Not my finest moment.....

It has seemed that 'dumbass' Amy has returned and cautious, oh so careful Amy, has taken a back seat.

In winter time the tiles inside and outside are very slippery when water,snow or any liquid is added to them. So cautious Amy was out and about being careful watching her step. However, on Saturday night, 'after more than a couple of drinks Amy' was having such a great time on the dance floor, that all of a sudden I was face to face with the ground....yep, FLAT, on my face!!!!!

I would ask if you could believe it, but if you know me well, then I already know the answer.

The result of this letting loose with no consequences, has seen me, 3 bandages later with a suspected broken wrist. Personally, I really don't believe the Chinese doctors and seriously think I am right after the Chinese translator from school that I was with told me she 'hated hospitals because the doctors lie to you so they can get more money'.........hmmmmmm.

I was being very staunch asking to go to a cheap Chinese hospital, where sanitation is not the utmost priority and where the toilets still stink to high heaven. The x-ray only cost me Y67 (NZD$18) and was ready in 40 mins, our school doctor just rang up for the results! However, I was greeted with an email this morning telling me that actually, the x-ray on my wrist was inconclusive and it looks like I have a break in my spoke bone......spoke bone....really?

Which is weirder, an email about a broken bone, the fact that they told me to come back in 3 days for another x-ray or that it all got lost in translation?

China, you just have to laugh!

Arohanui,

Amy xo

P.S - Typing with my right hand, doing up my bra, tying up my hair and not being able to write, especially when you are a teacher is a royal pain in the butt! xo

This one's for Katie!

Incredibly Wuxi busted out a 28 degree day today!

Maybe it was the fact that I was wearing boots and a woolen top, but it felt like so much more!

China is crazy with Spring - I think it may already be over after a week and a half - and I think we are launching straight into Summer!

I love summer but I am hoping that this 'milder' weather sticks around for a wee bit longer as the thought of sticky heat, constant afro hair, sweat ridden bike rides and being locked in my apartment with the air con blasting full tilt is NOT very appealing!

The count down to the Philippine's is on! 1 week and 1 day to go, tomorrows parent meetings and then I am on the home stretch!

With the meetings and the PYP prelim visit, things are really flat tack this week and I also got a hurry up email from VSA for my Hong Kong visa, so I had better get onto it this weekend - my Wii Fit, jut might have to wait!

Anyway: Katie, I complained that I really missed fresh and good sushi here, sushi that you could just pick up and take away......well, after an extensive search (and many a blank stare -mainly because I have NO idea what sushi is in Chinese) I have found THE best sushi! I am in love AND they even make it fresh in front of you! I'm not sure that anyone else will understand but Katie....I SO know that you will! Love you heaps! Can't wait to see you!!!!!!

Arohanui,

Lots of love xo

Ahhhhhhhhh, so nice!

Easter Friday in China and they pulled out a good one! A view from my floor (28th by the lifts) The best you get in China!

xo

Playing with my Wii (wee).....

....hmmmmmm.......does that sound bad to anyone else???????

Hopefully soon, I can insert a photo of my amazing Wii talents!

While in Shanghai, we ventured to the Nanjing Lu Fake Markets. As we had hired the car for the day, a plan began to form in my brain......once I verbalised this plan, Tracy was more than happy to back it up with the reasoning 'You might as well, when else do we have a car?'

So I did it...I splashed out and bought a Nintendo Wii, complete with extra controllers, 4 games and the Wii Fit board (my motivation for getting it in the first place). They are real but from Korea and converted to English...the games...well....you know the DVD story here!

Anna came over last night and after setting it up....complete with video footage (hmmm, we did well, apart from where we forgot to turn it on!), we were away....playing virtual tennis, boxing (my arms are sore today) and trying out Dancing with the Stars (they even have scoring and everything...just like the TV!)

I had never heard of these things before I came here but after reading numerous Year 2 stories about 'wee' - it took awhile for them to explain that one! - curiousity killed the cat, plus I was sick of DVD's and here we are!

I am a bit worried that I will get a bit obsessed with it, so I am taking it easy and will get more acquainted with my Wii over the weekend!

Arohanui

xo

The products of a shopoholic!

The DF at the Paulaner!

After demonstrating 'Jazz Hands' to Tony one day, he always pulls it out...with encouragement ofcourse!

Go Pete....he was a great dance partner....we tore up the dance floor Latin Styles!

After a lovely dinner and some boogying at Paulaner on Friday night with Anna, Tony, Nat and Pete, it was off the Shanghai with Tracy to pick up our purchases!

With our purchases and the people who made our purchases! So lovely!

Here are a few of my favourites - I won't put all of them up (I can just imagine Noel's disbeleving face if I did! haha) Don't worry Mum - the rest are on their way to you via email!

Let me just point out that Anna was sitting down taking the photos up..that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I was so tempted to get more things done, the finishing and everything was done so well, however, the Phillipines are a-calling.........2 more months to go thou...so you never know!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Easter Break!

A great way to celebrate Easter Friday!

Arohanui

Lots of love

xo

Hot cross buns....

...hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns!

YAY! While visiting Uberfood last night to talk to them about my class visiting them for an opinions based food lesson, an amazing smell hit my nose!

Mmmmmmmmm, cinnamon, fresh baked goodness...........HOT CROSS BUNS!!!!!!!!

I had to buy 4 - 2 iced, 2 not, they smelled amazing....and after breakfast this morning....they tasted just as good - no need for heating either!


Ahhhhhh, a little taste of home in China!
What luck - Happy Easter everyone!


Think of us International Teachers working!!!

Arohanui
xo

Confessions of a Shopoholic

With assembly down - they did a fantastic job! - it was off to the land of relaxation, where a head massage, Japanese take out (amazing sushi!) and a girly movie were in order.

After bawling my eyes out to 'Marley and Me' - why didn't anybody warn me, a girl with lots of things going on definitely does NOT need that, well actually I probably did! - I hit the hay early!

Sunday was fantastic! Tracy, Nicole and I went to Shanghai. After arriving there VERY early Tracy and I went to the Fabric Market and I'm not sure I should admit this but I had 7 dresses and 3 coats made!!!!! I pick them up next week! Needless to say we were there for awhile! I am crossing fingers they all look good - most of them are designs by Karen Walker! You take in the print out, photo or magazine cut out and they measure you and them voila! Well so I hope - fingers crossed!

Next we dragged ourselves around the fake markets strictly to pick up handbags - now I must tell you that this is NOT a typical trip to Shanghai - panicking that I only have a short time left here and not wanting to leave it until the last minute, I wanted to get all the things that I had been meaning to get and do before I left. Meaning 3 handbags (designer ofcourse - Chloe and D&G! hehe), cashmere coats, Chinese dresses and chic (cross fingers) work dresses! At a third of the price that I would pay at home!

My next target is a brown leather jacket!

Somehow my pay isn't quite looking as healthy for the Phillipines! - Ops!

We had dinner at an American diner! So good to eat Fish and Chips and have a thickshake in a thickshake glass! Mmmmmmmm and then shop at city shop where we ran into an array of foreigners. It almost appeared to be a western city!

Having Monday off for Tomb Sweeping day was a dream. I was able to sort out my winter clothes and send back barely worn items to Mum and Katie and actually do some housework and cooking! Domesticity I am coming back!

Today is a mad rush of trying to finally organise medicals and police checks for Hong Kong!

I really love Shanghai and I really, really, really can't wait to be in Hong Kong!

Arohanui,

Have a fantastic Easter break!

I will be jealously thinking of you all! xoxo

Finding my way!

Learning the IB PYP system/curriculum/program is interesting...a struggle to say the least but recently after my trip to the Shanghai Foreign Languages school and some good suggestions from my PYP in school meetings my new inquiry unit 'Ours Opinions' has been going amazingly!

Well, it is only week 1 of a 4 week unit but the kids are so into it!

The pictures are of an activity where they got given a piece of a photo and they had the piece it together with the other students...making their working groups. Each photos was a pretty funny photo and they had to work together to record what they could see and what they thought.

They were really engaged and came up with some fantastic ideas - which helped us with the teacher question 'What is an opinion?' and also with our assembly ideas - each child will have an opinion, will read it out and the audience will have to run to either yes or no (agree or disagree). One example - my personal favourite, is: 'Mr Donkin is a monster because he is scary!' haha - Sorry Pete

Mission Accomplished!

Miss Martin you are sooooo busted!

Teaching the children to use the classroom library area at reading time has been a battle especially when they have so many fun phonics and abc activites to engage them....I even painted and made a castle for them to sit in and use....actually this worked so I caught them in action - actually using the library AND reading! Woohoo!

To assembly we go!

Tomorrow the Keas class is on assembly - meaning we have to run and host it. We have been busy making up plays about the Learner Profile aspect 'Balanced', writing out our script, learning a new dance, writing our opinion game and practicing our voice projection.

Here are some of the kids practising their 'loud voices' outside today and some of them practising their lines:

This week belongs to the kids!

I can't believe it's Thursday already....tomorrow will be 3 weeks exactly until I am taking off to the Phillipines and escaping the madness that is Wuxi!

Every Tuesday and Thursday I teach MYP Art to the Middle Years students. I love, love, love this part of the week and love being back in the art room working on creative and interesting things!

I just wish I was better at art and NOT just creative!

The children researched any culture's death rituals that they wanted to look into and then they translated that ritual into the Naxi picture dialect (Dongba) and are in the process of painting it onto their boards. The Naxi dialect is from the south of China and is still spoken and used.

They have all found the process quite difficult, especially learning how to sand a board, use primer and actually learn how to paint properly......teaching patience has been interesting! The clean up routine is not much better - 40 minutes....I was not impressed at missing my break time!

Here are some snaps of their funeral boards: