So the last time I was in China I loved it. I loved it because I was treated like a rockstar. Who doesn't love to be treated like a rockstar!!. However, this time around I am finding the adjustment to being treated well much more difficult. I think it's much more difficult this time becase we have someone in our house. We have a nanny/house keeper. Commonly called here the Ayi.

 

Now  we did have a Nanny for Bailey in Toronto. It was an afterschool nanny. She was great until we enrolled her in the afterschool program. It was expensive yet ideal for the short fix we needed her for. This one is a slightly different and def cheaper. We hired a Philipino lady to come into the house to clean and organize the appartment, to watch Bailey, and to cook for us--and we pay about 400$CND a month for this. We are paying much more than the average expat for this service but she is older--which works for Bay--speaks english well and comes with great referrences.

 

What is weird for me is not having access to my kitchen when I come home. It's weird to be served your dinner that you didn't prepare. Although I think the hardest thing is being called Sir/Mom(ma'am). Today before she left she applogized--"sorry Mom(ma'am--haven't figured out which she is saying) I forgot to mop the floor--let me get that before I go".....so weird I tell you!! Weird!!

 

I like it a little too much though!

 Well folks, it's been a swirly, wirly, fun dazzle time since our arrival in Shanghai! We arrived on Tuesday August 14th and I started back to work on the 15th. My first couple of days of work was just getting settled in to the new job and tour of the Hongqiao campus.

 

The Hongqiao campus of the Soong Ching Ling Kindergarten is a beautiful, smaller campus of the two. It is small but very cosy and very convienient for us foreign workers. I live about a 15 minute walk from the school. It has a beautiful grounds with walking open hallways surrounded by gardens. There is a fish pond with Koi's(sp??) and lilly pads and the whole bit. They have a pool on this campus and a little mini track for rollerblading. All this for kids 2-6 years old!!

 

My campus, the Qingpu Campus(although it's not in Qingpu but in another district but it is often called the Qingpu campus) is massive in size and beautiful beyond words! We have to take a bus every morning to get there. I walk to the Hongqiao campus and catch the bus at 7:20am to arrive at the school for 8am. The ride isn't too bad, it's on the highway so no crazy taxi drivers or scooters all over the place. When you drive up to the school grounds you have to pass through this beautiful yet very super rich neighbourhood. They have huge houses--very much like the $500 000 and up homes back in Canada--which are gated. You pull up to this grand building which is very palace like. I would compare it to a small Thai palace with it's white and red brick and tiling. The grounds are lush with gardens and play ground areas. On the outter limits of the school ground are canals that throughout the day little ships go up and down carrying items. They have a clay ground area--where they do these clay acativities. They have this massive room that is call the skylight room. It's a dome with stars and clouds and all neat things. They have a music room that has individual piano rooms and they have a dance studio and a little kitchen so they can cook. It is a very kid friendly building, however it's also very large. If I was a child I'd be very frightened by the size and magnatude of it all. I will be taking pictures of the campus on Monday so you all can see what I'm talking about. All this, again, for 2- 6 year olds!!

 

My first week at the school has had me doing all sorts of things, like getting the boards decorated, the classroom ready for the students and just exploring the building. I think I'm going to like working here.

 

Peter starts his job training on Monday. Bailey and him have been exploring the city a bit. They have found some great shoping areas and got Bailey signed up for Mandarin lessons. She starts intensive training on Monday. She also has an Ayi that will be watching her while she does independent projects for me. She'll also be signed up for some Hip hop/funk dance lessons and possibly some art lessons. She's going to have so much fun doing lots of things she likes.

 

She has adjusted well to the new surrounding. She's going to come back spoiled!!

 

Alright....we're off to Cirque today and then off to explore the city a bit. We might even end up in a 50rmb all you can drink bar tonite--child in tow. I love this country...hahahaha you don't pay for things up front, they don't have credit here and 50rmb all you can drink bars--which is about $7 Canadian---you just can't get better than that!! hahahaha

 

Alright more stories and pics to follow as we settle into China!!

Ola folks,

 

So I am back in China. This time I'm in Shanghai, and with my partner and child. I am using MSN Spaces again because for some reason my flickr account won't allow me to upload pics or it's the slow internet connection here for now. Anyways....loving the city. We're in Hongqiao area, way out in the 'sticks' if you can call it that. It's not really the sticks persay, it's the former expat area now a nice mix of both Chinese and Expat population.

 

So for your viewing pleasure--my pics of us on the plane and a few days here and there around Shanghai!!

 

Enjoy!!