I don’t have too much to write about, because this week was a pretty typical week of school. Today was the first day that we did not have a ‘dragon time’ schedule. Our mascot is a dragon, and dragon time is basically advisory time. The school is on block schedule, and boy, does a full 90 minutes feel like a long time. I am going to have to work hard to function successfully in a 90 minute class period! We have been moderately sociable with our friends in the evenings, including a trip to Brilliance Mall. There is a Decathalon store there, which is a large sporting goods store. I needed to buy swimming trunks, and our new friend Candice needed to stock up on some clothes. Angela was along for the ride. While we were at the mall, there was some sort of variety type show. The first thing I saw was three women singing in Chinese, dressed very fancy. The next act was a magician, who was very good. I was reminded a little bit of Gob from ‘Arrested Development’ as this magician liked to put a little flash into his ‘illusions’. I was disappointed that the Final Countdown was never played. The last act before we left was a fan dance, which was neat but a little less exciting, and we were ready to go home. Last night we had dinner with our new Canadian friend Kat, and then a small group of us hung out at our apartment.

I teach a section of beginning band, and today I had students write a simple rhythm on the board for all to clap and count. All the students did a nice job working with eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, whole notes and the rests of all lengths. I was entertained when one student wrote up for his rhythm a full measure of alternating 16th rests and 16th notes. We had not talked about those yet. I found that several times when a student got up, I had to explain a new concept to the class. They are bright cookies. We tested instruments today and all of the students were very excited.

High school band is difficult because I do not have the resources that I am used to, and buying things from the music store is a little more difficult. However, the kids have been adjusting to me well and I have gotten to know many of them, and shared some laughs with a few others. They are very nice kids.

I find that I have to deal with waves of homesickness occasionally when something happens that is a result of the international climate. The school is wonderful, but sometimes I get frustrated when I can’t do something, or buy a musical item I need and find myself pining for Iowa. So it goes – starting a new job is always difficult. I could not have asked for better colleagues or a more awesome girl to have come here with though, so life is good.

Tomorrow is Friday, and we have much to look forward to. Happy hour for us middle school teachers after school, and a school barbecue on Saturday. The pollution levels have been incredibly low for Shanghai, so the weather has been warm, but breezy and blue skies and sunshine.

Angela and I have both been very busy as this is the first week that we had students! I think we can say that we have been successful. The children are well behaved, and very nice. I also think I can speak for both of us when I say that we are really busy! I teach on an 8 day cycle, so every other day I see the same classes. We are on block schedule, but the classes also switch times throughout the 8 day cycle. For example: I had beginning band on Wednesday, day 1, first block. Today (Friday) I had beginning band for the second time, day 3, and it was second block. This will continue until beginning band happens at every time during the day. Crazy, right? I have to travel a lot for my classes, and that is the only thing that really stresses me out too much. I am used to being able to always be in one location, and so when I show up to the band room with students already present, I become flustered while searching for the materials I need. Luckily it is block, so a few minutes wasted at my inexperience is not so bad. Wednesday and Thursday was filled with name games, and answering questions. Today was the first day that I really did stuff – and I did a lot of music! High school band played, we ran through the guitar class book, and beginning band did a lot of note naming and rhythm practice. 

Wednesday Angela and I hosted a successful first day get together at our place. We had a huge majority of the new teachers show up! Thursday we decided to have an adventure after school to look for bicycles. We went to a big athletic store that many teachers suggested, but found the selection to be bad! After that we went to the trek store. Angela saw the first bike in the window, and suggested that I “just buy my dad’s bike”. A little too pricy I am afraid! I don’t know why we thought it would be any better, but we went next door to the Cannondale store and of course, that was even more pricy! Very nice bicycles though. I was hoping that we would find something really cheap that I could buy and mail back to the States (like a Cannondale tandem…?). Eventually we ended up at Carrefour, which is a local super store. They have a giant bicycle shop inside, and so I ended up with this beauty. 

I have not ridden it much, because we still need to get Angela a bicycle! I decided to throw a few old pictures up for your enjoyment as well. They show the first dinner that we have home cooked, and a trip we took to the Pearl Market. This is where you buy fake purses and stuff. I don’t quite see that appeal, but you can also get very cheap clothing. Angela had three dresses tailored for a very good deal, and I saw a lot of fancy shoes. You have to barter, and I have not been brave enough for that yet.

The fact that I actually am going to be working in Shanghai, China has become very real. Now that the entire staff has returned, it is down to business and I am feeling a familiar, overwhelming sense of ‘I have little to no idea about what is going on’. The band program at SCIS seems super awesome, but it is so different than I am used to. SO DIFFERENT!! I think it will be great, but I am a little stressed because I just do not quite understand it. I should be starting a marching band show right now, and that should be all I have to worry about! Obviously, without a football team, there will be no marching band show. I would really like to do something along those lines here to introduce them to something new, but we really don’t have any space for that. They do parade marching mostly, and so I will have to be creative. Pretty steep requirement for someone who has a career in music. Becoming overwhelmed about not knowing what the new job will look like has made me a little homesick, but I knew that these feelings would occur. So far life has been crazy busy with mostly social events, and so now the work that I came here to do begins. I am so excited/terrified.

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Today was the final day of new teacher orientation. Tomorrow we will be thrown in to the mix of the entire staff, and so we will have a lot of new teachers’ names to learn. I have met most of the music staff, and they are all beautiful people. I am very excited to work with all of them!

The administration in the middle school is very good about giving us time to get done what we need to. Angela is a little more occupied during the day, so today I did an important errand for our apartment. Angela is very good and found a woman who is moving back to the United States and needs to unload some of her belongings. She decided to buy some pots and pans and a drying rack from this woman, but the only catch is that she lives in the French Concession. I had no idea how to get there, so today I went with a new friend of mine who has lived in Shanghai for a year already to find this woman’s apartment. The trip took us a total of two hours. We took a long subway ride on the very clean subway. Well, it was clean until we witnessed a poor older man throw up all over it! There is an important emphasis on ‘saving face’ in China. In fact, I think one could assume that this saying may have stemmed from China (this is a big assumption on my part). I found it interesting when the man threw up, though all of the nearby riders quickly moved away, nobody drew any attention to him. I was a little queasy, though! After we arrived in the french concession, we had to walk for many blocks until we found her house. She is a freelance artist, and has been living in Shanghai for six years. We were successful in obtaining the goods and headed home. This evening we had a small outing with a few friends, and played ‘Cards Against Humanity’ afterwards. Glad to know people all over has sick senses of humor!

Still crazy hot here, but I can’t believe it’s only Tuesday.  Today is our last day of new teacher orientation.  Tomorrow all the staff comes back.  I”m looking forward to this, because it will be nice to meet the team.  Last night we went to a popular area of Shanghai that has a ton of restaurants catered to Westerners, as well as, Shanghai’s famous pearl market (I’ll be checking that out later).   We went to Mexico Lindo, which on Monday has 50% off all food and 2 for 1 deals on pitchers of Margaritas.   Let’s just say, everyone had a good time!   Last night was the 1st time that both Jason and I took the subway and like everyone says, it’s so easy, and surprisingly clean!

Today is dedicated to classroom time.  I may venture out and pick up some pots and pans I found on Craig’s list, problem is I have no idea how to find this lady’s apartment!   Also today, our Ayi (Auntie)  starts!  She will be coming 2x a week to clean, do laundry, and help out!  I know this sounds a little over the top, but it’s almost expected of us since we both are earning a living.  It’s our way to help people out.  And hey, I won’t complain about not having to do the laundry!