaching 2-4 year olds. This is a big change for me, but it involves lots of play and singing! I think it will be a blast. It has been a while since I've been on the floor playing games and singing. It takes me back to when I started at Kindercare (11 years ago - whoa I'm old). Also their parents are in the class with their child, which I think is a neat concept. I must say I do miss my 8-10 year olds...We were able to have full conversations. I do find joy with communicating with children and adults who don't understand me and vice versa. Communication is amazing. I learn something new everyday!

1800-mattress in china?

Its so tempting to buy a real pillow top mattress...i dont see how my posture will get better on box springs..i want to live like chinese so its hard to not conform or wish for luxury items..but i feel...hmmm hurt literally..my hips and back cant take this bed..i know its been 6 weeks..but gee......

My first piece of mail!!

Just in time for my birthday!! I feel so loved! Thanks mom!!

Poor duck

Roaming around the city i came across this veggie/meat market... Pork.. Chicken seafood...everything..oh no lamb..crabs..frogs..snake..turtle... I walk and then i see ducks..then i see the man choke the duck and cut head and pour out blood and a couple buys duck..very interesting..hey i am in china

The way they do it here

Went to a chinese club...great music...lots of glow sticks...tea and whisky is what they drink as they play this dice guessing number game! Its great..its like 5 dice in a yahtzee cup you shake and slam down and you have to guess what your opponent has then drink if you are wrong...it is something like that... The bartenders wore sailor outfits at this bar and there was a little burlesque type of dance routine ...it was very interesting...