Trouble on the streets and trouble on the bus……….my first experience with Discord

So on Sunday, before my luxurious massage, I walked to my local grocery store with a list. I was quite surprised by two Shanghai-nese men that suddenly appeared in front of me - quite drunk and  disorderly. They had  a string of beers in their hands and were jostling and shouting very loud at each other. My first. It's Sunday at about 1 pm.

Shop Keepers were exiting their shops to look and it made me quite nervous. I ducked into the shop I like least ( no "fresh" veggies- mostly frozen stuff and not as friendly a my "regular" shop). Fine.

Then today- on my bus to school- the constructions has   started BIG TIME. Like Ottawa- Shanghai has Winter and Construction - two seasons.

The bus was crawling along - stop and go - I was totally frustrated that I might be (now) late!!!! It arrives at &:07 a.m and usually takes 20 minutes. It's now 7:45 and has not moved an inch.
One man at the back of the bus started yelling - like it's going to help the traffic- ( I FEEL THE SAME WAY BUDDY- I AM GOING TO BE LATE FOR SCHOOL)

Everyone else on the bus started  yelling at him. It was  very interesting. The  little ( and I mean "little" old lady waiting to get off with me) ROLLED HER EYES -  and gave a "time-out" signal to the guy who was yelling…………very cute!
Cultural Universals indeed.
I made it just in time to go directly to my 7:55 a.m. class - NO Notes- NO Class seating Plan _ No nothing………….but it worked. Frustrating!

National Hat Day- Thursday April 3 2014.

So, I have fun with my students. I told them that Thursday April 4 was "National Hat Day" in Canada. My Juniors were totally absorbed- my Seniors were sceptical. I told them "Google it".

Here's the deal. I teach FIVE 40-minute Oral English classes on  Thursdays. A long, arduous day beginning at 7:55 a.m.

I have to make some fun for myself. So, I told them if they wore a hat to school ( I will wear my purple summer straw hat)- I will have candy to give out of my laptop case.

This is what 85 rmb ( Approximately $13.00 ) looks like. The shop keeper was so pleased to see me enter her store. I walk by a bazillion times a day - but I don't eat sweets- so I thought I would give her my business. Depending on how many students take me up on the offer, I may be back. ( That's 5 times 25 students in  day - 125)
My students told me they are "not allowed" to wear hats to school. I told them to bring them, and when they see me - to put them on.
I have NO IDEA what these "sweets' are. Here's a selection:

 We definitely know these- Skitters used to be favourite for my kids

 Some kind of cake/cookie.

 Cookie for sure- with "vanilla" icing

Rice Crispies anyone?

 Hard candies, for sure...............

 But these guys?

Nuts, and perhaps pseudo- life-savers?

I have introduced man "Canadian" rituals to my Shanghai students. My FAVOURITE is the "good luck" ritual Canadian students use before writing a test. Stand up. Grab left foot with left hand - hop on one foot clock-wise. They ALL do it.
What fun!
(BTW- ALL of them know I'm having "fun" - but they do it anyway. Lots of laughs.......

Full body Oil Massage in Shanghai today........................heaven!

Victoria and I danced home - but not quite "Cheek-to-Cheek". I'm going back. Dawn- I can book you this massage to our hotel when you arrive - maybe the day after? Might do you good after a 14 hour flight. 318 rmb - roughly $53.00 Cdn- not bad for one hour.

http://youtu.be/n3RSlUkw9U0

City Bus # 745 to School

I have been intrigued by one of my bus drivers on my route to school. He has long hair with blond streaks and has earrings in his ears.He is in his 50's.
 He really stands out because 99 % of all the Chinese men I have encountered - young, old, student, construction worker, scooter-fixers - are all well-groomed - meaning their hair is cut short. This guy looks like an old hippie. He also wears sun glasses - not many Shanghai-nese do - and if they do - its the women.

I started saying 'hello" (ni hao!) and he broke into a big smile and greeted me back. City bus drivers are both men and women, young and old - and they have one of the worst jobs. The traffic and scooters and pedestrians are all crazy here - so you can imagine how stressful it must be to get people from Point A to Point B in one piece. Many of them are cranky - yelling and blowing their horns and shouting out the window at other drivers.
Anyway, now when I see - I'll call him "Bob" - we smile and greet each other. I have told him my name " Wo jiao Mali" and I have told him I'm a teacher "Wo Jiao laoshi"

Yesterday he gestured for my to get on the bus without swiping my Metro card. Today he told me that whenever I get him as a driver, I do not have to pay.

This is Bob gesturing for me to come back into the bus while he gestured about not paying. Too funny! I've made friends with a bus driver.

THIRD case of food poisoning from the Canteen among the Foreign teachers

Our young pup - Matt - from England- started feeling unwell last Thursday ( same day as Bianca) and we did not see him all weekend. He was in hospital with food poisoning. He had his (Chinese) girlfriend with him, so no need to contact his translator , Lingtai. He had to take Monday off work.

I've decided to bring my lunch from now on……………..as does Victoria, and Bianca now.
I might ask for a microwave to be made available in the Canteen.

Our Chinese colleagues are sympathetic, but not concerned about their own safety with the food. Maybe it's our different "constitutions"?

I'm too late to vote………………..crap!

Good morning,

 

If you meet the conditions (http://monvote.qc.ca/en/edv_bvh.asp), you could've requested to vote out of Quebec, by mail, but unfortunately, March 19, at midnight, was the deadline to make a request to vote out of Quebec. (EL 287)

 

Best regards,

 

Lorraine GALLANT

préposée aux renseignements

Direction générale des Élections du Québec

prepose38@dgeq.qc.ca

info@electionsquebec.qc.ca

Walking in my neighbourhood

After a crappy day of rain, at 4 pm. the skies cleared and the sun came out. I went online and it had hit 20C. Lingtai told me that Spring weather in Shanghai is like a "baby's face- it changes constantly".


I took advantage of the change in the weather and walked around. I am still a bit "shy" to take photos of my neighbours, but here are a few shots.

 These are the workers who constantly sweep the streets and collect debris. In this shot they look like they are "eyeing" the woman in the distance, but honestly, it's one nasty Western habit that Asian men have NOT picked up. I have NEVER seen
asian men "ogling" women. It's a very patriarchal society, but it is not expressed in this way

 Here's a little Asian woman who (ostensibly) takes care of people crossing the street when the light changes. She has a whistle and blows it loudly and constantly, but no one pays attention. She has no power to give tickets, or impose sanctions. I asked my students about these workers and they told me the government employs these workers to keep unemployment at an acceptable level.

Since Spring has "sprung"- street work, painting and repairing in the city of Shanghai has quadrupled. These workers are characteristically "smaller" than Shanghai-nese, and have much darker skin and broader features. This is the "ethnic diversity" of Shanghai. These workers come from "away"- usually began as farmers in villagers - hence their weathered skin. They migrate to Shanghai for a better life and do hard, manual labour - IF they can find work at all.

Yup. This is someone's laundry hung out on a makeshift clothesline on the sidewalk. This happens everywhere. I am constantly ducking from underwear, shirts and bras.

 I walk by this little family's shop almost every day. It is like a one-car garage - complete with sliding garage door. He fixes scooters - his wares spill out onto the sidewalk. She dresses, bathes, and feeds their little guy ( 8 months old?) on the sidewalk. And yes, this is their laundry hanging out to dry.

 A tinsmith's shop

 A bicycle store

Water waiting to be delivered by this vehicle ( below)

 Back to the dorm, where things are blooming. It  seems, just overnight!

Junior 2s on a Monday morning at 7:55 a.m

Chaotic, but they are tons of fun. Bright kids!

 Kevin and Jerry ( I had to confiscate Jerry's MP3 player again....sigh)

 Gary, and Coco and Lily in the background. I was getting them to practice their French.

 Grace and Vivian

Bean

Pedicure, Manicure, Vegan lunch and shopping……………..Sunday with Victoria

Victoria has been in Shanghai for three years, teaching Russian. She knows all the great restaurants, places to shop, and places to pamper oneself.
She "booked" me for today ( Sunday March 23rd)  for the afternoon, but did not tell me what we were doing. I KNEW it would include a meal, and shopping ( it always does : ), but what a treat!

I have been talking about wanting both a manicure and a pedicure for months. Winter hit. Rainy, damp, cold weekends- everyone hibernated. But Spring has Sprung ( sort of) and the day was lovely!

We started  in Jing' an Temple stop (Line 2). LOVE these guys! I have only been here once before, as it is Bus 115 to Metro Line 10 and Exchange to Line 2. A crowded and uncomfortable commute. But, with company - manageable.

We hit the Dragonfly Spa and had manicures and pedicures. Wonderful! So relaxing! I will spare you a picture of my ugly feet- but I was SO impressed with the work on my hands. They were a mess- and now - they are "shiny" with neat cuticles and nail polish that Vicky says will last a month. 290 rmb - just under $50.00  Canadian dollars

Then off to City One Shopping Store. Filled with all Foreign goods. Expensive, but mouth-watering. On the way, I saw a DVD shop and purchased the complete series of a show that one of my colleagues back home has been raving about. 128 rmb- about $21.00 Canadian dollars.

Lunch was at a Vegetarian restaurant, as Victoria has given up meat for Lent. I had a Vegan Salad with all my favourite things - avocado, broccoli, almonds, green olives,  and chick peas. HUGE - and wonderful! And, Chamomile Tea - which I can never find in restaurants here. (No Photo- sorry!)

Then off to City One Shopping. Smoked Salmon and a bottle of Chilean wine.
A wonderful Sunday before the gruelling week ahead……..
Thanks Vicky!

Living in ONE room in a Dorm…………...

If you are my age, you'll remember moving away from home and living in ONE ROOM in a Dormatory with strangers.( Although, not strangers, now)
 This has been my life for 7  months now. Everyone is hungry at the same time- RUSH for the shared kitchen ( One microwave oven, Two Hot plates, One toaster Oven). We are all polite about sharing….but…….
 Everyone has laundry on the weekends - RUSH for the TWO laundry machines on the floor. ( No one wants to "hog" the machines, but come on….we've got places to be………)

Everyone wants their Coffee/Tea in the morning- Wait for the hot water. Line up- with crazy hair and no shower yet……..
The simplest things make my ONE ROOM existence tolerable.

 Lots of colourful scarves I've acquired in Asia and a hat from the $ Store in Canada.

 Insence sticks and my Metro Map ( saviour) in Shanghai!

 Scented Candles to mitigate the awful smells in my Dorm

 A small table holding gifts and cards  from home

Top of my fridge- with coffee mugs, fruit and tea mug

Desk with gifts from Foreign Teachers and students alike.

 ICT devices to keep me int ouch with Home

 Condiments that remind me I'm here for  a while

 Bathroom requirements

Love you Mac stuff. You keep me sane………..

Turned left ( instead of my usual right) on a beautiful Saturday afternoon (18C) and found the sweetest little local street

This is why I am teaching English in China. I'm told that although English is a compulsory subject for school children, only about 10% ever master the language.

These are my new notebooks for school- precious!

I can usually "translate" what it was meant to say- this one is easy

I just liked the robot guy. Truly romantic

 Hope you can read them! Hmmmm. After you enjoy "wisdom", you can eat and then run off the calories?

Well, this one has me completely baffled. Any suggestions?

And, my biggest find is (what was elusive for the longest time)- a little shop selling DVDs. I have not popped them into the machine yet, so I don't know if they will work. But, at $1.16 (Cdn) it was worth a try.