Photos: (1) our flight from London to Shanghai on FinnAir (Finland's airline) who offered a super deal.
(2) Me relaxing in our hotel room, in between working and looking at apartments.
(3) Some of my kids that I teach English.
Well, in my last update Tuya and I were looking for work in London. We were interested in work almost anywhere. We didn't have any luck with jobs in London and the cost of staying in London was mounting up to a ridiculous level.
However, I did get some job offers to teach English in China and Korea. We were interested in Korea but it sounded like the time and expense of getting a visa would have caused a 2 month delay in England. You can't enter Korea on a tourist visa and convert it later. But in China you can go there on a tourist visa, start work and get a work or business visa while you work. So, Shanghai won the prize for my next place to live and work. Our plan was for me to work and Tuya study Chinese at a local university. Which is also an easy way to get a visa. She liked the idea because her best friend and some other friends live here already.
Now the Olympics are over, it seems like visa restrictions might be loosened up again. Probably after October 17th but nobody knows for sure. So, they would only give me a 90 day, single entry (60 day per entry) tourist visa which is pretty bogus. I asked for 6-month double-entry. I'm just hoping that I'll be able to get a work visa before the 60 days expires.
So, we flew to Shanghai and a few days later I was teaching in 4 different elementary / primary schools. The good part is that the pay (per hour) is quite good, but you don't get paid for breaks, holidays or travelling. A good part of my day is spent walking between schools and stations or sitting on the underground train. I don't mind because I'm losing some of the weight I gained eating rich English food and not exercising much in England. I reckon I walk for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours every day and sit on trains for about 1 1/2 hours. But it's relaxing commuting, at least, and quite healthy.
The school kids are really varied in their behaviour, abilities, and interest level. The worst kids make my life miserable and I regularly have to remove the worst trouble makers to maintain some level of control. The best classes are full of smart, motivated and engaged kids and it makes my job an absolute joy.
So, everyday I go through a whole range of emotions from anger to pure joy. I often feel like walking out because the kids are just totally out of control. Because I try to have fun with the kids and make the learning interesting, I think the kids think I'm a softy. The Chinese teachers, on the other hand, teach with an iron fist and rarely tolerate any kind of fun or happiness. I'm aiming for something in-between :)
After quite a lot of looking, I managed to find an apartment close to 2 of my "morning schools" -- so I can walk to school every day -- and close to Tuya's university. It's a large 1-bedroom, fairly new, good views of Shanghai's skyline from the 17th floor living room window, and I got to choose new furniture with the landlords. So I'm quite happy. No internet yet, I have to go to coffee bars for that, but I have almost all the big stuff sorted. Unfortunately, I'll have to buy all the small comforts of home that aren't included in a "furnished" apartment. I had them all in Beijing but had to sell them when I left for the Phillipines. At that time I didn't expect to be back in China so quickly.
It's weird how things work out. I'm back in China with only the Summer away in the Phillipines and England. China has so many opportunities, it's hard to stay away.
