Pensive

I have been in an extremely pensive mood today so thought I would just write, as I currently have no one to talk to.

There are only a few bug bears about China for me and none of them actually involve China persay. The main one is the time difference, I hate having so much free time and not actually being able to talk to anyone back home when I want to. There has to be constant mathematics and consideration involved, because not everyone sleeps with their phone on do not distrurb like me.

The other is not being able to sort stuff out back home myself! For starters I hate O2!!! Remember I mentioned them trying to charge me an extra £212 well my brother spoke to them and they said it was a mistake. I also had a confirmation email to say that my balance was now zero and sorry for the inconvience, yet today they have taken the £212 out or my bank, after I removed the extra money incase this actually happened so now I'm over drawn and will receive a fine from O2 no doubt and Barclays!!!! Seriously I have had problem after problem with them ever since I said I was leaving! Advice buy a phone and then Just by a roll over sim! So much easier. The problem is there is nothing I can do. I can't ring them, I can't email them as they don't ever give out an email address where you can contact a human being and to talk to the guru they need to send me a text to my number which no longer exsits! The whole reason for paying so much money in the first place! 

Western problems in china! Not the main ones I guess people expected. Language barrier, toilets, food?

The thing is the language barrier I expected im in their country I'm the nusicance not them. And yet they try so hard to make an effort to speak English to me. One thing I have found about China, the people are the friendliest in the world, I think they trump the Cambodians . I have never been anywhere where I feel appreciated so much for doing nothing. I don't think it's something you can explain in words you really have to experience it. It's as if our actual being is amazing to them. Granted most will never have seen a white person before, but I still can't think of what that's comprehendable to in England. Maybe if a naked nun walked the streets but to be quite frank living in Birmingham one of the most diverse places in England sets you up seeing pretty much every/anything. 

So when people stop in the street and take pictures or my students who I have been teaching for 3 weeks still take sneaky pictures or get excited when I speak to them directly, I don't get it. I think it would be extremely easy to become big headed over here or reverse that if you need an ego boost! China is the place to make you feel special, to Make you feel like your doing something good and worth while even if it's just spending an extra 5 minutes talking to someone or telling them their English is great. You truely will have made their day/week! 

The toilets, as horrid as they can be are easy to get used to and in hopping they give me an amazing derrier by the end of the year. One this I do find funny every time, all the advertisements are at the bottom of the door lol. Eye level with where you will be squating, who said they hadn't thought of everything!

And the food! I love the food, everything is so flavour some and healthy! And cheap. I'm eating like a queen for no more than a pound a day and that's pushing it and I'm losing weight like no tomorrow. I am going to have to figure out how to stop soon though because I will waste away. But I have no complaints, if I really want western food I can get it. But I find I'm always I'll after soay as well stick to the cheap orthentic food that's making me thin! It's a win win situation. 

I'm also finding the idea of coming home strange already. (Don't panic mom) it's more the idea of coming home to a job, which I am extremely lucky to still have, that I'm not appreciated in. A job where as much as I used to love and knew I was making a difference, changed so dramatically that it sucked the fun out of it and me. I am the type of person who wants, no needs to love life and that's everything in it. My friends and family I can't wish for anything more but work is such a huge part I need to enjoy it. I understand that we get one life and I don't want to spend the majority of it wishing I had done this or wondering why I didn't do that. Or spending 37 hours a week doing somthing that makes me miserable. Ideally I will meet someone who wants to travel the world whilst working and pop home regularly to see everyone I love. But what we want and actually come across are two completely different things. I am wondering off on a tangent again. 

But yes right now I'm loving life and everything about it, with the exception of missing my loved ones. Although so much can change in the space of a second, please nobody think I'm not coming home!!!

Let's try this again.... The big Z

I have already wrote this once and lost it so if the enthusiasm is gone I apologise!

Thursday is my worst day for classes mainly because they don't care! It's a hard line between understanding they work stupidly long hours at uni and I am just an added extra hour to their day, to some of the students actually want to learn and and it's not fair that their lessons are interrupted by people that can't be arsed. So I basicly got angry I shouted at them! And confiscated two phones! Do not sit in my lesson and watch a film! I think next week I may just say if you don't want to learn go to the back. With other classes though the ones who struggle the most and I pick to answer more seem to like me more for it! I'm here to help make them better and I actually want to. It's so confusing! Iv also decided to say yes to the lunch invites and improve my Chinese! It's needed and though I can understand enough to get by I want to get a lot better so why not! I have quite a few students that are actually hilarious and good at English so can only be fun!

So lessons done for the day, fashion parade with Lorraine done, showered and packed I jump on the bus with new directions to Jacks house! Just as I'm about to get on my connecting bus, which I found btw (Zach Nelson if you read this thanks it's a lot quicker) Jack text me to say I'm going to have to work now until 9 at night sorry!! I am like what!!!!! Retreat off the bus as I'm stood there a white blonde version of a person starts waving at me from a bus! It's Lorraine? Well Lorraine was in her apartment the last I had seen so some how this cracked me up as the chances of something like that happening is never. It's like my Aunty said to me last night, my friends grandson is out there for his second year you should look out for him, he's lovely lad and mixed race. I said "is he in Chansha then" she said "no but it can't be that hard to find him can it" I then proceeded to explain how there are 1.6 billion people in China, 8million in Changsha and only a few 100 westerners in Changsha. She said exactly only a few 100 he should be easy to spot! Seriously had me and my mom giggling! I left it at that. I think she has the impression we all walk round in masses lol! 

Anyway Jack was joking wasn't he, the bellend. So I got on the next bus and following Jacks directions got lost getting off the bus at the wrong stop. We then proceeded to play a game of cat and mouse looking for each other. 20 minutes late......all is good. I am found, water melon and drink are bought we head back to Jacks and in standard Chinese fashion we meet a new Chinese friend who speaks very good English. And tells us all about his life long plans!  

After making it in to the flat we quickly get ready as Jack has 1 unit of electric left. Then we sit and wait for Colin and his wife in semi darkness lol! 

Finally they arrive we drink a few in Colin's and head out for food! Obviously as we are eating we are surrounded by people for photos and gambaying! And on the way to the club we pick up some fans.

The club is obviously empty as it's Thursday but there's a dance floor and music and free drink not a lot more you can ask for! We dance, we drink! We head home. The joys of small towns you can walk everywhere. We got home pretty quickly with a stop off for Jack to eat the biggest bowl of rice ever devoured by one human being and head to bed knowing tomorrow is the big one! 

We wake and head to the gym (yes me too) I get a free trial and while in the gym and Jacks doing his "tri's, bi's fri's" I was just pottering around looking for machinery that I could understand and actually use. Two people came up and stood right in front of me and just watched me and then took me to the room with mats and then another two personal trainers noticed I didn't really know what I was doing and decided to give me a full on work out session each for the two hour we was there. (I can hardly move my arms) in the end I was like Jack we need to go I can't do any more! Feeling shaky and weak we grab some food for lunch and Jack gets some electricity put on his card. So he comes in and is like why isn't it working??? Maybe we need to give it some time. After a while he's like maybe I should do something with this card hang on. So he runs down stairs and obviously doessomething  because a second later everything is back on! So yes moral of the story once you put money on the card, put the card in the electric box!

Showers accomplished food eaten and Jack packed we head to central station to meet the others. 

So the train we was supposed to get should of been prebooked so we decided to get the coach. Whilst waiting for everyone to arrive we see Irish Shaun. Seriously these things never happen! He was all packed and heading to Shanghi to watch a big Irish football match. 

We get on the coach after eating some horrific food! Next stop the Big Z!

So as there is 8 of us. 4 are at Shaun's and 4 at Rachel's. We get to Shaun's and his apartment is an amazing brand new bungalow with a bed that feels like rock! I understand harder beds are good for your back but nothing that hard can be good for your hips. Tips for china sleep on your back or expect bruises. 

Anyway I walk into the bathroom and the biggest spider runs ! I mean it's so big the boys scream too! Which made me feel better after screaming way too much.  Murder committed, we quickly get ready and predrink then head to Sams bar. Once there we discover that Noël and Rachel who we new had a date (oh how I love romance) are now actually a full fledged couple!!! Omg literally word spreads quickly, my fault but it was happy news, and when they walk In the whole place starts clapping as if they're newly weds! Reunited 

We head to the club we've heard all about. Now we haven't actually been to any club clubs yet so 15 white people walk in and it's like a massive big draw every head is turned to us as we make our way through the crowd. The Dj announces us and free drinks are brought straight over to our area that has miraculously appeared. At this point there is a banana and a minion dancing onstage so I assume you know what's coming next! All of us make our way to the stage and it's like the crowd wakes from a trance, we start dancing they start dancing! I don't quite know where the minion and banana went. The night continuous with lots of dancing, gambaying, photos being taken and an all round good night! Beasht is on it big time and gets a bottle of Henessay! The real stuff! 

As you can see he's having a very good time! And he's trimmed the beard! 

Dancing done we head for food! Now zhouzho doesn't have Shoa Koa :( but they do have food street so after finally making it there with a few people lost along the way (they are called the lost boys for a reason) food is ordered drinks are drank and speaches are made! For me the night was celebrating Lorraine finally getting her visa sorted and being able to stay with me all year! Woop! Everything's all good until two things happen Jack starts calling me, he has no idea where he is or where he has been for the last few hours and doesn't know how to get any where and the bill at the restraunt is 200rmb more than it should be as the drinks have already been paid for! At this point it's 5 in the morning I'm full, I'm tired and I want to go home! The lads put us in a taxi as it seems things are getting a tad bad. We then get home and My plan to read Jack the address from the wall out side the uni (as no one who actually lives at the school knows what it is called) is faulted as there is a missing letter and I litrally have no idea what the missing letter can be! So when Shaun gets back after nearly getting arrested, he asked the security man to tell the taxi driver the address! Finally lost boy is on his way home. Bed time!!! 

3 hours later Doug bangs on the door and decides he is very excitable and just wants to talk very loudly! Time for an RE lesson this week! Did you know the Catholics never killed Jesus ??? It was was the big big Jews! 

Starvation kicks in we wake the others who some how have not woken even with Doug's loud excitableness and we head to meet the others and get food! So you would think finding a Chinese restraunt in China would be easy! Apparently not in the Big Z! We settle for a western Chinese place with extremely comfy seats! Food randomly picked we settle down for the next few hours! 

Food was good! Random but good! And not half as much as expected. We then head to Carrefour and maccys! And then find monkeys which wasn't actually nice as they had collars on!

We make it to the bus station just as the bus arrives say our good byes and head home! We arrive at a new station which causes sudden confusion but ultimately isn't a problem as it's close to us. 

Our plans for Pizza Hut abolished we jump in a taxi and head home. Poached eggs on toast it is! Although I am ashamed at the state as it was Lorraine's first time. 

Skyping begins. I see mother and Aunty Ann this is when she tells me about her friends grandson. And then I skype the girls as they're all together in Manchester! I don't know why but when I saw them all together I burst out crying :( and seeing Sarah there too! It's like it all became very real some how! That must sound stupid. But yes general shit chated, gossip swapped, boobs flashed and faces pulled I said good night and headed to bed! 

It's now Sunday and I have a class which I am certain no one is going to turn up for! Fingers crossed! 

It's Wednesday

.... And so far so good! Monday apart from still being half dead was good apart from one major hiccup.

So I got up did my washing, cleaned and did my lesson plans, Connor came round and he the amazing boy that he is managed to sort my VPN out so I now have internet woop! 

First class was good although the first student, my favourite not only for her name Potato yes her name is Potatoe, when asked how was your weekend told me her grandma had died! Deathly silence followed! Seriously I don't know enough words in English, let alone chinese to console someone in front of a whole class about that. Anyway after that things went rather smoothly, they had their books so my over the top lesson plan was only partly needed. I also brought Connor into the lesson briefly as I had promised Seven (another name) that I would introduce her to an English man! There was squeals! Expected for such a good lucking man. Anyway after I headed home and Connor had been to the shops I was cooking. The actual babe had brought icecream. Real ice cream and the ingredients for garlic bread, deal was done I made the pasta he did the garlic bread! Amazing, seriously amazing! Whilst all this was happening we had tried and continued to buffer our way through In Bruges as after hearing it line for line Sunday I thought why not actually watch it! 3 and a half hours later I conquer it is a very good film! As the chiore seem to practice out side my window, it's definitely the place on campus to be, I slept on the sofa. Monday over and out.

Tuesday I wake up to military training again! Luckily I'm at work for 8 so I just get ready and pack up my bag to head straight to Dougs after lessons! I can't figure out which class is my fav but this is definitely one of them. I did sentence wars on the board at the end and the things written about Japan made me cringe and laugh all in one. 

I head to the bus stop with route in mind jump on (with my new rail card that I will never let out of my sight) and start reading! I have to stop reading on buses because I always miss my stop. Luckily I now know a bus straight to the bus station, again silver linings. And also figured out how to get a bus to Doug's that he didn't even know about. I get there and take a Pugh next to the military girls and realised that my blonde hair is distracting them. At my college no one seems to look so I assume it's the basis of fresh meat! Then Doug arrives we hug standard British behaviour and a cawrus  of 18 year old start giggling, honestly! We grab some food, swap gossip and head to Doug's to watch a film. Which we fail to do as we make up our own film quiz! Inbetween this I get a message from Lorraine clearly in bits about the massive cock up in Hong Kong. With some pretty good team work we find out where she is book her a hotel and give her exact directions to get there. Still no film at this point and Doug has to go to a meeting. 

So I Skype Matt! Who I haven't seen in 3 weeks and massivly miss his humour I would love to divulge all his beautiful stories about the Chinese female anatomy but you'll have to ask him your self. Doug returns, we continue the 3 way and then recieve a message from Lorraine that the arse holes in Hong Kong won't let her in as it's booked in my name. Even though I sent an email and my passport photo to them, if my identity is stolen this will be the reason why!

Anyway problem finally fixed and still no film watched Rebecca comes back and we head for burgers! Hmmmm not to sure I was a massive fan but it was alright. I find everytime I eat western food I end up with stomachache, my conclusion there is to much crap in western food! 

I make it home with out being sick and head to bed reasonably early! Then the calls, Skype and text start. But at least I saw some beautiful faces, created a plan for the weekend and managed to get a man rant in! 

Wednesday I got paid!!!!! And an extra 600 for teachers day I didn't know about! Woop although another jaw dropper! Asked my first student today what did you do the weekend! Guess, go on guess! Her grandad died!!!! Can you fucking believe it! I was like is this a sick joke??? The a student who told me could play the guitar and brought her guitar in and actually played! She was so good as well! 

Lesson 2 I have an admirer in the form of a women! She's sweet enough though. Two tips when they ask for a group photo if your going to say yes make sure it's on their phone, other wise they ask if you have wechat and me not being so wise so early said yes! I had 36 new adds by the end of the lesson and I don't know who any of them are!!! 

In brief

So Friday after finally getting Mr procrastination ready and fed we headed to Xiangtan. In the metro I had a typical me moment and managed to drop my brand new travel card down the bastard toilet. In the moment it took me to think 'oh god I'm going to have to put my hand in there' it slid straight down the hole, as I now have learnt to use squatters the correct way, it clearly did me no favours! Some form of luck would be a women heard me scream in anger in the toilet and somehow I managed to convey what I had done and she got me up stairs and through security with out having to pay a fine! Silver linings and all that jazz. So we made our way to the coach station and Jack made a fan called Sam who was so in ore of his face, he told him he looked famous so I though fuck it! I said "You know Sam, he really is famous in England!" His face was worth Jacks glare. I then stood back and listen to him explain how he played a stable boy in the black women lol! After finally getting on a bus that took an hour to arrive and making our way to meet Noël we had decided our first port of call would be Cindy's cafe to get some duck and cabbage! And pop into see Diablo! These two things ticked off the list we head to Marlene's for beer and back to the boys! The drinking commenced, the girls arrive and the night begins.

All very much in a blurr we end up in a night club. With in minutes of being in there me and the girls have a plan, grab a glass and let's go get some free drinks. So that's what we did after our 2nd unsuccessful attempt, we was in. We made friends with a mass group of Chinese people who loved us. Currently on stage right next to us was a professional dancer, obviously paid to dance on stage. Well after a few 100 gambays! I jumped on stage and brought the full A team up with me! Only later was I told this didn't bode well with the actual dancer and she was found sitting cross armed at the side of the stage unimpressed! Everything gets a bit messy after all the spinning, dancing, jumping and salasa dancing. The next thing I remember is being lost with jack and heading to a bar on the opposite side of the road. In the shady place Jack took over the music some how wangled yet again more free beer and peanuts and then.... And then we are given a Samarui sword to play with as long as we wear a silly hat!!! The excitement on the boys face lol!!! After this or before I can't quite remember we head back over to Soho and find my chinese friends who invite us into there KTV room for more free beer. Well if any of you reading this know Jack you would know that he has a fetish for karaoke but he's just not that amazing at it. Half way through murdering a traditional chinese song someone dashes a bottle at his head! Misses, obviously or I wouldn't have found it so funny. It was just the reaction. The utter shock and demanding down the mic "who threw that" he then slams the mic down and we run out. Jack now covered in beer, we head down stairs and find Noël on the sofa. Not sure what happened after this. I was told we got back decided to have shots of tequila we have one and I literally pass out! The wild one I am!

The initial plan was to head back to changsha for Saturday but Noel mangaged to give his phone away and Beasht basiclly ruined his foot so we decided to stay another night.

I wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed along with Noël and we head out for the water run. At this point I'm obviously still pissed as I'm walking the streets in my pjs happy as Larry.  We get back and decide it's time for food, off to Bennies we go. Then we go for hair cuts I say we I mean the boys! 15¥ for a trim is unreal especially as it's by a man with the tallest up do Iv seen to date. We head home and then the festering begins! 

We Mong out and wait for the rest of the clan to arrive and the girls to return. And then head out ready to meet Shaun! 

Now Shaun is a living leg-end but at this point I'm dying and the boy decided to head to Xiangtan with no bastard phone. So you can only imagine how well that turns out when we're in a massive city with no form of communication hanging out my arse. We decide to split up and start the search. After I have done my search I head back to base point to see Jack closing in on a very strange child lol. Nothing off, the boy was just weird and Jack was trying to shake his hand. We stand waiting, expressing mass amounts of positive mental attitude! Obviously two blonde white people stood in a busy area attracts looks. Jack says "those 3 girls keep looking and staring I bet they want a picture" he walks a little closer to them as they have been hovering for a whole now and says do you want a picture they say "Yes" and then point to me! Hilarious!

Anyway ten minutes later low and behold who do we see! Only Noël and Shaun! Shaun arrives with all his essentials 2 bottles of beer. The night can finally begin.

We head to lesbian central and I try and get over my first beer. It's a slow process but I get there. Then it's off to Marlene's again for the bants and beers and then the boys. The drinking begins and it's really not easy! Then the bijuie comes out mixed with pear juice! Actually a master invention. Drinking games commence and I'm finally over the worst of it! Or so I think.

The club we plan to go to is shut so we end up in the same place as the night before it's like déjà vu. Except I have a proper ebb at one point. That over I then jump back on stage and start going crazy with Shaun! I must learn that even when I am drunk I am never cool! And there was video evidence to reiterate this! I litrally had a glance and that was enough.

So after madness drunk dancing where next, but the Shoa Koa! Amazing as per! We realised towards the end we had lost Noël and Jack so we went looking and found them in a tent full of chinese people, so clearly we join in! The Chinese love to give their drink away! After a heart warming chat with Noël, who by the way is one of the nicest blokes in the entire world (as well as being on top form when it comes to Irish history)! 

We decided to walk home as it's actually possible to do this in Xiangtan very excitable for some reason we (I say we mainly me) hopped, skipped ran and galloped home like wild children. With the exception of jack! Jack had got blatoed! Completely and utterly hammered! Not his finest hour! But anyway we made it back and some how the drinking continued and photos we're taken to create that epic masterpiece 

Eventually bed time called cuddles commenced and the night ended!

Then morning began and 3 hours of floor time fillers started and lying down dancing. Along with a complete monologue of In Bruges and another Irish lesson! 

When it was time to depart and I had actually stood up! I realised I was in a seriously bad place! Not even Bennies could fix me! Soon as we got to the station our bus was full but another arrived and Jade clevererly managed to get the back seat enabling me to lie down again. All was right again until I had to get my bus home! Long story short I made it and I'm alive :)

Great start.....

So Iv woke up of the sound of war out side my window, I can't wait for military training to stop, and I can't find Fred (name of pet spider). Iv rushed to get ready Lorraine is ill so can't go to work and as I leave the flat I realise Iv locked my self out. As I get to class I realise I have 4 hours and have forgotten my water! I hope this is not the start of a terrible day. 

Positive thinking! 

So as the day went on it's been pretty ok. My first class we're hard work I even had to ask a student to stay behind at the end. And My last class are shit! 3 fell asleep and I had to shout at them to shut up! It seems the prettiest girls think they can sleep. One thing I don't get is, I'm teaching flight attendants and non of them want to travel or leave China!!!! I know that might be normal but why not even contemplate leaving China if your on an aeroplane everyday, daft twat!   Sorry rant began early! My days been generally ok!  I was let back into my flat pretty much straight away and then I just pottered and chilled, Lorraine came over after feeling better. But little things have annoyed me and mainly because I'm so hungry ! Iv finally reach HANGRY I never thought I could but I'm here! So Jack is lost somewhere on a bus Lorraine and Shaun have gone to hooligans on the spare of a moment thing, I'm sat with no wifi and with a VPN account curtersy of Sarah and don't know how to bastard install it!  Iv had an email off O2 saying I owe them £213 which I refuse to pay as Iv already paid them £421 this month and a random man moaning on wechat about how bad it is when westerners go to chinese bars as it's not good for westerns bussiness. I really had to bite my tounge (finger tips) I wanted to say it's their fucking country! We should be giving them bussiness but hey ho! And right now it sounds like a have the frigging Zulu army out side my flat and I don't mean the Birmingham football hooligans!!!

On a brighter note I'm not working tomorrow! I have spoke to Sarah loads and it's been hilarious, thank god for voice notes, I'm a new fan and I will eat at some point as long as Jack doesn't get kidnapped!

Always need a good vent every now and then!!!

Oh also I found this hilarious Jack has an actual stalker who is now harassing me about him!

So Tuesday a student of mine asked for my wechat and when she took it she saw Jack in my picture. She said "this man my friends teacher" I said "how do you know" she said "she sends me pictures every, day look" 

Well if that's not a stalker picture I don't no what else is! I literally cracked up!

I messaged him to tell him and his responce was "fuck off"

Then later on that evening a radom girl pops up messaging me on wechat asking me a million questions about him and saying she's going to Xiangtan too the weekend can we meet up!

Hilarious the boy is hounded! 

She's really gone

I know Iv been preped for this for a week but it doesn't make it any easier! I don't know why I'm trying not to cry, I know I need a big emotional shower but I think I don't feel ready yet. 

I'm so tired as well which isn't helping and I have work tomorrow. And I have some of the girls coming to stay which is going to be a great distraction but right now I just need a massive cuddle, my dog, my mom and my bed! 

But as I won't be having any of those things Iv settled for colouring my time table in! Woopie!

And I really should start my lesson plan but I'm procrastinating massively! 

And I keep getting lovely messages or texts of concern from people which is literally making me titter on the edge!

Why I'm fighting the inevitable I don't know. 

I'm so sad she's gone and I'm so jealous of Sarah seeing all the people I love most in the world. But I'm really not jealous that's she's heading back to England I have most definitely not had my fill of China yet. And with the promise of the best year of my life a head how can I possible pass on that! 

Iv realised I'm just chatting crap now as another form of procrastination! Best get back to colouring x 

The real work begins

So Sunday night the girles came and as much as I just wanted to stuff my face with chocolate, cry and go to bed, as expected Racheal was the perfect distraction from being sad. Not seeing her for two weeks had some how made me forgot how frigging hilarious the girl is. Perfect remedy for a sad soul. So after lots of catch up we went to bed. I happily  gave my bed up for the sofa as it's comfy anyway. Although I spent the next hour listening to a strange flappy noise that I couldn't find and would stop every time I put the light on.  In the end I closed my eyes and imagined it was just a bird trying to get in.  I woke in the morning and told the girls and we went to investigate behind the curtain. Nothing! And no noise. So I got ready and wait for my first class! I was absolutely bricking it but Lorraine came back from hers and said it was 'grande' so that put me at ease. I also had a string of text from the other teachers wishing me luck and Connor popped in to see how I was doing. Seriously knowing everyone is being so supportive over Sarah makes me realise how difficult people must have/are finding it on their own, I will up the support I dish out. 

Anyway first lesson, I walk in and everyone one starts ooooing and arrrrring and clapping and taking photos. I walk up to the front tell them about me, England and Birmingham and then ask all 47 to introduce them selves! That takes up the first lesson :) it also helps me gage their level of English. Then second lesson we play grid game as no one has their books till next week!  Thank god for the grid game Iv used it every lesson.

So Monday night was a quite one we went shopping (I found fat removal tea, which basically means laxative in a tea bag, didn't realise this until the next day did I) and chilled the girls came back from Crave and I can hear that noise again, we move the curtain and this fuck off huge moth flaps out! Moths don't bother me but it flew straight at my head! We spent the next hour trying to flap, fan, broom it out of the room to no avail. I spent the night trying to pretend the flapping noise wasn't the moth fighting a giant spider.  The next day I had class at 8! It went better I was very stern! If you can even imagin that. Then lessons over we head to Orange island for the spa again. There was no sun but we took mass advantage of the spa faclities!

After the spa we headed home but got distracted by a few shops and ended up shopping in my new favourite boutique place! I got two beautiful dresses and Lorraine got a knock out out fit for the weekend. I am finding it so hard to understand how some women are ao insecure. Every girl on induction was gorgeous obviously some more than others but if seems the ones with the biggest issues are the women's I would assume at least new they we're beautiful! My mission this year is to install some confidence into these beauties!

Anyway our plan was home, dinner, tidy, exercise and films!

Plan went half accordingly! I discovered I had a massive spider in my bathroom, so that room became out of bounds (not good after drinking this tea) I cooked dinner, I love to cook Lorraine like washing up! Match made in heaven. Films wouldn't work but some how we both had watched suits up until series 3 so that was out plan. Then we had an Irish lesson. Which some how had me in bits. Do you know the difference between, you, we and ye???? Lol I do know ye basicly mean you guys !

Anyway early night ish apart from waking at 230 in the morning. My spider had gone by this point! I have to either start to not mind them or for get my conscious and start killing them because my current plan of leave them to hide leaves me full of fear that they will return or cocoon me in my sleep x

Set free

So the last two weeks have basicly been an extension of orientation week. With no idea of when we would start work or when uni even began we spent the weeks semi exploring Changsha, buying things for our new homes and drinking! Drinking a lot. One night at mine Doug and boyo came to mine for drinks. Oh my did we drink! A lot! It is clear that I can now handle beer and lots of it.

Anyway quickly just to point out boyo has now become my good friend and that's it. This drunken night we agreed we get on too much as mates to ruin it with anything else. He wants to sleep with the entire population of china and then some and there would be nothing more in it. And to be completely honest it worked out for the best. Especially with this whole Sarah leaving business. He's been a total darling, like seriously, promising he'll look after me, basically move in when he's not working and even cook me dinner. What a babe. So agreeing to be mates was like the best drunk idea Iv ever had lol. We are te 3 drunk amigos.

Anyway back to extend orientation week. We basicly spent the two weeks seeking out as many expat bars and food holes avaliable! We found bagels with bacon and Phili!!!! In love doesn't even cover it! We found cider and we found a full English breakfast place! I definitely think I can survive a year in china. 

We had a drunken night in hooligans. I fell down, literally arse over tits! (Cider bar)

Another night I got very drunk again! In crave (bagel place)

And then the first weekend set free in Changsha we went to a Drum and Base rave! My god I felt 19 again and it was so good! And so many people came out to play

Even after we got locked out of Doug's and got a 5 man squished taxi with cat evie and Shaun back to mine and Sarah's it was fun! Just having friendly faces around makes it all worth it.

The week that followed is when it got hard. Sarah finally made up her mind that she was leaving and it was like she just came back. For two weeks I had watched her revert into her self and become anything but her self and watching someone you love do that is not a nice thing. So as much as I was devastated she was going I couldn't begrudge her it. I hated seeing her down and it was like the light had been turned on again the second the decision was made.  So to keep busy we headed to xiagtan to see the boys and girls and say good byes and look our for gurney (we didn't see him) and had quite night just catching up. Sleeping at Noel's was like hell on earth I seriously feel for the boys it's not actually fare the conditions they are living in. I would of had to go home. But on a brighter note they are both loving there lessons and there kids. We walked into beasht lesson and the kids got so excited lol! He's clearly a brilliant teacher but you could see this during orientation week.

Once Sarah passed on the sad news everyone was gutted! But they told her it was the right thing if she wasn't happy and I conque too. They all promised too look after me too which was lovely of them. 

Then this brings us back to plan departure/relocation with Lorraine and Sarah.

Last night we had fairwell and hello  drinks with everyone 

and I managed to only cry once (I think) woop! I think I need to get it all out my system which will happen Sunday no doubt but until then the odd dribble isacceptable, I'm just happy that she's happy. I'm just going to miss her  A LOT!!!!! 

2 weeks in

The last few days have been an emotion rollacoster! 

Sarah is leaving :( Sunday! My eyes keep dribbling but I'm trying to contain it for both our sakes. But after realisation it was inevitable. She hasn't been happy and seeing her sad, makes me sad and it's just a vicious circle because there's nothing I can do to make her happy. I know it's just not for every one. Iv constantly been told I can deal with it, I'm strong enough, and I really wasn't sure. Iv had so much support from the new people I have only really just met, yet feel like my China family already, that my plan was to stick it out as long as possible, work loads and just see how long I last. With the promised regular visits from an other lonely soul Jack. So up until 8 o'clock last night that was my plan. And then epic lightbulb plan clicked! One of the other girls who hasn't been happy at all was being moved this weekend to a new school but was spending the weekend in Changsha and asked if she could stay with us! Well we have one person leaving, one person wanting to be relocated and then me not wanting to be lonely! It all made perfect sense. Lorraine moves in with me! We spent the night scheming and sending pleading emails asking for this, booking Sarah's flight, (my eyes dribbled again as the confirmation email popped up!) arranging a leaving/welcoming  night out and making sure everything was set for Sarah back home! She has her job to go back to ASAP which is another relief! So we agreed to not get our hopes up and just see what happens. Sarah was going to tell the teachers she was leaving first thing and I had a meeting with Mr Guo to get my visa, finally! I turn up on my own at 745! Me Guo says shall we get breakfast while we wait for Sarah. I then explained Sarah isn't coming. She is going home Sunday! His little face, it was like he had lost his keys whilst chasing his tail. He walked out the room and then came back hour later with Sarah! I found out he had walked straight to her flat, banged on her door stormed in told her to get dressed and that she had disgraced her father and would make him ill (Later this came to our advantage) anyway he got mad sayings school started Monday and he needed a teacher! This is when I popped go and said I have a teacher who needs a job who is coming here today. He rang Lany and then the next thing he tells me to tell her to arrive at 2:30 to sign a contract!! Can it really be this easy?? He then asks me if Sarah's father is ill, me not really knowing what has been said at this point says "yes, she needs to go home to look after father" he was a lot nicer after that. Two hours later I get a call from Chris this shit has been confirmed!!!!

Happy happy days! So not only is Sarah no longer feeling bad about going home she feels relived I'll have company. Lorraine has someone to actually converse with and I won't be alone! It It seems for once it works out for every one!