"Said woman take it slow. It'll work itself out fine. All we need is just a little patience..."

I really need to heed the advice from this part of the lyrics.  Sing it to me, Axel.

It's been a bit of work trying to manage the shopping I need to do, the paperwork I need to catch up on for financial reimbursement, and having a little downtime before I get back to the grind.

Now, let me recap the past week since my last blog entry:

Sunday (August 3)

Sunday evening, Shannon and I met up with a group of folks at a local restaurant who are also new to Shanghai American School, though we are 2 of 3 who are new to overseas teaching.  So, we are surrounded by people who have all had experience moving and settling in to a new area, and they are all more than willing to help and share their experiences.

Shannon and I ate dinner at an American grill, the Blue Frog, where we ate delicious

 cheeseburgers and french fries; we weren't quite ready for local food just yet.

Then we made our way to the local "Wal Mart" type store - Carrefour, where we were a bit dazed and confused by all the promotion signs and the crowds we tended to draw while trying to purchase blow dryers!  All in all, it was a positive experience, and we were actually able to purchase a few things with the help of some employees who spoke a little English.

Monday

We got up to meet our Orientation Leader, Ann, and her husband, Bob, at the Starbucks across the street from our apartment compound.  We enjoyed the brew and set off to buy local cell phones so we could communicate while out and about.  We also purchased carts to use for carting groceries from the store back to the apartments.  Boy have they come in handy!  (Having a car with a trunk is definitely something I'll miss when shopping locally!)

Then we made our way to the local sporting goods store, Decathlon; Bob and Ann gave us the run down on purchasing a bicycle for running errands and transporting goods.  This seems to be the norm for many people in terms of getting from here to there, though nobody bothers to wear a helmut - even among the "anything goes" attitude of drivers and cyclists alike!

Our next stop was B & Q, a store not unlike Home Depot or Lowes.  While our apartment compound will hang pictures, etc. for us, Bob graciously offered his power drill for any of our home decorating needs.

After this brief tour around the neighborhood (and passing a Papa John's pizza place), Shannon and I accompanied another newbie to SAS, Greg, to IKEA via taxi to shop for some linens, etc.  The cab ride was about 30 minutes and cost us about $20.  We spent a few hours getting a few items to get us started, and then we got a private taxi ride back to our compound from a guy who basically latched on to Shannon halfway through the store.  The driver spoke almost zero English and had to call his nephew a few times to understand that we were not done shopping and that there would be 3 of us he'd need to transport when we were ready.  All said and done, he was great help - loading our shopping bags and then giving us front door service.

After a few days of hauling heavy bags and carts around (not to mention the stiffness from the cramped plane ride), Shannon and I decided it was time to check out the spa located across the street in the strip mall, the Dragon Fly.

Well, being that our Wellness Allowance from SAS will cover things like gym memberships, bicycles, and massages, we decided to go ahead and purchase the best discount package - allowing us approximately 2-3 massages per week!  That night we both enjoyed the Chinese massage - a little different in that you wear a provided pant suit or robe during the massage; very little skin contact is made.

Tuesday

Aside from additional shopping, today was time to get internet set up and get help learning how to use my washing machine, since it is all in Chinese.  :)

Though this day wasn't considerably busy, Shannon and I agreed that we could easily allow ourselves several massages in the beginning while we have the time - so, we went for foot massages!  We won't be in Shanghai over Christmas or during the summer, and unless a bunch of you come to see us and use our massage membership cards, these pampering sessions will go to waste! :)

We also took time to stop in the local gourmet market, where there are many U.S. brands and foods. Of course, I'll have to be pretty desperate to pay $7 for my Cocoa Pebbles or $10 to have Florida's Natural orange juice!  In the meantime, I think I'll let my Ayi help me find comparable Chinese brands...  :)  

Wednesday

Still in need of a large kitchen garbage can (among other things), Shannon and I decided to purchase bicycles from Decathlon as a means for traveling a bit further in the neighborhood.  We then rode to B & Q to get a few things, and we learned quickly that while the bicycle baskets are helpful, one still needs to cleverly fasten larger items to the bike for transportation.  Luckily, string for doing such a thing can be found at nearly every store.  (My bike is the blue, white, and orange one - hello Mary Poppins!)

The Jin Qiao area (where we live) has paths the width of car lanes for riding bicycles, and there are sidewalks for walking next to these.  The bicycle lane is raised to the height of the sidewalk, seemingly keeping one out of traffic.  Well, let's just say that this is the idea behind the bicycle lane; what actually goes on in traffic around here is a different story.  You can often see a car up on the bicycle lane for drop offs or pick ups, and cyclists frequently weave between the sidewalk, bicycle lane, and even the main road to maneuver.  Yikes!

Needless to say, Shannon and I arrived back at the compound safely with our large parcels.

We also took time, again, to visit the Dragon Fly and get manicures and pedicures.  It was fun asking the girls servicing us how to say simple phrases like, "goodbye," "very good," and how to count from 1-10 in Chinese.  They seemed eager to teach, though they did laugh at us quite a bit.

Thursday

Our first official day of orientation.  It was great.  We arrived by bus at the school (and not on those yellow school buses we're used to!) and had a complimentary breakfast of various options offered at the different stations at the food court.  

The rest of the day was spent on Q & A, a tour of the buildings (including my classroom!), email and network access, and setting up bank accounts.  The amount of information was a bit overwhelming, but our Superintendent reminded us to process things incrementally and know that we are under no pressure to know everything right from the get go.

The facilities and grounds are beautiful, and a new track and pool are under construction.  The 3-level middle school is connected to the high school via hallways and skyways, and we were told that we would have all of the supplies we need to teach the way we feel comfortable - no expense spared.  Wow.

My classroom is on the ground level and has an LCD projector and Smart Board.  I have some arranging and setting up to do, but all of the furniture and accessories are nearly new and in excellent condition.

Friday

So much for the full physical I had in Greensboro, NC.  The Chinese government requires all working residents to undergo their physical examination, which includes X-rays, a sonogram, ECG/EKG, blood testing, etc.  A group of us got dressed in gowns and wore booties over our shoes as we were shuffled from room to room for the various procedures.  While it sounds a bit much, the process was actually quite efficient and painless.   However, I did use my first "squatter"!

Following the medical exam, we enjoyed lunch at 1221, a lovely restaurant that serves traditional tea and food, family style.  It was fun guessing what some of the dishes were, but we did decide to ask about some before partaking!  We dined on cucumbers, chicken in peanut sauce, green beans, rice, duck, fried noodles, tofu, chicken and peppers, and more.  The hot tea was served from kettles with extremely long spouts, but I wasn't particularly fond of the taste; beer, coke, sprite, and water were more suitable choices for many of us.

Friday night was the opening ceremony for the Olympics, so many of us met at a local sports bar and restaurant, Malones, where we dined outside with a view of the events on the big screen through a window.  The food was excellent, and it was amazing to see all that the Chinese had done to make the ceremony spectacular.  

Saturday

Ophelia comes home!  Well, my new home.  :)

After receiving a call on Friday evening, I knew to report in front of my compound at 9:00 am to get in a van that would take me and Shannon (and a few others) to the quarantine facility to pick up our pets.

We were met by Tony and had to fill out some additional paperwork, and then our pets were brought to us on a cart on the back of a bicycle.  It was heartwarming to watch us all reunite with our furry friends.  It was clear that they missed us as much as we missed them - maybe more!

The hour drive each way ate up the entire morning, so Ophelia and I decided to take it easy and just relax at home.  She was clearly confused at first, but she soon relaxed and cuddled up with me for a short nap.

Ann and Bob welcomed all of the newcomers to their home for cocktails and appetizers and an evening for socializing.  To top off the night, you'll never guess what Shannon and I did...

yep!  We got massages!  This time we tried the aroma oil massage, and it was wonderful.

Sunday (August 10) 

Today was another trip to IKEA and Carrefour for some additional home necessities.  Shannon and I both found dishes and pots and pans, and we also purchased other odds and ends to make our apartments in Shanghai seem a little more like home.

Now I am about to order dinner in via a "Sherpa" and use the rest of the evening to work on my wireless router and just relax.