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Well this weekend officially marked the halfway point for my time in Shanghai, and I have to admit that there was some relief in making it over the hump. It's not that I don't love many aspects of this amazing city, but it's been a rougher go than I was prepared for. This past week was particularly difficult.
Emergency Kit Employment #1: Iodine and Polysporin
Monday arrived, and with it the start of a new cycle at work. I started a new class in a new room. Apparently the dangers of my new surroundings were slightly more perilous than my prior situation. The chairs are all booby trapped; within an hour of starting my Monday, I had managed to gash my inner thigh open on a protruding nail. I feigned a smile and ran for the office before a giant yelp sprang out of me. That was the first reminder of why it's important to be a good little boy scout and always come prepared.
Emergency Kit Employment #2: Immodium and Pepto Bismol
After weeks of happy tummy, the food finally caught up with me. A long, gruelling Monday ended with me and Lisa deciding to eat at the mall food court across from the hotel. It's an odd little place where each stall looks exactly the same as the one beside it. While you may find the odd distinguishing feature such as a section filled with duck innards or a bowl containing live bullfrogs balancing glass beads on their heads, most of them are generic and innocuous places. We chose one and got some fried beef noodles- seemed harmless enough. The next few nights and days were accompanied by an incredible urgency that I'm not generally accustomed to. And when you work in the land of dirty, squat toilets, extended bathroom breaks are to be avoided at all costs. Sometimes you just can't ascribe to the theory of "better out than in".
Emergency Kit Employment #3: Benedryl
We had a shortened teaching week and then spent Friday attending the school's sports day. I had made it the rest of the week without mishap. I was even smart enough to wear a hat and sunscreen for the sweltering day outdoors. I came home a bit cranky, so Lisa and I decided to take ourselves shopping to piece together our "Saturday Outfits" which we decided was to become our new ritual. Our newest creation consists of empty glasses frames with no lenses, matching bunny t-shirts with funny slogans and sparkly, animal shaped jewellery- très Shanghai chic!! It turned out to be a fun night, and I woke up on Saturday morning happy for the weekend, but my face didn't feel right. I got out of bed and Lisa quickly asked, "Have you been punching yourself in your sleep again?" For no known reason I had woken up with a fat lip- nothing a few hours and a couple of pills couldn't solve!! I guess I'm mildly allergic to Shanghai?
It's now Monday morning of my fourth week here, and I'm just on my break at work. It's a very cold and rainy day which has resulted in a headache. In China the number 4 symbolizes death, and so I'm reluctant to add "emergency kit employment #4" and take an Advil. I think it would be best to just leave well enough alone. Today I felt like whining, so I did. If you check in later this week, I'll post something more positive, 'cuz good things have happened, too. But the first bell just screamed that it's time to start heading back to class…wish me luck!!!
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