Shanghai, Christmas, Morroco and a wedding all in one weekend!

Busy Nanjing Lu...spot the Laowais!

Tracy, Azusa and I at Room Twentyeight after brunch
(note the thermals, skivvy's and jackets!)

In China we don't do it by halves and last weekend was no exception.

Azusa, Tracy and I hopped on the fast train and headed to the big smoke in search of Library books and art supplies...not very Chinese but needed to be done all the same. First and foremost it was off to a nice brunch at a restuarant Hadleigh had recommened and it was AMAZING! Struggling around the city with a backpack and trolley case full of books was definately NOT our cup of tea so Azusa managed to sweet talk one of the bookstores into packaging up our books and sending them to the school! Along the way we managed to spot Christmas, lurking in the shadows!

Christmas Tree (in November!)

We managed to take a quick detour to the silk markets and check out the daily goings on and cheap deals...we'll definately be going back there again!

Nepalese Women selling jewellery outside the Silk Markets

After taking in some art galleries (I wish, we had to quickly scour the gift shops for posters...VERY unsuccessful), we raced around picking up Christmas gifts and yummy supplies (proper bread, hummus and sweet treats from our favourite bakery and restaurant) and then after Azusa had departed for the train I showed Tracy my wee Morroco at Marrakesh an amazingly tasty and classically decorated Morrocan restuarant. Reluctantly we left the big city and headed back to the characterless city of Wuxi (as quoted from the Lonely Planet!)

Enjoying a taste of Morroco and 'normal' life in Shanghai

Sunday bought about a birthday BBQ for our NZ fellow Wuxite, Matt. In the pouring rain and freezing teperatures we ventured out, arms full of platters and wine ready for our first China BBQ...haha.....suprisingly it really did feel a bit like home, complete with NZ t-shirts and music. It was a lovely night and there as even a showing of Abby's wedding dres...or should I say her first wedding dress ! The dresses are so cheap here she has 2! As I will miss hers and Matts wedding by only 1 day when I am back it was great to see how fantastic she will look!

Stunning Abby in dress number 1

Parent interviews were held at school this week and they all went well and the parents are all happy, as are the children..WHEW! I even had a few Dad's come which was great and a Mum who was late bought me a coffee and muffin! Score! AND the next day she did it again as she had got it all wrong the day before...I was not worried at all!

David is thinking of coming at Christmas which will be amazing. Well, actually I think it is all confirmed however, even after this long I still don't like to get my hopes up until it has actually happened. It is still hard to get out of old habits!

Even from Germany, David rubbing it in that he still has a BMW and I don't!

I have a new dress hanging up in my house, it is my Greece dress...the perfect island hopping, beach meandering, olive eating, wine sipping, sunset watching dress. At the moment it is serving 3 purposes...it is hanging in my living room to motivate me to the gym, keep me eating healthy and remind me about what I have to look forward to! Greece, here I come...all aches and pains from my well over due return to the gym...but still...here I come!

Being serenaded by a lone saxaphonist in Shanghai

This week I have had the dreaded China belly that seems to be ripping it's way through the school but I am in celebration because finally I am able to hold down some bread! Woohoo, I might even dare to try to venture out to the market tomorrow to pick up a Christmas tree and some decorations....I feel a white Christmas coming on!

The countdown in on,

Big love,
Arohanui,

Amy xo

Fitting in like a glove!

Hre is a taste of my daily life: This is the way we eat our ice cream...I'm a real Chinese now! And I didn't even get any funny looks! Not quite the flattering photo though!

Big Love,

Arohanui,

Amy xo

Christmas already??

After venturing out to Metro (a wholesale supermarket with a good International Section), I was left puzzled as to what the date is! I am sure it was only early November! After being told it was mid November....I absorbed my surroundings....Christmas already? I thought that America was early and was thankful that I had never experienced it...unfortunately China (a country that doesn't even celebrate it) has adopted American ways and Christmas has already started here. We even have lights up in trees around our apartments that are reminiscent of snow!

That said, it is FREEZING here now, which is weird because the sun has been shining with snippets of blue skies for 3 days now. Enough to fool myself and a few others who have ventured out in short sleeves...it was right back inside to tug on the thermals!

Freezing: eating my yummy soup at Uberfoods after a particularlly bad day!

Above: My soup is bigger than your soup!

However, I have taken it upon myself to get into the Christmas spirit and start thinking about my Christmas presents, start purchasing them and planning my holiday break...all very exciting! Although, I have been told that if I break out the Carols before December (or at all...I think), then my life won't be worth living! Oh well, I 'm willing to take that chance and come December 1st....EtonHouse halls and all of Wuxi will hear the sounds of Jingle Bell Rock!

To combat the cold months we tested out the Nanjing Hot Pools and they were fabulous! I think that we will definitely stay out there next time...in a laowai friendly establishment...and come into Nanjing for the fantastic Filipino band and some yummy food at the Blue Marlin. A lovely way to spend the cold weekends! Next time we will also make sure we are on time for the train as watching it pull out of the station and running alongside it, although very like the movies, was not my idea of fun...the riding in the slow train with all the locals in the sleeping part of the train was hilarious and very LOCAL of us....hhmmmmm....fast train on comfortable seats is better I think!

Tracy, Christine and I in Nanjing

As for this weekend, after a few quiet after work drinks with people I feel like I haven't seen in ages, the key word is HIBERNATION! I have purchased some smoked salmon and a few other goodies including some rather cheap French wine (who knows how that will go), and am going to settle on the couch in my warmest 'home' clothes, blanket on lap) and watch DVD after DVD.......cough..cough....I think i am coming down with something!*wink*

Big Love

Arohanui,

Amy xo

Seven Floors up without a harness.....a daily routine!

A quick catch up!

Out with the teachers - Tony was finally out and about!

Boyd, Tony and Pete all enjoying their freedom at Soho!

Catching up - Boyd and I at Gigi's before taking Tony dancing!

After Oz lost to the All Balcks (again) The aussie teachers consoling themselves at the new Ronnies all you can eat BBQ!

Nancy (Pete's lady) and I on Halloween

Belinda's 39th Birthday at the Banana Leaf

Tracy and I at Ronnies after I said Goodbye to Caroline and Greg in Suzhou! *sad face*

Jo being accosted by the flx animal man...just a typical night in Beijing! *IB Asia-Pacific regional conference*

Yay, a decent drink after all the senimars = mexican...yum!

Heavan...missing normal food.....while in Beijing I only ate western....guacamole made infront of us in Beijing!

..

Wuxi Days

Life in Wuxi can be a little tedious at times and with work being so crazy and spending the better time of the day herding little ones around...the gym seems a distant memory! Thoughts of...I really need to hit the hay early and definitely tomorrow seem to be my only thought patterns at the moment.

I would kill to be able to go for a walk along the water or even up or down the Korokoro hill in Welly. Clear air and crisp fresh days are a nonity here and as winter approaches the dust is creating storms in the streets and the construction sights on all 3 sides of our apartment building are pulling all nighters to get in their fill before the real chill hits!

My saviour is my procrastination of the mundane with the rearranging of my apartment and classroom along to the mellow beats of O.E Brazil, the Once soundtrack and the 'thank god for them' sounds of Trinity Roots! Hallelujah, thank you NZ music!!

My one question is how do you want do things with people but at the same time want to avoid everyone for some release?

I have finally found an good dance group...a small group of foreigners and a few Chinese girls. We rehearse in one of the nightclub spaces before it opens and are performing there soon. It will be a bit weird performing in front of a nightclub crowd but will be a massive step for our confidence -I will have to have a few dutch courage's before that one!

This week is the last week of term 1 and we have a teacher only day on Friday allowing us to explore the region a bit more. We are planning to head to Tangshan town just outside Nanjing where there are hot pools...unfortunately the hotels are either fully booked or will not take foreigners...hmmmmm....interesting! It is a bit weird only having a weekend before term 2 starts......roll on Christmas...I'm hoping for a white one!

I am very proud of my wee sister for making it into a course at Nat Col (never a doubt in my mind!) and my little brother for making it into The Press...how appropriate...it even made the fridge! Love you guys heaps!

Hoping that everyone is ok and enjoying the warming weather...it's funny to be on the opposite....tights, boots and cardies are already out!

Arohanui,
Amy xo