Only me

I feel like I always have random things happen to me. Anyways, today at school I got stung by a caterpillar. Yup, I said caterpillar. I had no freaking idea that caterpillars could be dangerous, but leave it to me to figure it out. One landed on my arm at lunch when I took the kids to the playground. I had no idea what landed on me, but something stung so I swatted it away. I then went to lunch duty where I had to help the kids get their food. While on duty my arm burned like no other so I iced it with a water bottle till I could go to the nurse. It was the nurse who informed me of these "stinging caterpillars". Basically my arm stung all day and it it now still stings 9 hours later. I cannot believe that caterpillars can sting, but I learn something new everyday. Moral of the story: not all caterpillars are nice. Good news: it landed on me and not one of my students (dealing with crying kids is a bit more painful than my sting).

Oh, and to clarify, I did not pick up the caterpillar but it randomly fell on my arm

My first day

The first day of Kindergarten is always a nerve racking day. Kids are left for the whole day to sit at desks with someone they do not know as their parent leaves. While the first day is a big one for children, it is also a big day for the teachers. As much as one plans for the first day, there are inevitably glitches that come up and events that are unplanned.

My first day as a Reception teacher (basically Pre-K on a Kindergarten curriculum) was one that I was nervous about. To think that I would have the children for 8 hours and that really anything could happen freaked me out. I was excited but there was a huge part of me that was really quite nervous. What is I got a crier? What if I got a pee-er? What if the kids ran around crazy and would not listen? What if they didn't like me?

Well, I survived the first day (and I mean "Survived"). While there were not catastrophes and I got through most of my plans, it was chaos. The schedule was not really clear and the other teachers who were supposed to relieve the other Reception teachers and myself from break and lunch were not put on the schedule, which meant no breaks all day.

With that said, over all the day went well. I did have a high number or criers, but by the end of the day that stopped. My kids are really cute and are quite well behaved. I can definitely tell the difference from teaching at an English school versus a Chinese one in that the kids understand so much more. While not all the kids have English as their first language (one of my boys just moved from Norway last week and does not know any English), the overall comprehension is so much greater.

Today I went into my second day hoping for not as much chaos as yesterday, and I got it. I was stoked to get through my lessons and have things "under control". I still have a lot to figure out and I know that I have many mistakes to make and lessons to learn, but today was reassuring in that I know that it will get better. I don't want to give the impression that things were bad, because the reality is that things have been way better than I thought (I hope I am not jinxing myself).

I am really excited for this year and my kids are already growing on me. I definitely have an international classroom as I have students from the UK, Australia, Korea, Hong Kong, Norway, France, India, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and I am sure another country or two that I am forgetting.

My apartment.... Part II

So admit that I was super excited about my apartment. This past weekend I went and bought new towels so that they color coordinate. My friend who visited even said that they made my place look grown up. I still need to add other touches, but I decided to wait on getting the rest of the furniture. There is a couch that needs to be recovered and a bed added to my bedroom. Well, today was my first day at school and was crazy because we had a team building activity. I left this morning for work at 7 am and got back at 6:30 to meet with my landlord to see my new bed. Anyways, as I walked in the door she had a lady in my apartment measuring the couch to get it covered. I was excited because they brought a lot of swatches to choose the color. My landlady wanted to do grey and black but I thought it would be too many colors. I wanted to do blue but she didn't want to do blue again (I don't blame her), then I said red, and she didn't want that, but I think we have compromised on a greyish green. Now I decided to see my new bed. As I walked in the room there was a bright lime green bed with white apples. I didn't know how to react. I honestly could not hide the shock and horror of it all. I feel bad because it is brand new but it is absolutely hideous. I am trying to figure out how to save it or how to get a new one.

So, what are your thoughts? Do I embrace the apples or do I change the bed?



Now... the view I cannot complain about. Yesterday when my friend came we sat on my balcony and this is what we looked out into.

To give you a quick intro to Shanghai... The crown building is the Westing hotel. I am in Puxi, but in the distance is Pudong. You can see a little triangle light in the background. That is the Jin Mao (which was the largest building in the world but now is the third largest). Right next to the lighted triangle is a little light. That light belongs to what will be the world's tallest building (it is still under construction). Both these buildings are across the river in Pudong.

Why today was good

• I finally unpacked all my boxes
• I bought a coffee maker and I am pretty sure it has a timer so it will make coffee automatically while I sleep and I can wake up to fresh brewed coffee (we will see if it does tomorrow morning)
• I found a wine that doesn't taste too bad and it relatively cheap
• I like my apartment
• My apartment has cable and I can watch HBO, among other channels
• My friends are now back in Shanghai
• Despite me being nervous about teaching I realize that I do have a good job and it will be good for the resume and i am lucky to have the opportunity to teach where I do
  

I am moved in!!!!

So I am officially in my apartment. Actually, at this moment I am sitting at my window seat that over looks the street typing. I feel really good about my apartment and I like it even more now than before. Of course it isn't perfect, but whose place is? I still need to unpack most of my stuff and go shopping for more stuff but it is coming together nicely. The highlights of my apartment are the two couches, satellite TV that is in English, and the two big plant tree things my landlords left. Of course there are other good things about the apartment like all the windows to let in sunlights, the fact that I have an extra bedroom, the location, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf being only a block away, and the fact that is is mine. I am excited to be able to not live out of a suit case and be able to unpack and decorate a little. I know it will take a little while to get it the way I want, but it is already coming together. Tomorrow I am going to do another shopping trip to get a coffee maker, phone so all you guys at home can call me, food, and other randomness.

It is really exciting be living in the city. Never ever would I have thought that I would be in the middle of the fastest growing city in the world. I do not consider myself a city girl, but then again in college I never thought I would be a small-town girl. While it is going to be more of a hectic lifestyle living in the city I am actually really excited about it. It's cool b/c I can walk to the main subway station and pretty much get where ever I want (as I said, location is one of the best parts about this place).

I am not posting pictures quite yet because the landlords are getting a new bed today for the guest room and the second couch still needs to get re-covered. Oh, and there are boxes everywhere and I cannot even see my bed b/c of the mound of clothes on it. Anyways, pictures will come shortly.

I just also realized that from out of my window I can see the Jin Mao (which was the tallest building but is now the third tallest) and next to it the tallest building in the world is getting built. Pretty cool, I know, kind of makes you want to come visit :)

Hmmm, what else can I see of interest.... I guess those are the coolest things. But below me I see lots of people and above me are really tall buildings.

My new apartment!!!!

I found an apartment. I spent all of Sunday looking at places and being pretty disappointed by what I was looking at. The housing allowance that the school gives seemed like it would be more than enough, but it really isn't. I know I can play more out of my own pocket, but I am trying not to. Anyways, I started looking at 9:30 am and looked at the last one around 2. As luck would have it, when I walked into the last one I knew that it was the "one". It was not as nice as I wanted in terms of size and furniture, but there was something that made me like it. The location is AWESOME!!!! The center of Shanghai is called People's Square and I am about a five minute walk from there. Anyways, I had to make a quick decision and because people were coming right after me and if I didn't take it and they did then I would be out of luck. I felt too pressured and couldn't make the choice and told them I would think about it and get back to them. As I walked out of the apartment toward the subway station I passed a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf that is one block from me, and I was sold. Knowing that I can get Coffee Bean anytime I want it was the sign I needed. The next day I called my agent and told her I wanted it and signed the contract Monday night.

I figure that once I can decorate a little it will be nicer. Also, the couch is a wild animal print with lions, tigers, zebras, etc. on it and they are going to recover it to a beige color along with the other couch. They are also going to get a bed for the guest room. So I now have my apartment. I move in on Saturday and I am excited. I will definitely post pictures when I take them and hopefully will have pictures of the couch before they recover it.

If you want to see the area go to this website: http://www.smartshanghai.com/maps/smsh_map.php

I am right on the corner of Fuzhou Lu and Hubei Lu.

So that is where I live. Hopefully some of you can come see it sometime :)

Round 2 begins

At this moment I am currently in the process of packing. It is 12:42 am and my flight leaves at 10:50, which means I am on the road by 8. I do not know what to think about leaving and I am in a state of denial. The past few weeks home have been a blast and it is hard knowing that I have to leave. In two days I will be finding my apartment for the year and in 5 days I will report to work for the first day. Part of me is excited to begin this year knowing how good last year was but part of me wants just one more week in San Diego. However, this is always how summers are and life goes on and reality sinks in and it is back to the grind.

Anyways, earlier today I went to sushi with my sister. Like at any good Japanese restaurant, we were given fortune cookies. Here is what mine read:

"Culture and customs of China attract you."

I couldn't help but laugh at the truth the cookie contained. As much as I don't want to leave, China does attract me. Despite the craziness and constant mayhem, there are great things about China that I couldn't experience in just one year. And it is true, I am attracted to China. As much as I like to be in denial about it, I do like it there. I do like the craziness and constant mayhem.

Now I don't know how much I will sleep tonight as my mind races around trying to remember everything I need to do, but it will allow me to sleep on the plane tomorrow. So this is it, this is the start of another year.

My time in San Diego

Kettner Nights

Amie's Birthday with the soccer girls

Yea for brothers!

Taco Tuesdays... always a good time

Good Ole' Cass St. Bar and Grill

At the races

I have documented all my other vacations, so now it is time for me to talk about San Diego. The weirdest thing for me was when I was filling out my customs form upon landing in LA and for reason for travel to America I had to fill out "visiting". Never would I think I would put "visiting" I always thought I would put "returning home." However, this was not the case and I had to come to grips with reality that I am visiting the place I call home.

Anyways, my time here has been pretty "normal". By normal, I mean I have just slipped back into my old way of life. The first week I coached a soccer camp. It was so much fun coaching and being around soccer. Although it was work, it wasn't really. I would have done it the whole time I was here, but I needed time to hang out and see people. The first day I was here I went to the beach and Tony's Jacal (my family's fave Mexican restaurant). This dinner was super fun because my family and closest friends came. I admit, I am blessed by my family and friends; I don't think I realized this till this past year. This night was the kick off to my time in San Diego.

Like I said, I haven't done anything super exciting, but I have loved every minute of it. I have seen a bunch of friends, drank margaritas, ate tacos, played soccer and beach volleyball, gone to the beach, shopped and shopped some more, ran and gone for walks, walked my stepdad's dog, went to the races, and just loved being here.

Last weekend I went to Huntington Beach to stay with my good friend Jen and her fiance Tim. I haven't seen them since they got engaged, so it was so much fun. My friend Katie came down too and we got to do some much needed girl time.

My time here is coming to an end; I only have 4 more days, and I am getting sad. I think I am kind of in denial about going back, but I know next year will be good. I have a lot to do before I leave and a lot to do when I get back to Shanghai, but such is life. Reality is sinking in and I don't like it. As they say "back to life, back to reality." But I can't complain, I have a good life.

Here are pics from going out.