The countdown to Christmas has officially begun!

This week has been one of two halves. At the beginning of the week, my students were really annoying me by well, being typical students! They kept turning up late so I took matters into my own hands and decided to start locking the door at the beginning of the lesson. With one class, which is supposed to have 45 students in only having 23 once my door locking method commenced, I hope it will result in a full house next week. Ellis 1: students 0.

Wednesday was a much better day because I had a proper pamper afternoon. Janet and I went to get our nails done and then ventured to Metro, the huge foreign supermarket on her side of the city. It was a very successful, if mostly alcoholic shop. I even managed to get proper bacon!! I was far too excited after two months without bacon sandwiches.

That evening, Dean and I took Brendan out for a pre-thanskgiving meal, although the food itself wasn’t very American. We had some of my favourite dishes including tofu noodles, crispy chicken and hot, spicy cabbage. We then carried on the ‘Thanksthrilling’ celebrations by watching the most random film ever – Predestination. My brain actually hurt from working out the plot and without my glasses, it was an interesting evening.

Thursday was Thanskgiving! As the majority of my friends in Wuhan are American, I am officially allowed to celebrate it this year. Sadly, it was just a normal day with teaching in the morning and tutoring the kids at night. One thing I have realised is that the Chinese really love substituting children and not thinking of telling me. This week, one child called Orange was poorly so they brought the devil child (which I swear I banned from my class a few weeks back) in as a replacement! I wasn’t overly impressed by his return so I insisted that his parents sit in to control him. It didn’t exactly work so I’m just praying that Orange returns soon!

I didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving until the Friday night, when I went to another teacher’s apartment for a house party. Everyone had to take some food and drink, and then we ended up having dance offs all evening. For the party, I made some Irish soda bread, which was amazing dipped in the turkey gravy! Dean and I didn’t end up leaving until 5am and then spent the next hour trying to flag a taxi in the pouring rain. 6am = bedtime after a long walk home and seeing people getting ready to open their shops and restaurants as we were ready to sleep. The noodle places were drying their noodles with fans, as apparently it is part of the process – very bizarre!

Thanksgiving buffet!

My irish soda bread

Olivi and his turkey

Poor Will!

And so the warm up begins

My face says it all

My favourite picture from the night

Dad dancing at it's finest

It was very difficult to get out of bed on Saturday morning after getting home so late. But I had my volunteering to go to at 2ish so I woke up and made a bacon sandwich which made me feel tons better and then traipsed in the pouring rain (why is foreign rain always so much heavier?) to Mr Mai’s. The kids club was good fun and I got to sit and do colouring and crosswords for a good couple of hours. I even coloured a picture of scarecrow to help influence the children’s creativity. I also had to take part in a few sing-a-long Christmas songs and then after the kids club finished, I kindly accepted a tuna sandwich and a rest. Children are so tiring! Saturday evening was very spontaneous and after Skyping my dad for his birthday, Dean and I ventured out into the pouring rain (again!) for dumplings with hot sauce and then watched the film, Lucy. Another bizarre film but it was a good plot. I definitely went to bed at 10pm as I was exhausted from the Thanksgiving party.

Today is Sunday and Christmas has come early to my apartment! I have spent the morning putting up my decorations that my mum sent me, whilst listening to Christmas carols. I am very excited to tuck into my advent calendar tomorrow! This afternoon, Dean and I went to Huquan market, which sells everything from clothes to accessories and shoes. I even saw some random pool tables which people were free to go and play on! I also got to try some amazing street food – spicy fried chicken and dumplings for the grand total of £1.20. I am going to have a shock when I go home to England and buy food.

Christmas cards and advent calendar!

Christmas tablecloth with my miniature tree!

Painstakingly handmade Christmas bunting (had to thread the letters for ages!)

Christmas paper chains!

Snowman!

This evening I have watched a Christmas film and cooked spaghetti bolgonese (I finally found beef mince!) and so tonight, I am going to relax before the madness of teaching starts again tomorrow. I am also hoping that the rain stops soon. All the Chinese are saying that it will last for ten days but I don’t think me or my umbrella can take much more Wuhan rain so fingers crossed for sunny weather soon.....

Ninja turtle cocktails are always a good idea.....

It’s Sunday and I am officially dead after a crazy weekend. The week itself was pretty quiet and I spent my free time getting all my lesson plans sorted for the rest of the semester. I also had to write the exam for my students, which feels very strange seeing as it’s only been a couple of years since I was taking exams at uni!

My tutoring on Thursday evening was really good fun. We were learning colours, but one child responded with ‘sit down’ for every single colour....am I really that bossy? I have also arranged with the parents to have a Christmas party for them and I am so excited! I haven’t played games like pass the parcel and musical chairs in years but I think my years of birthday party attendances at school will put me in good stead. These children aren’t ever going to want to go to a Chinese birthday party ever again.

Friday evening was spent volunteering at Mr Mai’s and I had some brilliant conversations with some guys about cockney rhyming slang. So when I left, I walked down the apples and pears (stairs!). At 9pm when I finished, I decided it would be an excellent idea to go and try out the bar right next door, which had a see through top floor! It was a very eventful evening. I was supposed to pre drink here and then go to see my friend DJ. Oh no, with a bar woman not bothering to measure the units and giving me a whisky tumbler full of tequila for a £1, I ended up going home very early. I did have some amazing drinks though, such as a ninja turtle! The night ended with me ordering some barbeque food in Chinese - what an expert.

Ninka turtle cocktail!

See through floor!

Chinese takeaway

On Saturday, I felt okay and went food shopping. In the afternoon, after a cheeky waffle and pink lemonade, I went to see Interstellar at the cinema which was incredible. Chinese cinemas have HUGE screens and the films are in English, which surprised me. However, during the film, the woman next to me had pretty much bought a whole picnic with her and she looked very pleased with herself when a WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN appeared. I will never understand why she spent the next three hours trying to carve the chicken with chopsticks.

Pink lemonade!

As I’d made Irish soda bread that morning, I took some over to Dean and it ended up with me agreeing to go back out again in the evening. We went down to Optics Valley and to an Irish bar called Captain Jacks. You can take your own food into bars in China so there was me and Olivi sat eating chicken and bacon wraps at midnight! We left the bar to check out a Chinese club called MOMO’s and were greeted by a red carpet. So far, so good. However, I think we were in the club for about thirty seconds because it was a Chinese woman wailing and overpriced drinks.

Onto plan B, five of us squeezed into a taxi and headed to Prison. This is where this Chinese boy was determined to keep buying me drinks, even though I didn’t want to drink. Cue Mel and I hiding behind a post as she had to keep drinking the sambuca he bought me. Nightmare! We all ended up going back to Dean’s for an after-party. I was the life and soul of the party and fell asleep as soon as I sat down. Brilliant.

Rocking the red carpet into MOMO

How many foreigners can we get into one taxi?

Cannot handle two nights in a row - I do look tanned though!

Cue Sunday morning or should I say afternoon and after waking up ridiculously late today, I ventured down to cultural festival. This festival is held at Wuhan University campus and different countries have food and souvenirs to buy. It was a refreshing change to try some other foods so I had a spicy chicken patty from Mali, jerk pork kebabs from Congo and some form of spring roll from Vietnam. We were also persuaded by some students to buy jelly, in order to have our picture taken with an Instagram board, which was hilarious. There we were, in the rain, posing with jelly!

Culture festival!

Buy a jelly, get a photo free

Arabic dancing

Yes there is a yurt

The arabic men warming up for the show...

Jerk pork kebabs from Congo!

This afternoon I have cooked a hearty meal because it’s cold and I miss English food. The apple crumble was the best thing ever! And this evening I have Skyped people from home, including my mum, sister and friends from uni! It’s so nice to see faces you know and miss. It’s my sister’s birthday tomorrow and I’m gutted that I can’t be there but I’m going to Skype her later on.

Night all

xxx

I think I’m becoming American...

With the majority of the foreigners I know in China coming from the States, their language is starting to rub off on me. Mostly, it’s just for ease because it means that they have more chance of understanding me and also, my students have learnt American English. This means that a cash point is now an ATM; a rubbish bin is a trashcan; a holiday is a vacation and my timetable is a schedule.

My amazing chicken chasseur, roast potatoes and garlic broccoli!

On Saturday, I got to practise my new American lingo at a brunch at Mr Mai’s. I was definitely hungover from the night before (although I did manage to buy teabags online during my night out, which is a new talent) and so I put my sunglasses on and manned up. As well as a full American breakfast, I also got loads of freebies for my apartment. When people leave Wuhan, they give their things to the coffee house and so the volunteers each year can take whatever they like. I got some really nice things, including a vase, kitchen utensils, mugs and a few decoration items.

Chocolate chip and normal pancakes, scrambles eggs, bacon and maple syrup.

My beautiful new vase and some twigs courtesy of the neighbour's tree.

Monday and Tuesday were hectic days but on Tuesday night, I went to Dean’s and we had pasta and watched a film. However, on Wednesday, my day was a lot more surprising! After teaching in the morning, I went to Huashi cultural street – a small courtyard type place with really cute, vintage shops. It was like paradise! I treated myself and got some very girly things, including gloves and hair accessories. I spent the afternoon finishing off decorating my apartment and now it actually looks like home!

Autmn has arrived in Wuhan

Dean's amazing pasta dish!

Coffee is bitter but love is sweet <3

Vegetable preparation on the pavement....

My buys from cultural street! Gloves, hair bows, tree decorations, postcards, a mango candle and mini pegs.

My 'xmas tree'

Decorating my apartment...

Delia cooks again - soy chicken with broccoli and beansprouts....

The evening started as normal, dinner with Dean, Brendan and Daddy (I don’t know his real name!). We had mala xiang gou which is a huge bowl filled with ingredients that you have chosen, and they cook them together and you share the dish. When the dish came upstairs it was COVERED in peanuts. Most people know that I have an allergy to peanuts and haven’t touched them in about 8 years and so I was presented with a huge dilemma – do I just pick them out or not risk it? Luckily, the boys ate all the nuts and I took food from the bottom and I was absolutely fine...phewwww! After my close call we decided that drinks were needed and decided to try and find a nearby bar. We found this underground bar and after talking to the owner, realised that it was a gay bar! The TV’s ALL AROUND the bar were showing what can only be described as male soft porn. I just sat there laughing, and I don’t think I have ever seen three guys look so uncomfortable. When a guy started to serenade us with karaoke, we realised that it was time to make a quick exit!

An example of the artwork

Brendan assessing the gay bar

Dean, Brendan and Daddy enjoying their new surroundings...

On Thursday, I met up with a couple of friends and took them to cultural street (I really like it!) and they were as impressed. This time I went to the Arabic supermarket to get some food items but refrained from buying more accessories. Thursday night was my crazy children tutoring lesson. Last week, I had a really naughty child and I mentioned to the mother that he either needed to behave or couldn’t come anymore. When I walked in this week, I was greeted by a different boy sat there and nobody mentioned a thing! It was like a secret swap and so I have no idea who this child is but apparently, I am now teaching him.

Friday night was party time (of course) and we went for a meal beforehand to one of my favourite places – ximen. You sit outside at tables with plastic stools, practically on the street and can watch the world go by as you eat. The food here is also incredible – sweet and sour pork ftw! However, this meal was rudely interrupted by another case of Chinese people having absolutely no shame. Two men proceeded to kneel very close to our table and vomit for a good ten minutes. What made it worse was that they didn’t take advantage of the bins right next to them, instead preferring the floor and seemed to take it in turns to be as loud as humanly possible. To say I was put off my dinner was an understatement. Afterwards, they pulled up a few chairs next to the crime scene and sat having a cigarette! I still feel confused by the whole situation.

Ximen resturant

The night out itself was really good. I realised that the bar (Wuhan Prison) sold Malibu and so introduced my friends to the classic Malibu and lemonade. I also managed to have about 7 sambuca shots, after Olivi and I renamed ourselves the ‘buca bunnies. Oh dear. I also met some people from England! A Geordie and a Brummie, and an Irish guy who insisted I drink a beer with him. I learnt from the evening that I really, really hate beer. I also got very angry with the taxi driver on the way home who tried to con me and go the long route. Long story short, I won the argument and we went the quick way home.

Me and B-dog

Olivi and I = 'buca bunnies

Why did I drink this beer?

Enjoying a 'dance'

Neighbours!

Daddy and I 

Yesterday (Saturday), I woke up feeling remarkably fresh and ready to go sightseeing with my friend, Greg. We went to Optics Valley plaza, which is a huge shopping area with big malls and branded shops. It also has a cultural area with different streets, like Spanish Street and German Street. We braved the drizzle to take some pictures and then ventured into a mall for food. His Chinese level is about as good as mine so this was going to be interesting. Yet between us and with the help of our Chinese apps, we managed to get a table, order food, and pay the bill. The food itself was and still is a mystery – some sort of beef noodles, a beef hotpot (it translated as a spicy bowl of cow, although we’re not sure which part of the cow) and deep fried balls containing a sweet bean paste.

Spanish Street

Spanish Street

Handbag bull!

Spanish phonebox?

Italian duomo (cathedral)

Definitely arrived on German Street

A random dinosaur

I love how enthusiastic the Chinese are in their picture taking!

After our newfound success in Chinese dining, we decided to find dessert in the food court. This is like a packed corner of the mall selling lots of ‘street food’ and we had these cake batter things cooked on griddles. As I cannot read Chinese, I had to go by tasting the flavours and I deduced that I had a green tea cake with a milk tea cream and red soy bean filling – delicious! After traipsing back to our subway stop, I went to do my volunteering at Mr Mai’s. I actually love this place now because I know so many people – it’s like my Wuhan family. I was persuaded by a 13 year old Chinese girl to get pumpkin pie with her (such a hard decision) and ended up speaking to a few of my students that had come along to see me.

'dessert'

Anime avenue!

Pumpkin pie...yum!

Today is Sunday – definitely a day of rest after a super busy week! I have already been food shopping and done my washing and so this afternoon I am going to watch some Geordie Shore (slightly ashamed to admit that I watch this) and make a curry for the boys later. Not just any curry but a potato, spinach and chickpea curry with sticky rice! But first, I think a cheeky nap is in order after my hard morning of being a domesticated goddess........

xxxxxxx