Safe Arrival

After 15 hours of flying, 3 airplane meals, killing time for 3 1/2 hours in Narita airport, Japan, and tackling 12 Sudoku puzzles, I have finally arrived in Guangzhou, China. I came through the gates quite quickly due to the few people travel at this time of night and searched eagerly for someone to be holding a sign with my name on it. No luck. The interns from last year had a miscommunication glitch and arrived a day earlier than expected, so they spent the night in the airport. So I wasn’t too worried but sure enough I spotted two ladies rushing to the gates with a homemade sign in their hands that said Welcome to China Natasha Findlay. I walked over to them and introduced myself. They introduced themselves to me with their English names, Christine and Fish. Christine chatted for the next 45 min, the entire drive from the airport to Foshan, about the school, the city, and all the people who want to meet me. Currently they are in the middle of their Spring celebration, which started on the first of their lunar calendar (Chinese New Years) and lasts for 15 days. As a result, many schools are on break so that people can celebrate, which explains why I saw a couple of fireworks shows form the airplane as we were coming into land.
By midnight I was unpacking my things in my apartment and getting last minute instructions and details for the next couple of days. I have two roommates, two of the tops students at the school, Ivy and Joyce who are excited to show around their hometown.
This morning I woke up quite early to the sound of birds chirping. After laying in bed listening to all the foreign sounds and after my roommates left for school I explored the apartment. My bedroom has plenty of cupboard space and a queen size bed that I can stretch out on, along with two desks located on either side of the large widow. From my window between two buildings I can see the athletic field for the school I will be teaching at, Foshan Middle School #2. Several students were making their way towards the school all dressed in their matching uniforms, a navy and white tracksuit, at least thats what it appears to be from my 6th floor vantage point. In the far corner of the sitting room is a fake bouquet of sunflower type looking flowers, so I will feel right at home. In China the balconies here do not serve the same purpose as our balconies do at home. Here the balcony can be considered the laundry room, for there is a sink for washing and a clothes line for drying. There is a tiny kitchen that contains a gas stove top and a rice cooking, it looks like I will be getting my fill of rice during my stay in China. Just off of the kitchen is a small bathroom with a pit toilet, yes you heard right a pit toilet.

Written Friday, March 3, 2007