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Published: September 23rd 2012
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My apartment
This is the entryway. I put my shoes and purse on the built in shelves to the right. Hi everyone! I know it's been over a week since I've left and there's been no real updates. I'd like to blame a couple things (besides my laziness) on that. First off I did have a computer, but I wasn't able to use it without a multiple cord outlet because the outlets here on the wall only allow for one appliance. Second, my computer mostly uses Chinese characters. There are some sights it lets me use the English part of the keyboard, but sometimes I'll try to write something and I'll be "what does that say?" Finally, my internet freezes up. I actually tried updating my blog on Wed. but it froze and everything I had written went kaput.
So anyway, I do appologize. I probably could have updated sooner if I had put my mind to it, but it's really taken a lot out of me doing certain thing and just settling in in general.
Coming up next are going to be my journal entries as is written since I don't want to re-create everything I wrote. So enjoy and I promise to get into the habit of updating at least a few times a week. Love you all! P.S.
Computer room
This is the computer room. It's pretty bare and I doubt I'll do much with it. My Microsoft word is still typing characters so if I mispell something, don't be the Enlish police... that's my job ; )
9-15-12
Well, the journey actually started on Friday, but my birthday is when I actually arrived in China. I still feel crazy whenever I say that to myself, but it's truly true. Anyway, everyone gave me a wonderful sending off. If ever I wondered how people thought of me, I think the overwhelming amount of love and support I felt that night settles it.
Friday started early with waking up at 4 am and then having Diane drive with me to the airport so I could catch my 7:30 am flight. I felt bad Diane had to go fix the car I was lending her but it was so nice to not have to worry about it.
My flights all got me where I needed to go, but there were definitely scares along the way. In Phoenix it turned out that my gate was in a completely different building a bus ride away while I had less than an hour to start boarding. Once I got to L.A. I got to my gate just fine,
Living room
This is the living room. It's got a pretty comfy couch and I have cable TV (with only Chinese channels...). It has a door that leads to the balcony where I hang my clothes out to dry. but then my flight was delayed by almost 2 hours! When I had booked my flight I had felt frustrated that I booked one that flew out 5 hours after I was supposed to have arrived. With my delay I was worried I wouldn't have enough time to make it through customs, get my luggage, find the check in counter and re-check my bags and finally find my gate. Other than the check in counter feeling like it was a mile away everything turned out great and I made it to Nanchang in one piece.
When I got to Nanchang and got my baggage I was met at the gate by Camilla and Pravine. They both made me feel so welcome and gave me a phone so I could keep in contact with them. Shortly after, Rita, one of my school's foreign affairs workers, came up to me with her husband and they brought me
to campus where Rita helped me get settled in for the night.
9-16-12
This was a crazy but good day. Of course I didn't get a full night's sleep, but when it was time for my tour with Rita I was
Bedroom pt 1
Uh.... here's the bed awake and ready for a morning of walking. Rita introduced me to Anna who is another English teacher at my school and together we toured the campus until about 11 when Camilla and Pravine
were supposed to pick me up. Unfortunately they were late because of some student protests so we didn't get to go shopping for food like we had planned. I did get to meet up with some of their friends and we all spent the afternoon hanging out and getting to know each other. I was wiped really early and Pravine had
his driver take me back to school where I desperately tried to prepare for my Monday classes before going to bed
9-17-12
Monday was a good day. Nothing too crazy, but learning most of my students only spoke halting English and I knowing I speak almost no Chinese was a bit of a shock. Anna and I met up for lunch and the rest of my day was filled with cleaning, another class and getting settled in.
9-21-12
The whole week was pretty much more of the same; classes, cleaning (still not done), meeting new people, letting things sink in, and buying things
Bedroom pt 2
Here's my "dresser"... for my apartment. Friday I had to finally go to the doctor's for a check-up. It was quite the experience because the clinic was moving from the current building to one over so I had to go from building to building to get my check-list of things marked off. At one point I was in a travel bus between buildings getting my x-rays done! The worst is always the blood draw which was made even more traumatic by having the nurse mess up on my right arm, have the blood get everywhere and then her needing to tap my left arm to complete it. >_< After all that I still had to pee in a cup in a non-western bathroom (think hole in the floor).
When that was finished and my last class was done I finally go the courage to hop on the 227 bus to see if it would take me close to Camilla and Pravine's. I ended up getting off a couple stops early but I still felt pretty proud about getting so close.
After Pravine helped me make the last bit of the trip Camilla made me dinner and we hung out together the
Bedroom pt 3
And here's my "closet"... rest of the night. 😊
9-22-12
I spent the night because I thought I'd have enough time to get back to open my bank account with Rita at 12:30. Sadly, she needed to change the time because of some scheduling conflicts with the exams that were taking place that day. I couldn't make it there on time so the Cherians and I spent the
day together. We ended up going grocery shopping, swimming, going out for indian food, and then watching the Expendables 2 at the movie theatre. All in all not a bad way to spend a Saturday. :D
9-23-12
Today was pretty low-key. Cam, Pravine and I hung out in the morning and I helped Camilla with drying the dishes. At 11 I headed out to take another bus adventure to make my way to Walmart. Why Walmart? Because every weekend my school schedules a bus to take the teachers downtown in the that area and Anna said I could meet them there and catch the bus back with them. I did get a few things at Walmart, but honestly it was so overwhelming and crowded that my goal was to get out of
"Dining room/Laundry room"
So here's a big empty space where I imagine there'd be a table for eating. But there isn't one. I have chairs though! And my washing machine. :) there as soon as possible. We all made it back to campus with no fatalities and then came the biggest challenge of the day; washing my clothes. Honestly there's nothing to my washer because there's only 3 buttons I have to mess with. Evidently though I have to worry about what happens to the water after the washer is done with it. There's a hole in my bathroom that I didn't know what it was for. Now I do. Anyway I have to put a towel in front of the door that seperates my kitchen and bathroom and mop up the water periodically. I've had 3 loads of clothes because the washer is so small. That's way more work than I thought washing my clothes would be plus hanging them out to dry. That part actually would be cool if I didn't know how much dust and pollution is just chilling in the air. Bleh.
Anyways, I've survied a week here in China. I still feel I have a lot to learn as a teacher but I haven't freaked out yet and I have a great support system here not only with Camilla and Pravine but the other English
Kitchen pt 1
My kitchen is a mess and I really can't do much about it till I get shelves or something to put my stuff in. Sigh... teachers who are all super nice. So far I've been too busy to miss anyone, but I'm starting to bring
out my cards and pictures to keep everyone close to me. Thanks everyone for your support and love!
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Jen W
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Miss you Carla!
Hey Carla! Your place looks SOOO cute! I love it! I hope you are comfortable there. Sounds like you are settling in OK. It's gotten even more quiet around here without you! I keep thinking you are coming home...The boys are quick to tell people that "Carla went to China". I think they are proud of you. By the way, you can read these comments and approve them, which will make them visible to other blog readers. I forgot to show you how to do this, but I'm sure you can figure it out. Not a lot going on here. Yesterday was the first day of fall, and it feels like it, but I am NOT turning on the furnace yet! Ben and I are busy with the studio, of course, and the kids are well. We really do miss having you here. :( Please post more pics! Even of mundane things! I'd love to see what's outside your windows, or your classroom, or what the streets look like. Love you! Jen