2011 Qingdao, China

Hello

Well I am still in the studio apartment as I decided that as Grape would prefer to go to Thailand instead of coming to China we would go there instead. She is still studying so I think she may get to Thailand at Xmas.

Here is OK. The students still have trouble understanding me with some classes having more trouble than others. Looked after an A2 class yesterday and they had just no idea what I was saying. And they think they will be going to UK universities in June next year.

It is still warm here but cooling off a bit and no doubt I will soon be complaining about the cold.

I bought Megan some roller blades here as they have a good selection at a good price and she has said for a while that she wants a pair. I meant to see about mailing them to her during the week but forgot. School here starts at 8am and finishes at 5pm so it is a long day. The students get a lot more hours of study than in Australia though.

The contrast with Nigeria is huge. The electricity never goes off. The roads are swept. The verges are gardens. The list goes on. The food is cheaper and of good quality. Africa is a lost cause I think.

I am looking for a shop that sells science equipment though as the school labs which are some distance from the building I am in do not have some gear that is basic. I am told it is only in Shanghai but I think that can't be right.

I am in Qingdao, in Shandong. It evidently has 7 million people.

I told my brother he could see where I am on Google. I hope he did as I forgot to check with him. I am at

Corner Miaoling Road and Songling Road, Laoshan, Qingdao, China

The apartment complex is on the bottom left of the intersection. I am in the tall building near the intersection.

Across the road they are building a forest of new apartment buildings. Around the city there are new such buildings everywhere.

The school is at 70 Songling Road, Laoshan, Qingdao, China and is an easy walk although I have only done it a couple of times.

Bus fares here are 1 RMB. That takes you near and far. Evidently if you go to the end of the line with some of the buses it goes up to 2 RMB but I have not discovered how to know when to pay more. I have got on a couple of buses to see the city by going to the end of the line and catching the returning one. I am too chicken to try catching another when I get to the end of the line as I have no idea where the other numbers go and I never know where I am with any accuracy.

So much more interesting than being back in Australia. The only trouble is missing Grape and Megan. They seem to be managing without me most of the time.

Max

Leaving Qingdao

2013 Qingdao

Clint Eastwood's expression "make my day" applies very well to my feelings every time I see this image again. A student at the school in Qingdao, China, presented it to me when I was leaving.