Well, it turns out, teaching abroad with a full time teaching job (vs supply teaching in England), makes for a busier week. My time here seems to be full...which is really great. However, I'd like to find more time to sit and reflect and take it all in.
Last weekend, I relived my teenage years when we celebrated the birthdays of 3 new pals. On Friday afternoon we went to a batting cage pub. Although this place was literally in the sketchiest area I've seen so far in Shanghai (think losing an organ sketchy), it was actually a nice place inside and very American. We met up with a few other teachers after, at a well known foreigners pub.
The next morning, we went to get our hair done. It was a nice way to start the day. A wash and a cut was on par, price wise, with Canada. In the afternoon, about 10 of us went to play laser tag. It was actually really fun. We played for about two hours and headed back to my new favourite area, Tianzefang for a few drinks. On Sunday, Meaghan, Bridget and I went to a breakfast spot in Tianzefang called Kommune. It was really good. We sat outside on their patio and were the main attraction for Asian tourists walking around.
The school week went by fairly quickly. I helped out with the volleyball club again - it's neat to see the students getting better. After school on Friday, the Ultimate Frisbee team challenged the teachers to a game. We played for 2 hours, baking and sweating in the hot, muggy and soggy air. Obviously, we crushed the students and won the game.
On Thursday night, a few of us went out for dinner with a pals parents who were visiting. We went to a local BBQ restaurant, where they serve you with cigarettes in their mouths (yum!). It was a nice evening, so we moved tables out onto the street and enjoyed dinner (most of it...I usually like my chicken well done instead of rare). For our entire meal, we were a spectacle. Luxu is not a very touristy town, so anyone who is not Asian looking draws quite a bit of attention.
Luxu BBQ
My breakfast on this beautiful and quiet Saturday morning
It will be a quiet weekend around here...but looking forward to the
change of pace. At the end of this month, I'm heading to Beijing and
then the Philippines for a week!
