Tomorrow will start the second week of my second academic year here in Suzhou. I do love the fact that I know where most things I want are. I love my minimal amount of local knowledge and language that somehow get me through transport, food and haggling. All activities can be considered entertainment for the local populus if they involve a foreigner.
It is nice being a second year at an International School. You know some of the students and they remember you. It is also nice being a little less inept at pronouncing Korean names. I do still have my moments of "sorry, please could you repeat that?" and "was that right?"
The work doesn't get any easier in teaching. It is an entire lifestyle and the first week back was as full on as I expected if not more so. Most days I only just had time to eat lunch and at least once I didn't get lunch until well after 2pm due to meetings. I also noticed a shift in the ways in which some colleagues are interacting with me as I now hold a position of responsibility. This can be tricky in such a small community as you are relying on the expat community to contain people with whom you can be friends. I've met so few people who are not working at the same school as me that it will be interesting seeing how my friendships grow and change over the coming year.
Today the sun wasn't as out as I would have liked, but it was 30+ so I cheated and did an indoor circuit workout with the aircon going before heading to a shady patch of grass by the lake with my husband and 2 friends. We barely saw anyone despite being next to a path and in such a popular area. We were only really visited by a lady working in the park who wished to take our empty cans and bottles for what little money they would gain her. It was peaceful, relaxing and a beautiful place. I am very lucky to be in a convenient city with great public transport, cheap taxis and places where I can escape the masses even if just for a little while.
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