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Weather: Between 34 - 38 degrees Celsius.
Working: 6 days a week
Food: Mainly fruit and yoghurt
Music: Paul Simon
4th July
Summer Camp has started. The days still aren't long compared to the average working day, but adding on 2-3 extra teaching hours each day, it's surprising how tiring it can be, along with having only one day off in the week and I suppose also because I'm out of routine. Hey ho, it's all classed as overtime, so it'll defiantly be worth it come the end of August.
6th July
Walking out off the lift and putting my key in the door, it wouldn't turn. I tried many times and was unsuccessful, I was stuck outside. Felix was in a lesson and so I'd have to wait for him to finish before he could ring property management.
I decided to take a wander and discovered that the door leading onto the roof was open. A world away, I just walked above the many bedrooms and living rooms below me. I think I might start taking a chair and book up there, to my own secluded, calm place.
Sat back outside my apartment doors, the elevator doors binged open and out stepped Samuel, my neighbour. "I'm locked out!" and he too tried opening the door with no luck. "Come inside and we'll watch some football"
A knock at the door was followed by two very smiling men, who had come to save the helpless foreigner. One man was from property management and the other was the guard from the main gate, just wanting to come and say hello to me. He told Samuel that he wished I could speak more Mandarin as they always want to speak to me as I go by each day.
After one try, he successfully opened my door. Samuel looked at me surprised. Apparently the door was loose and stiff. He began tightening the screws and oiling the door, as I opened the balcony doors due to the smell of the oil.
I thought we were all done and didn't expect the guy to try the door once more, to check it. Well, he did and after closing it, he put his hand out, waiting for me to hand the keys over to him. I just burst out laughing, "Samuel, the keys are inside!" We had the door working just fine and now we were back to square one!
Next thing, the guy is slowly climbing out of a 10th floor bedroom window! Before this I asked Samuel how much they were charging me and he said it was free, but I was now thinking I'd have to pay for someone's life! Leaning forward and clinging onto the window (literally for his life!) he shuffled along the window and managed to get onto my balcony, which luckily earlier I had opened the doors to. The whole time I couldn't stop laughing, but I think that was mainly because I was very nervous for his safety. After all of this he still didn't want any money, my hero!!
I actually think I have some kind of curse against me and the apartment doors now, as being locked out of a room hasn't been the first time since I moved here. I also had my bathroom door lock on me and not long after my bedroom door too!
7th July
Finally, my day off and I wanted to get out of the apartment, away from Songjiang. I felt like I needed to open my mind again and so I caught the subway to Huangpi Nan Lu, in the hope of trying to find Fuxing Park. Nearly 3 hours later of wondering around, I hadn't found it. I did find a little park, which I was able to escape to. Yet despite being surrounded by many birds, tall trees and lush green grass, you still knew the city was just outside, especially when looking at the huge fish swim past the reflection of a tall tower in the pond!
Another subway trip to Peoples Square, I just walked aimlessly between the many buildings. I hadn't been into the heart of downtown for a while, forgetting how impressive the buildings are.
Trapped between the tall buildings and the heat coming off the cars, the 38 degree heat felt a lot higher! I've been to places with temperatures higher than here, but I've never sweated like I do here. It's literally rolling down my face, with my arms and legs becoming all sticky due to the humidity. The humidity level was over 80% the other night. It's a real horrible heat!
9th July
Apple Tree class has been at the school for quite a while now, but I have yet to teach them until today.
Jacob, was absent but I still had 4 other cute, little girls of 3 years old. I haven't taught such young children and thought it would be a lot harder than it was, but they behaved, responded to me with their excellent English and our 45 minute flew by.
I call them my Apple Babies or maybe they could be my Crab Apples? :) Anyway, I'm looking forward to having them every Saturday.
10th July
A 6"4 male, a red head female and a male wearing glasses; Do we stick out amongst all the Chinese around us? Yes, is always the answer!
Up on the roof, we were people watching only to discover that people in their apartments were people watching too, well watching us foreigners. People came to the balcony doors, calling others in the apartment to join them and even some children were stood on stools on their balconies, calling out "Hello" to us, as Andy replied in Chinese, "Please get down!" I suppose it's not every day Chinese folks see 3 foreign heads bobbing around on the roof!
x x x
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