I can't believe how time is flying. Only 5 weeks to go and we will be leaving to South Africa.
Things have been pretty busy this month. All my deadlines due ... reports, my appraisal, the year book, children's portfolios. I am pleased that it is all finished now and can relax a bit before my summer holiday (or should I say winter as that's what South Africa is in at the moment).
We went to the market to buy vegetables the other weekend and decided to drop off the veges and go down the road and try out the little Chinese restaurant that had just opened. I must say, their food was very yummy. They didn't use too much of the Chinese favourite spice, the 5 spice, and you could taste the food was also salted. It was really nice, and we will definitely be going back.
Whilst having all my deadlines looming this month, some of us teachers had to go to a Ed Tech (technology in Education) Conference in Shanghai. Very interesting and I learnt a lot. We had to leave on Thursday lunch time and returned on Saturday Evening. We hired a private vehicle to take us to the airport instead of taking the bus. This worked out quicker. We got to the airport and found our gate, then went to have something to drink. Then our gate number changed and we had to race off to find it, and then to hear our flight had been delayed. We got to Shanghai an hour later that expected.
We checked in, put our bags down in our rooms, (our school has a buddy share policy where you have to share with a colleague). Then it was off to find something to eat. We asked a local and he pointed us to a popular restaurant. We ordered so much food. But it was really tasty. Then it was back to the hotel to rest for the start of the conference the next day.
Breakfast the first day at the hotel was very Chinese and didn't enjoy it. But we had registration and coffee at the school campus (where the conference was being held), and I was able to have something more western there. The lunches and the tea time snacks were really nice. The day went quickly and then it was back to the hotel. I took the Chinese staff to the Yu Yuan as they had not been there before and they were eager to see it. When Sanchia and Anton were over we visited the gardens, but not in the evening. Wow it looks so beautiful at night with all the lights on. We also had supper in one of the old buildings there. Then it was back to the hotel again.
We checked out of the hotel the next morning and the breakfast was not too bad this morning. The second day of the conference came and went and then we were on the bus to the airport. I was so wishing to have a burger from Burger King. So we checked in and went airside. We started to look for Burger King. When we asked for directions, we were disappointed as it was on the other side. And there were only 3 eateries airside. REALLY.
So we went to have something to eat. Only to finish and then go to the gate that was on our boarding pass. Only to find out the gate had changed (AGAIN) and we had to run to the next gate and it was delayed (AGAIN). So we were an hour late again. And we still had a two hour drive back to Rizhao. We then got home at 11pm. At least there was Sunday to relax before a busy school week ahead.
On Friday the parents of the ECE children, whom I teach, invited the ECE teachers to dinner to say thank you for all we had done. It was nice seeing them in a relaxing environment. We went to a Korean restaurant, and the food was very nice. I enjoyed the bulgogi the most. It was an enjoyable evening.
Well that's it for now. Next time I post we should be leaving for SA.
Keep reading and I will keep posting.
Things have been pretty busy this month. All my deadlines due ... reports, my appraisal, the year book, children's portfolios. I am pleased that it is all finished now and can relax a bit before my summer holiday (or should I say winter as that's what South Africa is in at the moment).
We went to the market to buy vegetables the other weekend and decided to drop off the veges and go down the road and try out the little Chinese restaurant that had just opened. I must say, their food was very yummy. They didn't use too much of the Chinese favourite spice, the 5 spice, and you could taste the food was also salted. It was really nice, and we will definitely be going back.
Whilst having all my deadlines looming this month, some of us teachers had to go to a Ed Tech (technology in Education) Conference in Shanghai. Very interesting and I learnt a lot. We had to leave on Thursday lunch time and returned on Saturday Evening. We hired a private vehicle to take us to the airport instead of taking the bus. This worked out quicker. We got to the airport and found our gate, then went to have something to drink. Then our gate number changed and we had to race off to find it, and then to hear our flight had been delayed. We got to Shanghai an hour later that expected.
On the way to the airport
This is the snack given on the plane, wrapped in tin foil.
We checked in, put our bags down in our rooms, (our school has a buddy share policy where you have to share with a colleague). Then it was off to find something to eat. We asked a local and he pointed us to a popular restaurant. We ordered so much food. But it was really tasty. Then it was back to the hotel to rest for the start of the conference the next day.
Outside the restaurant
Sweet pork
Spicy noodles
Beans cooked in wine
I really enjoyed these beans. I didn't understand why so many people were looking at me. At the end of the meal I told my friends that they were really tasty. Just a pity that they have such a hard outside, that when you swallow they are like bark and are hard. They started laughing, only to tell me after eating about 20 of them, that you have to peel them and only eat the inside.
Braised pork
Tofu
Sweet potato and beef
Duck
Sticky rice and lamb
Steamed bun that are halved halfway and you place the pork below in it like a hamburger
Fish
Breakfast the first day at the hotel was very Chinese and didn't enjoy it. But we had registration and coffee at the school campus (where the conference was being held), and I was able to have something more western there. The lunches and the tea time snacks were really nice. The day went quickly and then it was back to the hotel. I took the Chinese staff to the Yu Yuan as they had not been there before and they were eager to see it. When Sanchia and Anton were over we visited the gardens, but not in the evening. Wow it looks so beautiful at night with all the lights on. We also had supper in one of the old buildings there. Then it was back to the hotel again.
Cream puffs and quiche
Different types of dumplings
Chicken
Duck
Beef
Dumpling soup
Bamboo shoots
Chicken and cashew nuts
We checked out of the hotel the next morning and the breakfast was not too bad this morning. The second day of the conference came and went and then we were on the bus to the airport. I was so wishing to have a burger from Burger King. So we checked in and went airside. We started to look for Burger King. When we asked for directions, we were disappointed as it was on the other side. And there were only 3 eateries airside. REALLY.
Chinese staff had a spicy noodle soup and I had a club sandwich
Snacks - spicy fish, seaweed, egg and vegetable fritata, kimchee, sticky nuts, yellow sprouts, spinach
Lettuce leaves to wrap your meat in with garlic slices
Vegetable noodles
Spicy vegetable, beef and octopus soup
Beef pieces on onion, the waiters kept adding as we ate
Well that's it for now. Next time I post we should be leaving for SA.
Keep reading and I will keep posting.
