Orinatation week

We are just on our way to our new homes after last nights antics and I'm sure I'm still drunk, bouncing around in this car is not good for anyone. A lot of shit went down this last week. I will try to recap. So we began by walking up a very big frigging hill and going to a Toaisum temple on the way to the hotel in Xiangtan. Once we arrived it was food and drinks, I say food we got a whole duck for £4 that's 400 pennies I couldn't quite believe it, and that would probably be the reason why we've had 3 this week! Expect me to come home the size of a house. Anyway we went for drinks and was good girls again and had an early night ready for school the next day. School was fun and hard. We realised that being out of school for ten years means your for get simple things like what the fuck a Verb is. I sat there feeling stupid, really stupid and it was shit, so when I poked Sarah and asked her what a verb, adjective and noun was I was at least releaved to find out she didn't know either. After seeking out this information we had a break for 3 hours, that's right class for two break for 3 and then class for two again. Apart from feeling stupid school was easy and actually quite fun. Learning anything your interested in is fun. Tip for teaching students right there!

Anyway the week consisted of school, food, drinks and getting to know each other, trying not to die on the roads and looking after our school pet gurny aka underbite. 

One day we saw him chasing cars for fun the next he turned up at our hotel and then followed us from the hotel to school and back again. We got slightly worried at one point when we didn't see him, nothing to do with his love for car chasing more so the fact he would probably end up in our lamb dumplings. 

But it was fine Sarah and I found him again on Friday and took him for lunch. He had had a bath and the locals let him in their restraunts so he must belong to someone.

So other things we went go karting, I obviously crashed and came last, we found Pizza Hut, I love cheese, and I'm not ashamed to say it.

A few night to remember (vaugley) one night after finally getting our Chinese sims sorted we went for dinner and ended up staying and getting rather tiddly it was fun and I liked how the groups slightly merged. Myself and Sarah had actually done well in speaking to pretty much everyone but obviously in all large groups there are clicks. I liked this night because everyone was sat randomly and people integrated I guess is the right word. Two girls Cat and Evie who are amazing and hilarious went from "we're having an early one and no drink" to staying up later than me with an extra few bottles. Anyway it was a good night for no reason and I made a good friend in Douglas, he reminds me my brother when he was 15 lol. No idea why.  But we got on extremely well and luckily he's in my city.

Wednesday! When the sangria happened! We had a ladies/lads night. Which didn't last too long as the boys came to find us after a few hours. But we learnt some key things, 90% of western men in china are after a Chinese girls friend, Chinese men definately have small peni and the smell of solids gets rid of Mosquitos. After the lads arrived and I gained all the gossip from an inside source, apparently the boys spent most the night talking about us and putting people into top ranking postitions. Typically male, they we're extremely disappointed to hear we didn't talk about them once. We headed to a street BBQ, which was under a fly over. The food some how was amazing and beer was 35 pence. I did have to piss in the street but that I would say was better than some of the toilets in China.

BBQ finished and next stop KTV! This was my first experience as I had been sensible and retired to bed early all the other nights. The only word I can use to describe what happened that night is mayhem! Utter utter mayhem. We was beyond crazy I was picked up about 6 times span round about 30 and little Ivy whipped out a rap to shock everyone.

 I did say I would mention when I fancied a boy, but in all honest I had been trying to avoid him all week as I new he was my typical type. Arrangont, weirdly attractive ( he looked like a blonde version or sideshow bob) and funny. So up until this night I had done well. Then he tried to kiss me after trying it on with pretty much everyone else all night, my feminist hat came out, I pushed him away and said not a chance, his response "I'll give it another shot in Changsha" because obviously he's in my city. 

The next day in class we had to teach our first lesson and it was an epic fail. There was actually no pussyfooting about it. It was shit, never try to explain rape to Chinese people!!!! Anyway we then had to get in to pairs to prepair a class for Friday for 15 year olds. Initially we stayed In our pairs then we flipped a coin and it was decided we would be mixed up, then we was told to stand in order of birthdays and low and behold who the fuck was I stood next too! Only boyo! Woopie. So after exchanging 'what the fuck, is this for real, what are the chances  ' looks with Sarah I managed to calm my self into a non school girl state. We then went back to the hotel to sit and prepair. Which was obviously the worst thing we could do because when he wasn't being Mr show off he's actually really nice, still aragont, but nice and funny and complimentary. Trying to do our planning was an epic fail after Doug turned up, we agreed to reconvene in an hour. So me and the others went on the look for a massage. After searching the streets for a sign that didn't exists we found it just as it was closing. I then got a message from boyo saying we're at the park, we headed there, because of course loads of work can be done at the park heaving with Chinese people at 9 at night. If you ever get the chance go to a Chinese park, go! We saw roller blading for beginners, a choir, slow aerobic dancing, gym sessions, baby corner, fishing, waltzing you name it, it was fringing there. 

After a brief look and go in the gym, I am weak, but no new news there, we headed back to the hotel for an early night, still not completing our homework. 

I  woke up with a concept and we basicly ran with it. I say ran in was more stubble but we got there in the end, we had actually picked the hardest concept the future! Trying to explain the future to Chinese teenagers is hard, never do it. Anyway that over and feed back given me and Sarah ran for our 3rd duck of the week and found underbite! Yaya! 

After our last 2 hours at school we received our TEFL certificates and medical reaults! No abnormalities and I now know my blood type which was obviously worth 50 quid. We headed to the roof of our hotel to do our ice bucket challenge with no ice. It was a rather nice experience tbh. 

We got ready and headed out for our last supper. And guess what, half way through I my stomach starts going wild, it was wonderful, squating over a hole with heels on is not an easy thing. Luckily it only happened twice but I was extremely carful as you do. We headed to KTV wild yet again this time we went down stairs into the club. So being white and blonde in a room full of people who have never seen a white or blonde person is dangerous especially for me when I'm claustrophobic in situation just like this and being physically dragged by people! I massively freaked out. I can handle the waving and smiling and photos but not the grabbing. I felt like a a 15 year old travler. Anyway once I calmed down the night was good extremely messy. After enough KTV we tried to make our way to another night club in a stadium after walking there which took what felt like hours, losing half the group along the way and a few casualties we got there and it was closed. So we headed back to the BBQ ate loads of aubgine again and then back to the hotel. At least that's the order I think it went in. I woke up packed and we basicly left. Just like that with out saying bye to pretty much anyone our man was ready and waiting. So there was no group hug no bon voyage photo that was it. We heading to our new homes, it was felt like the end but really it's just the begining of the adventure. X

The first 36 hours

I reckon these post will come in floods then dribs and drabs so while I'm still eager I'll give it ago.

I have just woke up after 12 hours well deserved sleep. It's Sunday. And our last nights full sleep was Thursday.

After a beautiful chilled out normal English night of spag Bol, copious amounts of tea, chocolate and hobnobs and just chilling in our pjs (and a quick pj trip to the Romany road) at Jades for the last time, Friday went with no hitches. 

We woke up got ready, our taxi was bang on time if not early and we said our final goodbye! From now on it would be all hellos. We got to heathrow for exactly when we wanted to with a lovely taxi driver Rumard,  checked in straight away, our only glitch was we wasn't seated together. So we went back to ask if we could be moved and the women explained we was sat together there just wasn't an I or J seat. So after feeling slightly silly but very pleased we went straight through security straight in to the VIP lounge and we was done, for now. We took advantage of the free pastries, and endless drinks. 

After making a deal with my self I wouldn't cry I refused to read my last three cards off three of my best mates. But as one of them kept messaging me to read it, I did. Obviously the floods opened again! After stemming them we tried to be practical sorting out VPN's and proxies (I say we, my brother sent me all the links and details and we tried our best to implement them) anyway our flight was finally boarding we went straight through pretty much boarded straight away and we actually had pretty good seats the last two at the back next to the toilets and no one next to us which was good. 

We spent a bit of time scoping out all the white people and trying to guess who would be with us but decided we would just see who would be on our connecting flight (which was a lot easier as every white person was in fact teaching with MKT)

The flight really wasn't that bad apart from the huge man sat on a different row snoring, loudly, throughout the whole flight. We watched 3 really good films synced together, highlight would of been being served breakfast by the aire stewardess right at the exact moment when Sarah and I had started balling our eyes out at the end of a film. She looked so concerned for a moment it was rather sweet.  

And we got to watch our complete take off and landing from a camera at the bottom of the plane rather interesting or maybe we was just that bored. Anyway one flight down

Extremely tired but only one more to go. Nothing remotely entertaining happened between here and there apart from trying to stay awake, oh and Sarah seeing a boy from schools China double. As soon as we got off the plane though all the whitys stood waiting and this would make up half of our new family for the next 10 months.

After eventually dragging our stupidly heavy cases (we had 30kg, 10kg more than everyone else for some reason) to the bus we spent half hour waiting for the last few to arrive and trying to learn everyone's names, who was staying where, who came from where, the generic questions you ask people when you first meet. And obviously what made you do this. Everyone's answers varied but mainly resulted in our main answer "why not" or for the unprude "we just thought f*@k it"

The bus journey to the hostel was just like being back on the "night bus" in Cambodia, loud, bouncy and swervey. I loved it :).

We got there and checked in by this point we had been awake 20 hours. For some reason me and Sarah was on the 4th floor and had to get our bags up there but by this point we had got a system sorted one case at a time, we flew up the 8 flights. But omg was we grateful. We had a twin room with air con and en suit. We walked in and instantly stripped off and took cold showers as by this point we was close to becoming walking soup. We was told go up and come down about 3/4ish we had a 15 minutes sleep and then I popped down in what can only be described as an unfit state to communicate to ask when we definatly needed to be down we was told 4, we decided We needed at least another half hour. I collapsed fully clothed with my legs hanging off the bottom of the bed. That extra half hour sorted me right out. We headed down to meet everyone. 

It turned out anyone that hasn't come with someone was in a 6 bed dorms with squatter toilets. When asked if we was in a private room with ensuite we for some reason felt we needed to defend ourselves by saying it was because we was old lol and remind them it was only for one night. And anyone that wanted to could use our toilet. That definatly helped.

We left and went for a walk around the city, our city Changsha, for the next 10 months. We walked through such a beautiful huge park, it had a theme park a massive lake with pedlos and the things, do you remember Teckahies Castle, those little water pods with water guns on. We will be using them at some point.

Right so we had been pre warned that people would stare and take photos, but in general as I'm quite blind I'm oblivious to this normally.  If you ever get the chance to go to China walking through a city that has a very limited number of white people it is hilarious. There was about 25 of us. All white, all loud. We was followed by children and photod every few minuets we caught this one guy trying to get photos on the snyd so decided to ask him to get a big group photo of us all, may as well use it to our advantage. Then he got in it and started  taking selfies. I understand it's meant to get annoying but the way I see it is, it's a lot better than them throwing things at us or being mean so I'll take the looks? stares and photos anyday. 

We then went for dinner in a traditional Hunan restaurant. It was amazing! Seriously not only was it like playing a game with the lazy Susan ( the spinny glass thing all the foods on) but every dish was unreal. I even tried frog, I like frog, the spice wasn't as bad as I was expecting either and they do my favourite dish from Vietnam so I was a happy happy lady. By the end of the meal most people had been awake for at least 30 hours if not more and with food mongs well and truely set in bed time was calling. Although we was told not to go to bed until 10 as we wouldn't sleep. Begrudgingly we listened and headed down to join the others for drinks. We had a lovely time just chatting and getting to know everyone a bit more. Again repeating names and finding out where people will be staying. Making agreements to definately all exploit each other's accommodation for nights out and exploring China. 10 hit and like good girls we basicly ran to bed. We was out by 1030 and apart from both waking for humongous wee's I was out for the count until 930, which is basicly when I started writing this.

So far happy days. We have come up with our theory to last, we are on a two week holiday that we can extend week by week. May sound silly but works for us. 

Today we're off to a temple on a hill then heading to Xiangtan for the induction/TEFL course to begin Monday. 

Final farewells

I feel like I have been saying goodbyes for ever and really it's only been 3 weeks. Saying goodbye to people is not something I enjoy so I have stuck with I'll see you soon and I love you. It still doesn't make it any easier the more you do it. If anything the last ones by far are the hardest. In the last 7 days I have said bye to pretty much every person I truely love and care about. Today has drained me completely, but that was my plan, finally let out all the tears Ive been holding in for the last 3 weeks and then tomorrow when I get on that plane I can be excited because the journey has truely began. 

Just to get the full extent and emotions off my chest, you know who you guys are but I really do love you even though I'm really awful at expressing myself, I do, a lot and your the only things that are making the trip scary because if I didn't I wouldn't have any reservations it's simply knowing how much I will miss you all. 

Thank you for all the cards, pictures, letters, tampons and the tears. Knowing your loved is a beautiful feeling, just know the feeling is mutual. 

Right so now the soppy stuff is done and I am fully exhausted from all the crying the fun will finally begin at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning when our taxi comes to take us to Heathrow airport!

Night beautiful people

Xxxxxxxx

9 days to go

12^th August 2014

Writing has never been my forte so my apologies in advance.  I just wanted a place to log my next year as I don’t want to forget one minute of it.

I leave for a year in China (and who knows where else) in 9 days.  Before that I have a mass of goodbyes to get through and a weekend at a festival which is bound to kill me off as it does every year not to mention packing!  And to be perfectly honest I have no idea where to start.

I seem to be the only person not sad that I’m leaving and honestly that’s not because I’m glad to be leaving anyone.  I have an extremely close set of friend who I will miss with a vengeance a family who is just as weird and wonderful and what can only be described as a whirl wind mess of a brief romance I will be leaving behind.

So I think I have repressed the actual fact I won’t see people for 12 months or I am just so excited to leave work and head to the unknown with one of my best friends that the reality has not hit me yet .

I thought It would be a good idea to write briefly before I leave so I could look back and see what my initial thoughts where before I hit the complete an utter cultural shock of China.  I’ve read about it, heard about it, researched it and very much tried to prepare myself for the hole in the ground toilets, no nappy babies and kids pooing in the street.  As well as not being able to communicate, read any local signs and mass population.  I know it’s going to be humid and I know I won’t be able to eat cheese or buy shoes for a long time and yet knowing things and experiencing them is a whole different story.

The thing I am finding quite bizarre for myself is I am welcoming all these challenges with open arms.  I am looking forward to having to completely 100% look after myself.  I am 25 and I have never moved out, I never went to uni and headed straight in to work at 17, life was too easy at home and by the time I was all ready to move out and about to buy a house it all fell through.  Which is actually one of the main reasons I thought why not lets go to China, I’ve got nothing to lose and no commitments.  That is the question I keep being asked “why China” and my response is “why not”.  So really a year away from home in a country so unlike my own is like a personal challenge to myself.  It’s not about growing up, I am quite happy in the knowledge I am sensible enough when I need to be but still manage to act like a teenage girl over a new crush or spend the evening with my best mates realising we never do grow up really, our bodies just don’t realise they should of stopped at the beautiful age of 21. It’s more about the adventure I am craving and knowing I can finally say I can look after myself, but more the adventure.

So yes this will be my blog, my diary and my venting arena all rolled into one.  I will try not to be too cringe worthy and I will also try not to sugar coat the humiliating moments that are sure to occur as they do in my normal day to day English life.