Week 38 - Migrant School, Gaohua

My gorgeous friend, Audrey, teaches English once a week at this migrant school, not really very far from where we live. By 'migrant' it means children who come from another province but at school in Shanghai for a variety of reasons, such as their parents have jobs in Shanghai. Chinese education is provided for the children in their home province, and as relocating permanently around China is not easy, so when many of these children reach high school age they will be sent back to the home province to attend high school, and will then most likely live with extended family. Migrant Schools like this one cater for a large number of children in not really very much space. There were THIRTY SIX children, ranging from 5 to 8 years old, in this SMALL classroom, with a blackboard and seemingly few resources, yet were amazingly enthusiastic, keen to participate and super well behaved! Thanks for taking me Audrey, I hope to come again and help out next time!!!

Week 37 - UN Teddy Bears, Jinqiao

Didi,2, was given homework to complete over the school holidays... the task was to dress a teddy bear in clothes from your home country. Academically this tied in with UN Week for the whole school and the Toddler Teddy Bear Picnic.  This is the display for his class - including representation of Canada, China, India, USA, Hong Kong and of course Australia!

Week 36 - Mr&Mrs Bund, The Bund

Last Saturday we went to a flash French restaurant right on the Bund with two other couples.  Each couple was celebrating a birthday. It was mine on the 10th.

For my entree I had a single tiger prawn, which was HUGE.  It was steamed in this glass jar with orange, vanilla and lemongrass, and smelled so sweet when they opened it up. The waiters served it, by taking the prawn out and putting it on a plate with a small dipping bowl of soy sauce.  Part of the enjoyment of this entree was the performance of serving it too.

You can just in the background see the prawn cocktail enjoyed by one of the birthday boys, which was so pretty too.

Mr&Mrs Bund was a flash restaurant, that I'd like to go back to, but will have to save up for another special occasion!

Week 35 - Playdate, Jinqiao

Jie Jie has been begging me for a playdate since school began for the new school year, and the friend of choice was a little girl new to DUCKS this year.  Jie Jie had planned the whole afternoon, including making brownies the day before.

1. I was to collect them both from school, and they would ride home in the buggy.  They chatted and giggled the whole way home.
2. When we got home, she would show her friend her room, and maybe also Didi's room.
3. We were to take afternoon tea down to have as a picnic in the summer house overlooking our lake.
4. Then a play in our playground.

All went exactly according to plan, except someone was in our summer house, so we had it in another one, and from there, they enjoyed collecting rocks and flinging them into the lake to see who could make the biggest splash!!

When can I have another friend over, Mum?