Leaving Noel and the kids in Auckland on Saturday - a blubbering mess! All my bravery and courage deserted me as I started to realise the scale of what I was doing. Blubbed my way through customs - getting some weird looks, but hey I'm Ange, I'm kinda used to weird looks.
One long airplane trip, tried sleeping on the plane with some success in fits and starts. Airplane food actually not too bad but then it was Air NZ. Arriving in Shanghai at 7am China time (midday our time after a twelve hour flight). Getting through customs etc surprisingly easy as english signposts everywhere and most staff had a basic level of english. Lesson 1: A young man in a nice suit approached me, apparently from information, offering to help me get my connecting bus for my next flight. Long story short, he gave me a bull@#$ story about the buses not running till later and I would miss my flight so I paid an exorbitant amount for a taxi only to arrive at airport and see bus pull up beside me. AHHHHH!! Nice taxi ride with another NZ lady though and together we worked out we'd been had. Lesson learnt - People will lie to get a sale and just say no. Lesson 2: Walked outside and the pollution hit me. Unbelievable! Kiwis - we can't even fathom it. I could taste it, smell it, feel it. The sky was a dark grey colour and everything was covered in dust. My throat was burning. Shit, am I going to be living in the exhaust pipe of a 1970s diesel truck? Lesson 3: Approached by so many 'helpful' people at the domestic terminal. All wanting to 'help' me by selling me things I really needed. Yeah right! I learnt very quickly to put my hand up in the stop sign and say No firmly. Thank goodness I teach kindy (five year olds), hehehe - oh and watched a lot of Super Nanny.
Landing in Tianjin I was treated like a princess. The HR assistant at TEDA picked me up, greeted me with water and snacks and took me to Yvonne, the primary principal's apartment where I would be staying. Yvonne is lovely and made me feel at home straight away. Bed early (because it wasn't so early in NZ).
I walked to TEDA with Yvonne the next day (Monday) so I could get a feel for the place. Also, you have to sign into the police station and do a few other things within your first 24hours of visiting China if you are on a Z visa. Concrete, concrete, concrete. The pollution in TEDA is not as bad as Shanghai but I can still taste it and the skies have been quite grey. Saw a man doing Tai Chi in the park - note to self: must join him one day. Got to school, staff all very welcoming, walked around a bit by myself then the tears started! Kiwi culture shock hit me hard! Yvonne was wonderful about it, got me a taxi home and I slept away the rest of the day. Oops I missed the part about skyping husband and daughter numerous times in fits of tears - not so tough after all aye.
Tuesday was a new day - tried putting on rose coloured glasses and went back to school. Positive thinking and a good nights sleep work miracles as everything seemed a wee bit better on Tuesday. Took a class of Grade 5 students to library, sharing the licked story from Paul Jennings Unbearable which particularly appealed to a couple of boys. Why wouldn't some kid eating flies off a fly swat at the dinner table appeal to them, it was a given really. They hid the book on their way out so they could get it out the next week as they had left library bags at home. Spent a bit of time with the kindy kids which was comforting and one gorgeous honey gave me two specially drawn pictures. Kids are the same everywhere.
Wednesday was COLD so I treated myself to a taxi home (walking home in rain and thunder didn't appeal). I have to admit I am quite proud of myself. I hailed a taxi, spoke only chinese with a few hand gestures and managed to get myself home. "Nihao, Ao Jing Yuan, Xiao xiao." Impressive huh! Extremely tired so went to bed about seven pm and didn't wake till the morning.
On Thursday I was greeted by blue sky and cool crisp air. I was going to say bright blue sky but I don't want to exaggerate too much. A fellow kiwi told me today that this is as good as it gets so I'll take it. I went to see an apartment today and will probably take it as its quite nice, close to school and will give me a bit of independence. That will be a challenge, I haven't lived alone since I was.... I haven't lived alone full stop. Now I'm sitting here listening to a man in the next apartment hoiking. Nice. Funny thing in China, between half seven and half eight every night someone has jazzercise, plays musical instruments or sings in little squares all around the place. And now its nearly half eight, so my cue to go to bed. Sad I know.
I must thank everyone who has skyped, FB and emailed me this week - you have kept me sane dear friends and whanau. Oh no, mentioned whanau, now I'm going miss the kids again.
Well Friday is done and dusted. I survived a week - well done me. Had a great meal (italian ordered in) with some work friends, signed the lease on my apartment and Angefied the classroom. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. I also learnt to walk across the road, even when the cars are coming (cos they never stop). Make note people, in China the pedestrian crossing is not really a crossing, the traffic lights don't apply to every driver. Its half ten at night here and I am missing my kids again. And I have two big zits on my face - one on my nose and one on my cheek. I'm putting it down to the pollution, I didn't even get zits as a teenager so am not very pleased. Its been a very emotional week but I made it so I'm giving myself a big pat on the back. Tomorrow we go shopping in Tangu, I move into my apartment and enjoy the THREE DAY WEEKEND - Yeah!! Sweet dreams world.