Day 2 in Dalian and I was collected from the hotel approximately ten minutes after I woke up from intense dreams – which I have had always when huge change happens and for the last few nights it has been so hot and uncomfortable so my dreams have been intense, even the few hours in the Beijing airport my eyes shut without any control of my own and I dreamt quite scarily intense dreams!
So Off we went in a car owned by the school to the police station. My Visa was eventually accepted for a Year, this is not the working Visa or residents permit, so I will have to undergo more appointments going to the police station; this is already very different to the Zhengzhou introduction I had.
Afterwards we went back to the apartment to drop off my bags, then straight to the school.
It is very typical this school, private school so most classes in the weekends, and all inside, with resources lacking, bare walls and terrible posters on the wall, but at least all the English teachers are friendly. They welcomed me with lots of questions and laughter. I think it will be ok working with them. One girl, Helen, was selected to ‘look after me’. She took me to buy things for the apartment, which I could have done on my own but it was great having her there, it was a chatty and easy going time.
The headmaster of the school is very kind too, and she felt really obligated to make me comfortable, and asked her parents and some of the teachers to come to the apartment and clean it for me ready to live in, super nice as I just didn’t want to spend my first minutes here cleaning, man I’m lazy!
So we got back here with bags full of sheets, cutlery, pillow and bed cover, things that are always annoying to buy like coat hangers and rubbish bins, toilet cleaner, cloths and brushes. The crew of cleaners were here and had wiped the dust and grime away, they had set up the fridge and TV and were assuring me it wouldn’t take more than a week to get internet and TV up and running. And the curtains and washing machine will arrive in the next 2 days. Very happy!
So I am left here to settle in, I emptied my bags, put things in drawers, made the bed and tested toilet and shower. All functioning. I am sitting here now wondering when I will get gas for cooking, and where I am. I need to orientate myself so asked Helen to find me a map, and perhaps tomorrow I will get a cell number for calls and feel a bit less disconnected. Helen took me to dinner at an amazing seafood restaurant, typical dishes from Dalian which were so good. I chose a spicy bean dish and some sweet chili calamari, and Helens husband ordered bacon and deep fried mushrooms, ohhhh how I love Chinese food! There was so much left over and I came away waddling along feeling so content in my fullness I cant imagine being unhappy back here in China.
