Dec. 17, 2014
Today was an impromptu adventure day. First I slept in, which was mildly magical, the puttered around generally being lazy. After I actually got my act together enough that I could be seen outside I went with Jesse to Trustmart. First we did some inspection of items we would need for the new apartment. For example I need a blanket and a table to act as a desk. It looks like all together is roughly 400RMB. A bit out a down payment, but I need to keep warm during the winter and have a place to work when the semester starts up again. The second reason for going to Trustmart is I am making stockings for the class that I teach on the regular. My little guys have been so good for me, I wanted to make them all little stockings for Christmas. I will hand them out at the end of class this Saturday (or maybe Tuesday since it’s right before Christmas). I think it will be all so very cute.
The next part of the adventurous day involved walking around Chengdu. Essentially I needed to send some postcards and Jesse had nothing to do. We walked over down by Panda Post. It took in total maybe three or four hours. It was a good walk though, it felt nice to go have a wander. So Jesse and I can say that our day was an active one even though we probably did very little. I have started packing for the move, just little things. The issue isn’t getting everything tightly packed, it’s more just bringing everything together so that it is easy to transport. This weekend is the big move so we shall see how it goes. The two big things I have are the mattress pad and my chair. Otherwise it’s clothes and nicknacks that I am moving. Tomorrow is an early day going with Qiyi (I found I was spelling her name wrong) to see a shopkeeper about a coat.
Dec. 18, 2014
My day was veritably insane, in a good way. So first thing I went out with Qiyi early to go look at coats that could made into my size. I really can’t fit into Chinese coats they aren’t made Jenn-shaped. Getting one made was a tad to expensive right now, or really ever it was almost 125 USD. I am really glad I didn’t decide to splurge on myself. After I got back Cassidy and Brennan grabbed me and explained that renting practices are a little bit different in China. Apparently we will pay multiple rent’s month at a time. Our landlord wanted 3500 RMB from each of us (3 months rent plus a down deposit of one month rent). Naturally none of us had that kind of money that day or really access to it in the next couple hours. We were able to get it down to two months rent making our first payment 2625 each. So that was a fun scramble, getting all the money together for our first down deposit. It was a silly amount of money I had in my purse. Everything is done in cash here, so I just handed her a wad of 100 RMB bills. We now have a key and the moving in process will begin shortly. I hope to be totally moved in by Monday, as long as internet is working. I kinda spaced on pictures I will have them up later, maybe a before and after situation.
I also had work today, which was interesting. I had my older kids again, I think I am used to dealing with little guys. Little guys are easy to please, these older students I think got away with more. So now it is a matter of retraining them in how to act in my classroom. It also doesn’t help that my TA Vivien can not speak English efficiently enough to have proper communication. I have yet to find a rhythm for my class but not to worry we will find it soon. I just need them working together instead of against each other. I made it home by nine but I am exhausted. I am going to falling into bed soon. Good night, tomorrow we begin moving.
Dec. 19, 2014
The day started with trip to Trust Mart. I needed to buy a comforter for my bed (the school provided one in the dorms) and a little table that will act as my desk. We were up early enough that most of the other shops weren’t really open. It’s kind of interesting watching people set up for the day. The trip went well enough everything was retrieved in a timely fashion. Jesse was able to haul the table up our four flights of stairs. He has been a big help in getting heavy things moved. After that point I kinda felt the urge to just go for it a move in all the way. However, there is a weird situation with the beds, so until that is sorted out moving in totally will have to wait. Essentially the issue is we have one too many bed frames, because when Cassidy and Brennan bought their bed it came with a bed frame and every bed room in the apartment has a bed frame. It’s a little bit of a problem one that will hopefully be resolved. I backed up everything on my shelves in a single duffel bag and a brown paper bag. I realize how little I actually have here, I just haven’t felt the need to collect things.
After our morning of moving it was off to work for the afternoon and evening. Jesse had been called in for a training and I am covering for Brent. He is off traveling for the next two weeks and I essentially have all but one of his classes. This is awesome for me because my hours have doubled. It will help make up the money that I needed to spend for rent earlier this week. I tutored a little girl, I was impressed with her English, I suspect she has an English speaker for a parent. If the child has an English speaking parent they are usually better at learning the language. Then it was a bit of a waiting game for me, I was too meet Cassidy and go introduce her to Cindy and Dolly. Cassidy needs the money more than I do, so I am giving her my tutoring job. This allows me more time to work in a place that most certainly gives me more money per hour. Also Cassidy prefers the one on one tutoring. I am finding that classroom settings work better for me. I took one last round of things to the apartment after work even though it was late. Cassidy and Brennan are night owls, they eat way too late for me. I stuck around to be social and play a game of chess with Jesse. Now I am going to bed, work starts at 9 am tomorrow.
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