Nanny's blog part 2

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It is now a week since I arrived and my experiences continue apace! On Friday it poured with rain all day, however I was in school so not a problem. I went to the weekly Assembly in a lovely theatre seated hall with stage. The Assembly was put on by one of the classes and was very good but the highlight for me was Joanna's group of 4 students who gave a presentation (which I had helped them put together) about their rubbish collection programme. Anyone caught dropping litter will be given a card which they have to take to the Office. The next day they are given an orange hat and gloves and have to collect rubbish for 20 minutes. Quite an incentive not to offend! After school we took a taxi to an Estate Agent's office and a young woman and man started to take us to view an apartment (you remember it was absolutely pouring with rain). They insisted we walk as it wasn't far and what a trauma that was. They are relaying all the pavements in preparation for Expo 2010 in Shanghai and everywhere is rubble. So, we all followed these two young people and eventually ended up back outside the complex Joanna and Ian live in!!! We were soaked, even with umbrellas and Ian was cross when he managed to find out that the apartment was on the ground floor when he had particularly asked for 8th floor or above!Not a good experience! Sophie had gone to tea with one of her school friends and we went to collect her in rush hour traffic about 30 mins away. When we arrived, it was the most amazing house. The little girl had a big beautiful bedroom with her own lounge adjacent to it, it really was quite something. Saturday, Ian and Joanna had to go to work this week so I looked after Sophie and William which I really enjoyed and then in the evening the ayi babysat and we went firstly to a wine bar and then to a Vietnamese Restaurant and then to a Cafe where Ian and Suzanne and Mark ( their American friends) had the most huge cups of coffee I have ever seen! The Wine Bar was free tasting which was very nice and we took our wine next door to eat. The food was delicious and new to me. I hope the beef was beef! They did some mushrooms in what I am sure must have been Sambuca - they were gorgeous - also stuffed aubergines and all very good. Yesterday we went to the YuYuan Gardens which were beautiful. I have some very good photos. It was a really typical Chinese area, with very ornate buildings and what seems like hundreds of people everywhere with the ever present manic traffic. I'm getting used to crossing the road now - just keep walking in between the motor bikes, scooters, cars, bikes to the other side! From these gardens we went to the Bund where we went on a river trip. This was amazing, passing the Pearl Tower and all the different shaped buildings etc. The skyline reminded me of New York with an oriental touch. It was a really lovely day, if totally exhausting but I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Today I looked after Sophie until it was time to go to school for her Student Led Presentation. We met up with the Mother of another teacher who arrived on Sunday and went round the Fake Market across the road. However, first we went for coffee and Sophie was our interpreter! She speaks quite naturally in Chinese and manages very well. The lady we went with bought a North Face jacket with a fleece which could be detached for £20. What a bargain! Well, that's me to date. Tomorrow Joanna and I are going to the Fabric Market where you can get things made up for collection next week! I am really looking forward to this. Then on Thursday we go away for a few days to Nanjing. The weather forecast is very good, so we should have a good visit. I hope you are all OK. 'Bye for now from another world!

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