SHANGERSＢＡＢＹ

Ｈｅｙ　ｅｖｅｒｙｂｏｄｙ，　ｊｕｓｔ　ａ　ｑｕｉｃｋ　ｎｏｔｅ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｒｉｃｅｙ　ｌｏｂｂｙ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒｓ　ｂｅｆｏｒｅ　Ｉ　ｇｏ　ｏｕｔ　ｔｏｄａｙ．　

Ｓｈａｎｇｈａｉ　ｉｓ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｗｅｌｌ　ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｓｏｏｏｏ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｔｏ　ｈａｖｅ　ａｎ　ｉｎｔｅｌｌｅｃｔｕａｌ　ｃｏｎｖｏ　ａｇａｉｎ！　Ｅｖｅｒｙｂｏｓｙ　ｉｓ　ｇｅｔｔｉｎｇ　ｏｎ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｗｅｌｌ　ａｎｄ　Ｉｍ　ｌｏｖｉｎｇ　ｉｔ！

Ｌａｓｔ　ｎｉｇｈｔ　ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ　ｂａｒ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｆｕｎ，　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｄａｙ　ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｕｐ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｗｅｒ　ｔｈｉｎｇｙ　ａｎｄ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｈｏｏｔｅｒｓ，　ｊｕｓｔ　ｔｏ　ｃｈｅｃｋ　ｏｉｕｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｉｔｕａｔｉｏｎ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅｒｅ！　Ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｃｏｕｐｌｅ　ｏｆ　ｍｕｓｅｕｍｓ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｗａｓ　ａｃｔｕａｌｌｙ　ｒａｔｈｅｒ　ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ，　ｔｈｅ　ｓｅｘ　ｍｕｓｅｕｍ　ｂｅｉｎｇ　ｏｎｅ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅｍ！　

Ｔｏｄａｙ　ｗｅ　ａｒｅ　ｈｅａｄｉｎｇ　ｔｏ　ａ　ｔｈｅｍｅ　ｐａｒｋ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｒａｔｈｅｒ　ｅｘｃｉｔｅｄ，　ｗｅ　ａｒｅ　ｗｏｒｒｉｅｄ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｒｏｗｄｓ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ，　ｓｅｅｉｎｇ　ａｓ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｋｉｄｓ　ａｒｅ　ａｌｒｅａｄｙ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅｉｒ　ｎａｔｉｏｎａｌ　ｄａｙ　ｈｏｌｉｄａｙ！　

Ｗｅｌｌ　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｈｏｎｅｓｔｌｙ　ｊｕｓｔ　ａ　ｑｕｉｃｋ　ｎｏｔｅ　ｔｏ　ｔｅｌｌ　ｙｏｕ　Ｉｍ　ｓｔｉｌｌ　ａｌｉｖｅ　ａｎｄ　ｂｒｅａｔｈｉｎｇ，Ｌｏｖｅ　ｙｏｕ　ａｌｌ　ｈｏｐｅ　ｔｏ　ｔａｌｋ　ｓｏｏｎ　ｘｘ

Ｐ．ｓ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ＭＯＳＴ　ａｍａｚｉｎｇ　ｍａｓｓａｇｅ　ｐａｒｌｏｕｒ，　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ＳＯＯＯＯ　ｇｏｏｄ　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｈｏｗ　ｊｅａｌｏｕｓ　ｙｏｕ　ｗｉｌｌ　ａｌｌ　ｂｅ．


ｐｐｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｗｒｉｔｉｎｇ　ｉｓ　ｈａｒｄ　ｔｏ　ｇｅｔ　ｎｏｔｒｍａｌ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｓｏ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｅｓｔ　Ｉ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｄｏ，　ｈｏｐｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｒｅａｄ　ｉｔ！

ＸＸKate

Hangzhou

This weekend we had a wee trip to Hangzhou, again I think that Dad will cover it in his blog, it is a really beautiful city and will def be up for a weekend trip again, even for just a relax and cool down. Pretty decent night market there that Im a tad excited about, got a wee bit allerg though so couldnt experience the fullness of the market! Love to visit that baby again

So we had dinner with the teachers and principals on Sunday evening, officially LOVE the vice principal who got some serious asian flush from three beers, spoke not one cent of english, but still learnt the word for dancing, which he will be taking us to do in the not too distant future apparently. Probably my favourite conversation was about naughtiness. From chinese to english the translation has no connotations, but when Peter said that he was a naughty old man, I could hardly help choking on the worst red wine possible before calling it petrol!

Unfortunately I tought Gez the word Ganbei, which I thought was the equivilent of cheers in english. Actually it means bottoms up, and once they knew that Dad knew the word he was getting Ganbei'd left right and centre, skulling the petrol like substance did not please him that much I don't think!

Last night Pete took us to the night market here in Yi Wu. Please would you be over to pop over to China as soon as possible Charlotte it is rather essential that you get here and to the market straight away! There is so many glittery glam articles of clothing, which Casey is NOT a fan of. It aggrivates her a little bit more with each speck of glitter that wraps my body.

Had breakfast with Papa today in the hotel before he went to the train station, now I have about 5 hours in a pre paid for 5 star hotel! Yeah life is pretty good actually. Right now I am in a robe sipping a cola, living the goodlife on a tuesday morning.

Boys coming to visit us on Friday, taking them to the night market and checking out some bars perhaps. Shanger on Sat so may not have another op to blog, til next wek or something.

Reading the blog, 5 minutes
Commenting on the blog, 2 minutes
Knowing that people are caring, timeless
(BILL BURGESS THIS MOST DEFINITELY APPLYS TO YOU)

Love you all lots, It was sooooo good to have dad here,

Kate

Phanty

By the way hannah I though you might like to know that the baby photo's are a work in process, happening as we speak, for now you will have to do with this pick of Case and I as bald as babies, with the ridiculous caps they made us wear it the pools

Yiwu meet Dad.

So Dad is here in Yi Wu which is awesome, going out for great meals every evening instead of the schools gruel like meals is pretty rocking.

My blog will probably cross over with Gez's but mine will probably be more accurate. Yesterday we hit the markets which was good fun. Case and I were rather worried what we had read about Yi Wu was all an elusive lie in an attempt to get us here. But the markets were extreme, Beijing silky is childs play compared to our market, which is rightfully named"trade city," Casey got rather blown away with the number of toys available and seemed to purchase the whole first floor worth of things.

Unfortunately we left the trade city without even leaving the equivilent of New Brighton. Still have not reached bags or cosmetics, then went to another market almost as big, Dad went mad that time, got so many shirts that he then lost control of all other elements, lost track of time and got completely lost (see how the accuracy of the story is more precis on this blog).

Dad then came to see the apartmant, then back to the hotel for a fabulously cold swim, and a powerful shower, as opposed to our dribble in the apartment.

To Hangzhou tomorrow, which should be fun, teaching in a different school this afternoon so a bit of a walk which is not so attractive really seeing I think it is at least 40c today, can only imagine dad struggling to venture outside the hotel without immediately having the sweaty arm disease!

First Day of Teaching

So Beijing was truly fabulous we did heaps of amazing things and the wall was yet again amazing, I think I could walk up every second day and still be happy. I'm going to flag mentioning too much because I'm sure Dad or Cam and Pen will on their blog.

Unfortunately the trip home put rather a dampner on the trip. It was one of those horribly cliche moments in a movie when somebody is trying to reach the love of their life and everything goes wrong. Firstly we gave our taxi driver the piece of paper Nancy had written us which said, please take us to the railway station (to YiWu). Unfortunately the taxi driver only read the second half, as soon as he saw to YiWu he was happy as larry, making a sweet profit off the foriegners who could pay for the hour and half ride to YiWu.

I realised about once on the motorway, and much to drivers disgust I forced him to turn around! We had a rather heated discussion in chinese, but finally got to the station.

But alas the drama was not over yet, we could not to save ourselves find the place to buy tickets, and by this time my 22kg pack and Casey's 4 bags were waying down our spirits and our bodies!
It was the end of a public holiday in China which meant that almost every chineseman wanted to get home just as much as us, after queueing up in a line for about 40minute only to be told that we were in the wrong line, and me not actually understanding where I was meant to go, seeing as the railway ladies were speaking fast and fluent Chinese to me, we made a guess, which was right! AND THEN THE TRAIN TICKETS WERE SOLD OUT TIL THE EVENING. Fabulous!

We ended up going with a private driving company who stood nearby, and with the help of the kindest couple who spoke english, we got the fare bartered down, and finally we were on our way.

Throughout the whole ordeal we didnt even cry, although in occassions both our eyes were prickling, and there is nothing like a crisis to make you learn a whole lot of chinese language, I now know myself how to say take me to the railway station and we need two tickets NOW for YiWu.

So started teaching yesterday. First class our carefully devised lesson plans lasted for about 12 minutes, from then on I was winging it! The kids were a lot smarter than our teachers had given them credit for. So after a huge simon says battle between the kids, I re-did my plan and the rest of the four classes went pretty well. Not sure how much I actually tought them though, they were pretty clued up already.

But they did have a lot of fun, and they do study awfully hard, a bit of a fun nothingy class every second week is OK by me!

Loving you all, oh and so happy that Percy and Brookie actually commented!

Missing everyone
xxx Kate

BEIJING

Hello al, am commenting from an EXTREME internet cafe, which has probably the most insane person working on front desk who demanded to see my passport before I sat down!!! Oh and spoke little english, and was rather annoyed that I spoke little Chinese.

Its pretty kitted out, there are some pretty extreme WOWer's in here, which is as it turns out just as big in the land of China as it is in New Zealand.

Just quickly posting to say that Case and I are in Beijing just fine, today we made our own way to the silk market on the trains, having to transfer in between and walk for a couple of blocls. We were so pleased that we didn't get lost or eaten by the train that I thought I just had to share!

Really insanely busy days for the next couple of days so just going to take it easy tonight amd get ready for the wall tomorrow. The silk market was just as amazing as I remember, but we quite honestly just did not get a chance to go to the shoe section. But Charlotte I most sincerely promise that I will force Dad to buy some Bape's when he goes back on Sunday. It was soooo insanely busy because they had buses of paralympians there as well. But much to my excitement they seemed to like people living in China a million times more than people who just spoke Chinese! So I got some pretty heavy Guanxi. PERFECT!

Well bes be going or Casey will start freaking suspecting that I have been kidnapped,
love you all lots Kate xx

Oh and a couple of pics of our apartment

My room



The dining room area


The school itself


Our awfully intimidating entrance

My new apartment

So I have figured pout how to get my pics up! Yuss!

Last night we went to the peoples park and to the river in Yi wu. It is actually quite a nice city, not too poluted and quite charming. We took our new bikes and it was soooo much easirer than walking in the dispisingly hot air. It just feels like we should be on holiday, I have never been this hot and not been able to swim!

This evening we are going to the teachers day ceremony which may be a little awkward, we have to sing three blind mice to all of the teachers. I truly feel like one of those mice, stumbling around without a clue. All will be good though!

By the was 10 out of 10 for Beijing!!! Whoop here we come!

Woohoo Yiwu

YUSSSSS I am in Yiwu and ready.

The end of Kunming was truly amazing I juat had the most amazing time that I want to DIE. I loved it so much. On Thursday night we had a bit of a party at a hostel bar with many foreigners it was awesome. All of us made it there and had a blast. Last night we just all chilled in Jack's room then up at 4 45 am to say goodbye to the earlybirds, which was really sad we seem to have just bonded like sticky tape to a painted wall.

Made it to Hangzhou at about 3 30 then headed off to Yiwu with our link teacher who is a bit weird but kind. He took us out for dinner with some of the other teachers and a couple of the wealthy students and their parents. Which was really kind but awfully strange. They just kept filling our glasses with red wine and cheersing us, which meant drink up. Then they took us to the supermarket and shouted us some towels and cleaning product etc.

Our flat is amazing!!!! We have two massive bedrooms with double beds air conditioning computer printer microwave clean water cooler and all. Plus wireless connection which fricking rules!

Tomorrow the Chinese english teacher is taking us out at 10am. She is really nice and seems like a laugh.

The boys in our province, Jonny and Dylan are only about 40mins away and Shanghai is about 3 hours. All very convenient. We have a week off this wek to figure out the city and prepare for class, then we have another week off in October along with EVERYBODY in China. So that will be a bit intense. I think we will try get to Shanghai to meet the others.

Anyway Lappy up and running. Therefore SKYPE ME BABY

xx Kate

Keeping cool in Kunming

Wow have had barely anytime for bloggage. We've been uber busy. The sweet life of learning and partying with reckless Australians. Tuesday we had a day off so we had a bit of a crack at the night life on Monday. We all went seperate ways because some nights a strong party machine is just too much. We were generously welcomed into a classy joint free of charge while others had to pay which was great guangxi. It was probaably the weirdest thing I have ever experienced. We were brought right up to the stage and they made others move so we could sit, then there was a show with crazy chinese men one dressed as a clown just screaming chinese. But ultimately we think that it was a strip joint, as there were awfully promiscious women waiting for their turn on stage. So we kindly thanked them and scooted away, to their extreme dissapointment. The more they wanted us to stay the more we thought oh dear.
But donother we had big strong boys with us, who were more keen to stay.

Then we headed to the most amazing KTV bar you could ever imagine! It had over 600 private rooms and a supermarket inside the facinity. A went in to grab a couple of beers, and wasn't allowed to actually carry the beer I had a wee asian lady follow me with a basket all the way back to the room. KTV is just pure clean fun. It is absolutely amazing and once we d out the machine we were set with all of the english words we could imagine.

The day we all went to the golden temple and then up a mountain, in a really really dodgy chairlift, I was nervous god I can't imagine what mum have thought. It was a really really cool day. In the evening we just got take away pizza in the park next to the river. They light up the whole river and its still warm enough to go around in shorts and tees.

We have a local pub now which we hit up, the good old chapter one but I think tonight we will be actually clubbing seenig as its the last night.

Yesterday I had my teaching thing infront of the pretend students. It went pretty well but everyone was way more nervous than we thought. Can't imagine what 60 or 70 kids is going to do to us!

Everything is pretty amazing here. I get on with everyone so well! We are all going to meet up again for a long weekend in Shanghai, and if I can sought out the visas maybe a wee trip to Nam could be on the agenda. Going to my placement on Sat which will be exciting, but it is going to be so uber gay leaving everyone!

Well love you all, can't wait to hear your voices Kate xxx

P.s Charl the true story is coming for you, no time

LOVE