China Day 7

 

I didn't get a hot shower this morning. When I mentioned it to Steve he suggested that the cleaner may have knocked the trip switch by mistake when cleaning underneath the heater. Later I went out to lunch at Mr Lee's noodles (vid) just round the corner, before going back hom to make my first cup of tea with a metal tea bag (vid)

China Day 6

Today I went to observe Steve's class at the local LingHe branch. It was very cold (vid). Later we went to his favourite BBQ restaurant and had kebabs of much variety including string beans, mushrooms and chicken claws. It is just round the corner from where I live and extremely good value with each kebab costing between 1RMB and 25RMB and most of them under 5RMB (70p). Sheeps' testicles and sheeps' eye kebabs were also on the menu but I wasn't in the mood tonight

China Day 3

The flat (vid) needs a massive clean. When I went to sleep last night it had all seemed sweet but I woke this morning to lots of grime and worktops in the kitchen that have surely never been cleaned? Made a start but it feels like an epic task. Later that nightI went for a meal out (vid) with my new colleagues Tim and Steve. The meal was awesome, we couldn't finish the food, we had six bottles of beer and the bill came to 120RMB (about £12). Suddenly my 8000RMB per month salary (plus apartment plus bills plus return flights) doesn't seem too untidy

China Day 2

Woke to a breakfast downstairs in the hotel of weak rice porridge, sweetcorn, rice, pickles and tofu. Out and about on Tiannenman square (vid) after a massive amount of security scanning and police checkpoints on all access points to the square. And then onto the Forbidden City and then Steve had the McDonalds he had been craving before we took the train back to Jinzhou

China Day 1

Landed at Beijing and was met by Steve at the airport. Steve is a Canadian guy who will be my new boss, there is one other foreign teacher, Tim, who is Welsh. We took the metro into the city and then a cycle rickshaw (vid) to the hotel. First impressions? More Chinese people that Birmingham City Centre! Very bright sunny day - no pollution - it has all been lies!!!.Very colourful shops. Wacky hermetically sealed little supermarket snacks including tofu cubes and soggy peanuts

China Day 4

Met Winston (English name for a Chinese man) at the school Linghe branch and he took me for my medical. I need a certificate of fitness from this for my residency permit.I had abdominal ultrasound, BP, blood and urine samples and a chest Xray. I saw the charts on the desk but there was no c0lour blind test (phew) Results on Monday. In the afternoon, Steve took me to a massive western style mall, North of the river and I bought kettle, tea and some stuff before dusk driving home in the taxi (vid)

China Day 5

Woke up to an exciting day under a grey sky morning sky (vid). Met Tim at the school Linghe branch closest by and we took a taxi to a branch North of the river where I observed three classes. In the afternoon Steve arranged for a cleaner to do my kitchen and bathroom and release my from the grime and I was able to put some stuff away