Is everything in Chinese?
In the main areas it is in Mandarin/pin ying (sort of phonetic Mandarin in English lettering) and usually English too. We're a little further out from the centre now and less English is spoken, we walked past small restaurants the other night with no menu other than a blackboard full of Chinese characters, not even pictures to guess from! Communicating with our driver is interesting as his English is minimal, but it will most likely ensure my Mandarin comes along quickly as I can't bear feeling helpless linguistically!
What is Adrian's job/what is he doing in Shanghai?
Adrian is 'in telecomms' and was working for Alcatel Lucent in Swindon. The site there is closing over the next year and all employees are being made redundant. Here he is working for ASB/Alcatel Shanghai Bell on an International Assignment. He has been working remotely all through the transfer but actually started going into the office today when the children started school.
What is the food like?
Not massively different from the food we would have from a Chinese restaurant in the UK although here the meat is often more 'entire', so skin and other parts are often cooked in to the dish. I understand Shanghai to be very westernized and should you wish to live off pizza, curry and ice cream it is entirely possible! There is a Tesco (similar) and an Ikea (indetikit) within 1km of where we are now. There is also a Marks and Spencer on the other side of the river in Puxi but we haven't visited it yet. We have largely eaten Asian food while out and have really enjoyed everything we've had :)
Are you driving/do you have a car?
No way would either of us drive over here! Neither of us are nervous drivers, but it is all the unwritten rules and priorities that would floor us. Not to mention, how on earth would you sort out an accident when we don't speak enough Mandarin? We have a driver...more on him later!
Are the school times the same as the UK?
Yes 8.45am - 3.15pm. This seems longer due to needing to catch a bus at 8am and not getting in until 3.45pm on a normal day. If there are after school clubs (a huge selection!) then it is 4.30pm arrival. These times apply specifically to our compound as we live very close to the school. Those that live further away would not get home until 4.30pm on a normal day and 5.15pm after clubs.
Now for the recap:
Now for the recap:
Thursday 21st (additional!)
We met the hotel manager and his family as they have two girls at BISS too, one of whom is in James' class so he now already knows two people in his class :)
Friday 22nd
We met our driver first thing - Wang Jia is his name and he doesn't speak a huge amount of English which bodes well for my Mandarin! We then headed into BISS for the Orientation Day which really got the children excited about the facilities. We met their teachers and had another good look round. I was delighted by the stock levels in the 2nd hand uniform shop and had a really good haul. We were expecting to spend in the region of £250 for the first minimum set of uniform from brand new and actually picked up considerably more for around £80, very pleased with that! Had a celebratory dip in the pool. Here is a fuzzy shot at night time from underneath the cantilever pool. You might just be able to make out that there is someone swimming over the glass...
We met the hotel manager and his family as they have two girls at BISS too, one of whom is in James' class so he now already knows two people in his class :)
Friday 22nd
We met our driver first thing - Wang Jia is his name and he doesn't speak a huge amount of English which bodes well for my Mandarin! We then headed into BISS for the Orientation Day which really got the children excited about the facilities. We met their teachers and had another good look round. I was delighted by the stock levels in the 2nd hand uniform shop and had a really good haul. We were expecting to spend in the region of £250 for the first minimum set of uniform from brand new and actually picked up considerably more for around £80, very pleased with that! Had a celebratory dip in the pool. Here is a fuzzy shot at night time from underneath the cantilever pool. You might just be able to make out that there is someone swimming over the glass...
Saturday 23rd
We asked Wang Jia to drive us to where we will be living in the name of familiarisation and then he drove us to Tesco (yes, really!) Unfortunately Laura was sick in the back of the car as we pulled up at Tesco. Thankfully years of prepared travelling with Mum meant I deftly caught everything without incident in a handy plastic (airport security!) bag. Poor Wang Jia! Don't think he took it personally but surely was grateful that his lovely Audi A8 escaped unscathed. We decided that Adrian and James should continue on their own and Laura and I went back to the hotel. She went straight to sleep and thankfully there was no repetition. Adrian and James came back bearing a present of a toy giraffe and a lollipop shaped balloon for Laura which cheered her up no end. They also brought back a great little book with some useful words in Mandarin and pin ying:
I have heard piào liang a lot already in reference to Laura accompanied by gesturing to her skin and hair colour!
I was entertained that the following two words/phrases also appeared in a beginner's book, gives a small insight to the importance of these attributes in this culture:
I was entertained that the following two words/phrases also appeared in a beginner's book, gives a small insight to the importance of these attributes in this culture:
We moved rooms that afternoon to a pair of connecting rooms for my peace of mind and ease of administration.
Settling in to the new rooms:
Laura's bed James's bed
Today's first: Laura also learnt to tie her shoe laces in the afternoon! Here she is practising with Adrian's shoes to make it easier...
In bed that night
Sunday 24th
We took the hotel shuttle bus to the Metro station and then caught a train to People's Square, intending to visit the Shanghai Museum. Pics from People's Square: soon-to-be resident 'crazy' in the second panorama ;)
It was unbearably hot and humid and there was a very long queue, so we decided to head off to the Art Museum instead. (Sorry, rubbish shot)
Again there was a significant queue; shorter, but nevertheless, still out in the sweltering midday heat so we took refuge in the Mall opposite. We then spent several enjoyable hours in the cool, spacious high tech Mall with LED lit water fountains synchronised to music and other entertainment. Laura entertained the locals with some 'gorilla dancing' and Chariots of Fire 'slow running' and was quite soon being videoed (again!)
James and Laura were very taken by these ice cream creations for 30 RMB (£3 approx.)...
but we agreed to save those for a future visit in favour of a trip to this chap:
We also boggled at the real life spidermen that Adrian spotted carrying out maintenance on the canopy above:
We then came back on the Metro and were highly entertained by the young men next to Laura eyeing up the 'Wash the Pets' App Adrian had downloaded for her. They were quite mesmerised and quickly ceased to be discreet, opting for full on gawping. Adrian suggested they were maybe just trying to spot the phone model as he has the new Samsung S5, but I wasn't convinced! Laura inflicted an urgent 'wee stop' on me in the Metro - less than ideal as many public toilets here are holes in the ground with no paper and seriously dubious cleanliness (think French service station) but she coped well and hopefully won't wish to repeat the experience any time soon! We tried an orange taxi from the Metro to the hotel ('Red is Dead' and blue also best avoided apparently) and arrived without incident.
Once at the hotel, we headed straight for the pool to cool off. All of a sudden Laura became very tearful about missing her best friend Lola so she and I left the pool so she could have a good cry in private and to see if we could Skype Lola. We went up to the Executive lounge to console Laura with a can of Coke and happily managed to speak to Lola on Skype which cheered Laura up no end (I say speak, it was mostly excited shrieking on Laura's part and waving of various toys at the webcam!)
That evening I ironed Adrian's shirts and the children's uniform and polished shoes all ready for the Big Day on Monday. I also managed for the first time in weeks to have them in bed and asleep by 8pm!!!
Both children are being real troopers about all the change. James historically has been a picky eater but is eating really well and trying things all the time, I suspect hunger is lowering his resistance!!
Today's first, I actually used an umbrella against the sun. It made very little difference, purely psychological!
Up bright and early ready for the first day at school. Breakfast at 7.30
a few posing shots around the hotel reception
and then Wang Jia picked us at 8 to head to school by 8.30.
We were very much on time, even early, which is unheard of when I am involved!
We were encouraged (actually not pressganged!) to sign up for a 200RMB (£20 approx.) welcome meal on 11th September and both of us did :)
They have lots of great events to volunteer for but I held myself back from putting my name down for anything specific. I am looking forward to this:
and really hope Laura wants to go, but that she insists as going as Ironman or Spiderman, I would LOVE that! Wouldn't it be priceless??!?!
We mingled for a good hour then I sent my first text in pin ying to Wang Jia to come to the school in 10 mins. He was there, so it must have been understandable! Actually I don't think he left, but I like to think on this occasion my communication worked.
We went back to Noha's to pick up a stool that they had bought on the weekend that was already broken in the packet and after a couple of amusing misunderstandings, set off for Ikea. Trying to effect an exchange was quite an ordeal and involved much miming on my part and appalling attempts at reading phrases from the little book I have from my first trip. After many failures we got there eventually but it was VERY hard work. I really need to get stuck into Mandarin lessons soon (provided by the company, but not arranged yet) as it is driving me up the wall being so incapable of communicating. I can't even make myself understood when trying to read pin ying so I have a really long way to go. The complication of the four different intonations will be a massive challenge, but I will give it my best shot!
We had lunch at Ikea, meatballs of course, and then after another small misunderstanding, caught up with Wang Jia and headed back to Noha's about 2pm. While there I picked up an email from Laura's teacher, sent just after lunch telling me Laura had had a great morning and had made a new friend Jessica, which was a nice touch and very reassuring.
An hour later it was time to head back to collect the children and get the lowdown. They both had a great first day, thank you everyone for your good wishes! The only complaint was the food as they are on school dinners for the first two weeks as we decided it was a bridge too far trying to provide packed lunches from a hotel room. I asked them if they'd made any friends and Laura told me about Jessica and also reported (in a slightly disapproving tone) that Jessica likes Barbie!
Laura's favourite part of the day was painting a T-Rex playing a guitar that she did for Lola :)
James apparently couldn't remember! When pressed later by Adrian he did come up with a considerable amount of detail, although largely it seems they had an extended orientation more suited to their class and an assembly with their section of the school, Infant for Laura, Junior for James led by the head of the respective area and the Principal.
We headed back to the hotel for a snack and to unwind and then tea, bath and bed ready to do it all again tomorrow.
Adrian and I have our medicals tomorrow at 1pm and aren't allowed anything other than water for the preceding 5hrs :( Off to set the alarm for 6 to ensure I have plenty to eat before the cut off!
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