April 2008
Back to Homepage
Wednesday 16th April
We have arrived
Arrived Shanghai 6:05 pm, right on Schedule. Our pickup was late because we arrived
at the new terminal, and they had to find their way. The terminal was deserted when
we were picked up half an hour late.
The deserted terminal.
Thursday 17th April
We are back in our old room, B103, it now has a television (and Shanghai now has
doubled it English channels (from one to two). The hot water problems have been fixed,
the shower now has its own instantaneous water heater, the farmers are still working
in the fields around the school. Today we registered at the Police Station and purchased
our China Sim cards.
View from Grandstand at the back of the school.
Friday 18th April
We will be getting plenty of stair climbing exercise, our classroom is on the fourth floor and our new office on the third floor in another building.
Today we had parade, our new class is shown below. They are much better than the the last group, more motivated, better English skills and they get down to work quickly.
Anne, Phil and Meagan (from St Paul's) and Jade (International Coordinator).
Today we return to our Hotel in Shanghai for the weekend.
Saturday 19th April
Anne is working on her first essay for the year, I have been shopping for speakers and a toner cartridges for our new printer at school.
Tonight, dinner at Ruzzi, still as good as it was when we last visited. 
Sunday 20th April
Anne working on essay, while I see what has changed in Shanghai.
Back to our bad old habits
Church this afternoon.
Catching 6pm bus back to school, during the week Googlepages was blocked, do not know if it is a school problem or the China Firewall?
Monday 21st April
First classes for us today.
Tuesday 22nd April
Did a shopping trip into Anting in the morning.
Wednesday 23rd April
Thursday 24th April
Today is Phil and Meagan's last day at school, so our last two periods were used playing Teachers versus Students continuous cricket. Naturally the teachers won. It was good to see our students all involved in the game.
After the game we had a party to say goodbye to Phil and Meagan.
Tonight we got back into our old routine, went for a walk instead of having dinner.
Google pages has not been accessible from China this week
Friday 25th April
Today I did my first test, basic Maths and Computing terms, you can see from the
graph the marks ranged from 100% to 6%. One student has been away since we arrived
with Appendicitis.
We also spent some time talking about ANZAC and showed a short slideshow from the web.
Back to Shanghai on the 12:45 bus
Dinner as usual, Fried Dumplings ($AU2) from No 1 Foodhall Icecream ($AU1.8)from
Maccas and for a change, Coffee from Jamaica Blue ($AU9).
New room in the East Asia Hotel, room 432, large with a balcony. Can you see me on
our balcony?
Saturday 26th April
Anne is working on her essay today, and I am spending the day at the School's stall at the Shanghai Educational Expo. This must have been the only quiet time all day. This is our new Principal Wu sitting behind me. She speaks good English and spent a year teaching in Brisbane.
Sunday 27th April
Anne working while I explore? Looking for a length of tube to extend our washing machine water outlet to the drain, instead of flooding the floor. (Found and it cost $AU 0.80). Wonder what the Bunning's price would be?
A harder ask is shopping for wool and knitting needles so the students can be taught
knitting. Will look again next week.
Went to the expo for a couple of hours while Anne finished her essay.
Back to school on the 6pm School Bus from People's Square (10min walk).
Anne and I went shopping and we found the wool and knitting needles at the back of a clothes shop.
Monday 28th April
Anne is giving them their first English Exam. The knitting is preparation for CAS, Anne is trying to get the students to knit for CAS.
To see our China SISU School website using Google Translator, click the link below
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.sisushiyan.com
I even found last week's Canteen Menu so I know what I ate. Have a look at some of the translations
On our walk tonight we bought a pinapple and bananas from a corner seller. They were good to eat and cost about $AU0.50
I did a stair count today, classroom to office return is 300 stairs, the legs are getting good exercise.
Tuesday 29th April
Our classroom.
Wednesday 30th April
Half day today and rest of the week is May holidays
Back to our East Asia hotel, another different and even bigger room, now with separate shower and bath, King size bed.
Tonight we went back to Ruzzi for dinner, we had the special of the day, this included Soup, Steak and vegies, salad and desert. (AU$8.00)
I asked the waiter what the soup of the day was, people at the next table translated for us. The soup of the day was "Cream of Parrot". We wondered what it would be, but took our chances,any guesses??
Scroll down for answer
Cream of Carrot
Click "To May" below to continue our adventure with us.
