Hello Everyone!!!!

Ashley, Vicki, and Nicole 

Tonight I went to dinner with my co-teachers, and office manager!  Ashley is my roommate, and is going to be teaching the four and five year old room.  Ashley is from New Mexico, and we meet at the job fair!  Nicole is the teacher of the three old room, and is from Florida!  She used to work for Disney English before joining our school.  Man did she tell us some horror stories about her move here.  I have been so lucky,  I work for a great school!  One story is that when she moved to Shanghai, Disney said they would find her a place, aka they dropped her off at a relator to fend for herself.  She ended paying way to much for an oversized closet.  Vicki is the fourth teacher, and has lived in Shanghai with her husband for the past eight years!  Then our office manager Gina is Chinese, and so is great!  She is going to take us to get our nails done, and to get acupuncture.  I can call her at anytime and she will help me out!!!  

Gina and I

We had a great margarita!

People's Park

Today I went to my first Shanghai Tourist attraction!  We took the metro to the famous People's park!  In the early morning hundreds of people use the park to exercises, perform sword  dance, and do shadow boxing!!  Its filled with green gardens, ponds, and a children's amusement park!























But the most unique thing about the park is that every weekend hundreds of families come together and create real world dating site.  Parents post their child's age, height, education, job, salary, and other qualifications in order to marry them off!  They even include pictures!!

Here are some profiles!!!

Next we went to the Shanghai Art Museum.  We saw a lot of really unique pieces of art. Here are some of my favorite pieces!  The Shanghai Art museum used to be the clubhouse for horse racing in the 30's.

There were several people playing cards and gambling in the park!  It was a sunny day, and traditionally the Chinese relate dark skin with labor workers from the rural areas so they wear long sleeves and carry umbrellas because pale skin indicates high status.  It is common to see men carrying their wife's or girlfriend's purse around town.  It is also common for girls to hold hands while they walk through the city.
After the Art Museum we went to the Architecture Exhibit.

Bar at the Contemporary Art Museum 

LED installation 

My first week in China is over and I made it!!!!  First I'm going to share some photos of my apartment.  In Southern China a lot of the country doesn't have central heating or air conditioning.  In Shanghai most public places have central heating and air conditioning.  But my school and apartment don't.  We do have air conditioning and heating units in both places.

This our unit in our apartment.  Ours is new so it works great but the school unit takes a long time to cool down the room!

Next are photos of my room! I have a lot of closet space and my own bathroom!  I also have a patio attached to my bedroom!  It is really great! The desk and bed were already there!!  We do not have a dryer so we have to air dry all our clothes.

We have a small kitchen with a mini refrigerator and freezer!  But we have a stove top, toaster oven and a George Foreman/Jackie Chan grill to cook on!  We have a spacious living room and dining area.  It is in a great neighborhood that has an equal balance of local and western stores and restaurants.

Here is my roommate Ashley!!  She is from New Mexico!

Hello everyone!!!!  So for my next Shanghai update I will tell you about the crazy traffic.  I don't know where to begin.  When you go to the crosswalk cabs, buses, and cars speed through honking to let you know they are about to run you over.  Then on both sides of the road their are bike/motorcycle lanes.  In these lanes bike and motorcycles can go any direction.  Cars make right hand turns from the left hand lane.  There is a nine lane intersection with no road lines in the middle.  I have no idea how anyone knows where to go!  The other day a car got trapped in the middle of the intersection and the cars just sped around it not caring what lane they were in.  Most days when I'm on my way to work I have to close my eyes. Also sometimes cars drive on the sidewalks!!!  So lesson learned if it has wheels it has the right of way in Shanghai!

The car in the far left lane can totally turn right!!  Still don't know why or how.

  

Also here is my address at school:  Safe place to send becasue there is always a guard.

Attn: Katherine Sloane

No. 138 Yin Bin San Lu

Changning District

Shanghai, P.R. China

200335

Here is my apartment, if it is just a letter it will be fine to go here.

Tian Yao Qiao Rd, Lane 380

Number 8, Apartment 506

Shanghai, P.R. China

200030

Reposting my address because people were asking and I made an error when I posted my apartment's address.  

Miss and love you all!!!

I noticed yesterday that my post was cut off!  So I will start were I left off with school.
The first picture I'm putting in is the wiggle room!  The kids have indoor recess and movement lessons.

All the hallways are decorated with art work from the students from last year and the teacher aids make cute scenes on the wall!  The teachers aides are great!!

                          

I'm teaching the five and six year olds.  My class is called the Tigers!  My class is almost finished!  One more week until the kids come!

We are also starting to make a garden on the roof!

Hello,  I have been in Shanghai for five days, and it feels way longer than that!!!  My school has been so great.  They have been taking us out for meals and free massages.  On Sunday we went out with all the Chinese teachers.  Here is a picture of the table we ate at.

                                         

My teacher is called Candy!  Candy ordered a bunch of food and then asked if I wanted to choose a dish.  My principal got confused and thought Candy was going to have me order for everyone so she ordered more food.  I think we ended up trying 14 different dishes for nine people.  All the dishes were for several people.  Great night!

Each morning I have gone for a run!  It has helped me find my way around my neighborhood, Xujiahui.  There is a park near my house across the street from the closed down Best Buy and the giant McDonalds.  There are hundreds of old people who do Tai Chi each morning.  Here is a picture of the park I run in!

I have been at school getting my classroom ready for the kids!!  I have only 13 students but can have as many as 16 students!  Which is amazing since last year I had 25 students all on my own.  I do have three students who speak little to no english.  We have a lot of supplies just different than I'm used to.  We get lunch and a snack of fruit every day!  The food is actually good and homemade by the staff.  Here are a few pictures! 

This is the wiggle room!  A place students were students can have indoor recess or participate in movement lessons!  

Hello loved ones!!!

 

I have so much to share I have decided to take one subject on at a time!!  First I want to show share my last night in AZ.  I was with my sister and her amazing family who I miss so much!!!  They cooked me a great dinner and bought me a cake!!  The kids were great!  I got them a going away gift because I'm a great aunt. ;)  Lincoln loved his batman so much that he asked me to get him the Joker the next time I go on a trip!!!  Lincoln had told his mom the night before my sleepover that I was going to read him books on my last night.  So my last night in Arizona I did just that and read Lincoln 5 chapters of his magic tree house book!  In the morning Ryan took me to the airport (Thank you).  We didn't wake up the kids because it was so early.  Before I got on my flight my sister had to call because my nephew lincoln was so upset.  The first thing he said was why did I have to leave so early?  Lincoln and Olivia took turns saying I love you and miss you.  The tears were rolling down my face as realized just how much I was going to miss them in my life.  Even know I'm getting teary just thinking about all the people I will miss while on this great adventure, I know all the people I truly care about and truly care about me will be in my life forever.
Love SloaneP.S. can't figure out how to take away the underline ;)

Hello Everyone!!!!  I made it to Shanghai Last night at 5:30!!  The flight was 11 hours long, with only one meal and two snacks!  Next time I will remember to bring my own snacks.  Customs was a piece of cake but trying to buy water with american money from a lady who didn't speak english not as easy.  Jenny and Gina (admin from the school) picked us up and have been taking us around.  The first night we went to a hot pot restaurant, you dip meat and veggies in boiling hot oil with chopsticks.  We ate bamboo (taste like flower stems) and lotus flower (really good).  Then I totally crashed.  This is all for today but we are getting wireless in a few days but right know my roommate  Ashley and I have to share the connection.  There is so much for me to share!!!!  I will download my photos tonight and tomorrow make a big post!!!

I love and miss everyone so much!!!!

Hello Everyone!!!!

One more day until I start my long long journey!  I will leave PHX at 8am on Friday and then leave L.A. at 1:45pm.  I will not get to Shanghai until Saturday.  I finally finished packing and I have two large suitcases, one travel back pack, and a carry on.  I'm  not sure how I'm going to make it to the counter but after that I'm hoping to read all my new downloaded books on my Kindle!!!

I have had such a great time seeing everyone this week!  Caitlyn thank you for teaching me to skype today!  Don't forget to kisses those babies for me.  My Skype name is kate.sloane1, so if you have Skype make sure to add me.  Unless you are a total strange then please do not Skype me! ;)

I'm spending my last night with my sister Jenny and her amazing family!!  My phone will be turned off sometime on Friday!  So from then on I will have to put my new technology skills to work!  Don't worry Kate Z I will be using more technology than I ever have before.

Love all my U.S. family and friends and hope to see you soon!!!  Also can't wait to find this bridge!
Thanks Caitlyn

I will officially arrive in Shanghai on Saturday!  I will be working at Stars and Stripes American Kindergarten.  I will be teaching in the five and six year old room.  Check out the website so you can see how cute my new students will be!!!!

http://www.starsandstripes.com.cn/index.asp

Here is my address:  I'm giving you my school address because there will be someone available 24 hours a day!!!

The school address is

Attn: Katherine Sloane

No. 138 Ying bin San Lu

Changning district

Shanghai, P.R.China

200335

My apartment address is  (I have an extra room at my apartment for everyone to visit.  Check out my  work schedule on the website so you can visit on my breaks!!!)

Rm 506, Building 8, Lane 180 Tian Yao Qiao Rd,

Shanghai, P.R.China

200030

People keep asking me where I want to travel to first when I get to China.  I feel that there are so many new places I can't pick one.  So I need your help, if you were moving to China where would you want to visit.

I'm about to set sail on a huge new adventure!!!  This is my last week in Arizona and I'm going to miss everyone so much!!!  I had a great going away party on Saturday!!  There was almost no crying, except for Kate Z.

This Summer has been crazy busy!  I have traveled to Michigan, Idaho, Mexico, and Iowa!!!!

 

I also had great times in Arizona.






There are so many family and friends I will miss when I leave!