Did I tell you about my adventure on Saturday when

I was on my way to take some photos and buy a Shanghai English map at Nanjing Rd The Bund. Of course not much goes to plan, well it seems that way lately. Although this new job and college seem like things are looking up.

Anyway we have to work 3 days week, might have already told you that .. so forgive me. Yeah Mon - Wed and then 4 days off ... every week. So I decide to go buy a map and take pics of Shanghai tourist area, The Bund & Nanjing Rd and then come back across the river to the Jinmao Tower in Pudong and get some pics from the observation deck. Good plan I think.

Well my first mistake was to decide to go to Nanjing Rd first. I have been there before but always with other people. Before when I am with other people we have been approached by street people for various things but... not like this Saturday when I am on my own. Now, I know there are always dangers in an area like this (pretty girls, pick pockets, con artists who want to be your friend). I have never been before on my own.... until now.

Well, I think I must have had a sign on me or at least my forehead saying pick me. Man, what an experience. I had many different people come up to me and "chat". Some very beautiful girls, and oh so smooth and well versed with their spiel. Of course I refuse to believe that they just want my money, I am to smart for that. And am very flattered by the attention. And of course now yes I am significantly lighter in the wallet for my stupidity but hey life is short and for living .. .right?

Actually there was a procession of people who came up to me and talked and suggested and proposed things to me. I was a little smarter after the first situation but is very interesting the way they go about the whole thing. And who says that Chinese people cannot speak English well. Hey I was surprised pleasantly at first then quite sad and finally angry with myself for being such a dunce. But I am still alive and well and unharmed, so that is a good thing. Just a little poorer.

So I spent the afternoon there chatting and drinking in outrageously expensive bars and wandering around Nanjing Rd until about 7.30pm. What a great place. I highly recommend it. But take my advice ..be sensible. Ah der ... not like me.

And by the way the actual details will remain my secret at least for now. I am embarrassed enough now for being such a dunce, without letting it all out. I think I will be going back to Nanjing Rd, but this time I will be much more cautious and wiser. I still need to buy that map. Didn't get it after all that, so I need to go back to the tourist information centre. But it will have to wait a while now. No pics for this post, I posted them all yesterday.

Nanjing donglu ... timelapse pics ...

at least in the one afternoon ... here are a few pics of this walking mall at four different times in the afternoon. i will only subject you to one with me in it. early in the afternoon. and the sun was out but still cold .. ish.

cheers

You are not 21 anymore Michael ...

Today I decided to go and take some photos of Shanghai that is known to most but not always photographed. Well that is what I thought. yesterday when I was coming back from downtown and at the bus station at the end of the subway. Wait let me just make that clear. The college I am at is in Nanhui right. Ive already told you that before. Nanhui is part of Shanghai but quite a way outside the downtown area. Big cities like Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing even thought they are cities they are also their own province. So Shanghai is bigger than a normal city. Well way bigger actually, even the downtown area is huge. So Nanhui is part of Shanghai province but as I said a long way out of metro Shanghai. In fact I have to get the subway to the end and then catch a bus that takes one hour to get to the college. ... ad it is a long trip.
So anyway to get back to yesterday. I was coming back home and i get to the end of the subway and am in the cue for the bus. This cue is like one at the theme parks. Up and back up and back. And there are many people as always in this cue. And this is the first time I will be taking the bus. So I have some info to make sure I can get on the right bus (these buses don't have numbers, just Chinese characters). I don't read Chinese characters, except maybe just a couple I know. Unknown to me this cue is for other buses not just mine. So I wait and when my bus comes the cue moves .. a bit but not enough. So I figure that I am gonna have to cue jump and so start to make my way thru the masses along the cue. Bus if filling up as they all do and I don't want to have to wait more. So I decide to jump the rail. Very bad move. I am not 21 anymore and even though i get over it my muscle in the back of my calf is now freakin spasming really badly. Dam, now I am a cripple. And there are no seats on the bus as usual. excellent I have to ride the bus one hour standing up as a cripple. not happy.
In fact the pain is ok standing still on the bus but man when I get off the bus at my destination, I cant walk. I can hobble like skippy who lost his walking stick. So the last 200 m to get home is a painful walk. What an idiot.
So after getting home and trying all sorts of things to improve my pain I go to sleep late and hope that tomorrow is better magically. And it is ... marginally. At least the serious pain is mostly gone, and I decide to venture out. It is Saturday and the sun is out for the first time in a while. Actually it is 8 degrees, positively warm i think so I am going out.
I thought it is a good idea to get you all some of those pics, didn't quite turn out that way. The next blog post will have the story of what i did today and how different to my original plan ....Although here are some of the pics I took today. Just to prove that I am actually in Shanghai. Nanjing Donglu(East Rd) at various times in the PM. Plus some symbolic pics of The Bund and Pudong with the river and pearl building. Incidentally in the pic "up the hungpu river" there is a bldg looks like it has a big piece cut out of the top. That is where I had intended to go later today after visiting Nanjing rd. It is Jinmao tower, tallest building in Shanghai and China. Ah, next time ...

more pics of SICFL college ...

here is a few more pics I took today that would not fit the last post. all the dialogue is on the last post.

cheers
Mike

The new college at Nanhui District Shanghai

Hey there, Yes arrived and settled... I guess. My 3rd night here tonight. I will be glad when the first week is over. Work starts tomorrow, Monday at 8.20. I am not so nervous as last year but still the nerves tingle a bit. New school new students, new people around and is all new so far. Spoken briefly to another Aussie teacher who has been here one semester and he is quite relaxed about it all. Don't know his background yet but he just said that the classrooms may not be up to "university" level, whatever that means.
But the college is much the same as Yuexiu at Shaoxing but the Chinese staff so far are much better. By that read professional. Even today when I needed to get some copies for first day I was able to get without hassle and everyone concerned most helpful with a smile. So far so good.
I have 16 classes each week. Well I should say that I have 16 classes over 3 days. Monday to Wednesday. And then 4 days off EVERY WEEK. So not complaining bout that.
You should feel privileged that I walked around the college grounds today and took these pics. Becuz today was just 8 degrees at midday. Winter is back and later this week will be really cold ... or so they say.

Pics are of main admin building and our dormitory. See vid of dorm on earlier post here. Some of the front gate SICFL and entrance to school, college grounds and stuff. This college is an an area of Nanhui that is called da xue cheng (university city). There are other universities right next door to us.

All seems good and now I am spinning my wheels to get started. Even though I am a bit nervous at the other places I have gone and worked even part time the students have been good. And if they are like the Yuexiu students than it will be good here to. No real reason to be nervous, but you know that is how it is.

I hope you like the pics and am always interested in your comments. Especially if you have some things you want to see like in and around Shanghai or locally.

bye for now

Have arrived in Shanghai...

Just a short note to let you know that I have arrived in Nanhui yesterday (13th). Will post some pics of the college and area soon. Here is quick vid of my new digs. SO far the best I have lived in here in China. Most school supplied accommodation here is quite spartan but this school is a little newer ... circa 2001, I think.
Nanhui is a way outside of Shanghai metro area, but I can get there easy enough. The college is another foreign language college similar to the college in Shaoxing. Nanhui(rough pronunciation is Noneway) is a district of Shanghai but out towards the Pudong airport.
Anyway all the people seem good. There are just two other Aussies here but English level is pretty good amongst the Chinese teachers I have spoken to. Today is Saturday and work starts Monday 16th.

More to follow ..... watch this space