Better late than never!

So I’m about as bad as I thought I would be at updating my blog! Sorry to keep you anxiously waiting for more more more (haha). I really appreciate anyone who stops by to read my ramblings! So here it goes, the homesickness is starting to subside after spending a week in Shanghai, no more sleepless nights even though I still miss my family and friends back home wish you were here to see this City. I 'm actually really loving the City more and more everyday!
So up until Tuesday it had been raining constantly every day, we came out of the center after our second day of training to find bits of blue sky and the sun (I didn’t think it existed over hear). It was at that moment I knew I had to grab Mom’s awesome camera she so graciously lent to me for my trip! So some of the other teachers and I headed down to the Bund and along the Huangpu River to get some awesome shots (and indeed we did)! It was tough to get in some good picture taking considering the paparazzi were after us. We get asked to pose for lots of pictures simply for being Westerners and having blonde hair and blue eyes! We also find ourselves being filmed and secretly pictured when they think we are not paying attention.
Then, we headed to Old Shanghai to wander around and let me tell you it was like walking into Disney World the way the buildings were constructed. It was so awesome and we ended our trip there at one of China’s fine dining experiences, Pizza Hut! By the time we were finished with dinner the sun has gone down and we thought it would be even more beautiful to experience the Bund in the evening all lit up…so we walked along the river and occasionally posed for photos.
On Wednesday, we headed to the International Traveler Health Center to complete our medical checks. Let me just say it was sufficiently violating yet very efficient. We checked in and got to wear some awesome blue booties and dingy white robes, it was a series of six rooms with different medical procedures. I started with my vision test (I was most worried about this bit) and passed, then onto the blood sample (super uncomfortable) but one of my fellow teachers provided me with some comic relief and it was over in no time. Then I headed to the EKG room where they put a bunch of suction cups on my bare chest and clamp my ankle and wrists (I have never had one of these in the states but it seemed a little antiquated), then I had my blood pressure taken along with a breast exam (would they deport me if I had a lump?). Then it was time to check my stomach out for parasites in the ultrasound, but I really think they were just checking for two good kidneys and a liver (I’m kind of scared they have our address now), and then finally a chest x-ray. I am assuming since I wasn’t immediately placed in quarantine that everything checked out okay and I’m aloud to stay!
This week kicked off our training at Disney English and it really seems like a magical program. The days have been long but tomorrow we get to do hands on training with the interactive white board and develop lessons to deliver. It’s a little overwhelming and we all seem a little unsure of what to expect…but the senior staff seem to be pretty supportive. Our experience so far has piqued my interest in looking for part-time work with the Walt Disney World Company when I get back to Orlando.
I’ll try to stay on top of this but I wanted to wish you all a Happy Fourth of July…and wish I could be spending it with you guys. Some of us are hopefully attending an Ex-Pat BBQ in the French Concession. I plan to either wear my map of the USA, or I heart USA shirts. I have some awesome pictures of one of the local gardens we checked out and will be updating this soon! Lots of Love to you all!