The Adventures of Tai'an

Hello all

I'm going to rewind back to Monday to start my adventure....................

Monday 17/03/08
My mother wakes me at an ungodly hour - 4.30 am. I'm flying from Brisbane Domestic Airport to Sydney at 7 am. My parents, Betty and Maurice, and I leave for the airport at 5.15am. Mum does not want me to miss my plane! We arrive at the airport and my flight has been cancelled so Qantas have put me on an earlier flight 6.30 am. I'm a little anxious, how am I meant to say goodbye in 20 minutes? Well this was probably a blessing in disguise as it took me 1 hour of sobbing to say goodbye to my cat, Angel, the day before. So I quickly say goodbye to my nephew, Scott, my sister, Wendy, Maurice, Mum and Deleece. I run down the tunnel, don't want the whole of Brisbane Airport seeing me cry! As I get to the bottom I turn around only to see Deleece doing her best rendition of a waving lunatic. This makes me laugh as I wave back. Not as enthusiastic as Deleece I might add.

I arrive at Sydney Domestic Airport at 9 am and rush through to the international transfer lounge. My flight is due to leave at 11.50am. I proceed through immigration and security only to be stop for an explosive test. This happens to me everytime I fly internationally. Do I look dodgy or is it the dodgy places I visit?? I check the departures and my flight is not up yet. Time for a coffee.

Go back to check the departures and find my way to gate 33. I start to hear announcements about flights being delayed. I go back and check and now my flight is delayed until 2 pm and now leaving from gate 59. So I take a leisurely walk around to gate 59. It takes me 20 minutes to get there. In this 20 minutes my flight has been further delayed to 3.30 pm. Time for another coffee. My flight eventually departs at 5.50 pm.

I settle into my seat waiting for my sleeping tablets to kick in, they never did! Here I am cursing every other person on the plane who is sleeping. I get out of my comfortable plane seat and go for a walk. On the way back I notice I was actually sitting in the wrong seat. The girl who was sitting in my seat was having a lovely sleep as she had a spare seat next to her. I know understand why she smiled at me as she sat down!

Tuesday 18/03/08
I arrive at Beijing Airport at 1.40 am. My luggage finally makes it's way out at 2.30 am. I walk out and see the "Watina" sign. Feel relieved someone is there to take me to my hotel for my couple of hours sleep!

The driver takes my suitcase and off way we go to the carpark. He can't find the car! We eventually find the car at 2.45 am. I get into a Black Audi with a white leather interior. I start to wonder what is going on. You see, when I booked the flights and accomodation on the 05/03/08, the agent was booking me into the Radisson with a private driver. When I went back to the agent to collect my Visa and tickets on the 13/03/08, he told me that we needed to book accomodation. I told him I thought that we had done this with a private driver. He had told me that we hadn't so I thought that maybe I had been a little confused as I had so much going on in my life. So I said book me a cheapie I'm only going to be sleeping and won't use any of the facilities. Guess where I stayed - the Radisson. I will be taking this up with the agent. Of course, I didn't have any transfer vouchers. The driver was a little cranky at me.

After my 2 hours sleep I get picked up by a diffferent driver at 7 am and taken to the airport. The driver takes me to terminal 1. The population of QLD was in this airport I swear. I thought I was going to start to hyperventilate. I tell myself to take a breath and try and workout where you've gotta go. I head down one way can't find Shangdong Airlines. Head back and stop at the information counter. The lady points me in the opposite direction. I head off. I stop at the next information counter. This lady tells me I need to go downstairs, outside and catch the shuttle bus to Terminal 3.

I find the shuttle bus. I ask if they are going to 3. He nods in agreement. I get on the bus and we leave for Terminal 3, well at least I think so. We seem to be heading further and further away from any planes. I start to think did he agree with free or three. I think I'm going to the city. Ah well, nothing I can do about it!

I eventually get to Terminal 3. I find the Shangdong Airlines check in. I join the queue. The slow one of course. I hand over my e-ticket with my passport. Can't find me. Calls over the supervisor. He takes me away. He eventually tells me that my ticket has been cancelled and I will need to buy another one.

I find the ticketing office. All sold out. I'm on standby. At no stage did I panic, cause there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. A seat becomes available and I have to pay 740 rmb. I hand over a card. Sorry cash only. OK I hand over A$. Sorry only RMB.

I find the bank. Can I change A$? No not open. I have to use the ATM. Now I don't keep money in my ATM card, which means I would need to find the internet to transfer funds across. All too hard, I stick in a credit card and take the cash.

Finally I am on the plane. We sit on the Tarmac for 30 minutes. On this flight you get a snack. I laugh, it's a bottle of water!

I arrive at Jinan airport, collect my luggage and head out to find the "Watina" sign. My driver is there, gee after my last experience I hope he is taking me to the right school. My driver is in a hurry. In Australia we have street signs that say 100. In China they have the same signs. I thought they meant the same thing, however my driver was travelling at 150 km/h. Perhaps he was trying to make up for the 30 minutes I spent on the tarmac???

Well I arrived at the school safe and sound. I am shown my room and rushed out for lunch. I meet all the important people. We have a banquet for lunch. They serve I think 16 dishes for 6 people. They ask me if I want beer, I say water, so I get Chinese tea. I couldn't tell you how many cups I had, because every time I took a sip it was filled. Apparently they try to get you drunk on your first day. They were on a sinking ship with me.

I'm then taken to get my workbooks.

I will just digress for a bit. My class size is 11 and they have all been accepted on scholarships to Singapore and leave on the 01/04/08. When they go I will then teach the teachers who are going to Brazil to teach English.

Now the workbooks - I start teaching tomorrow 20/03/08. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. They make no sense at all. I'll just wing it!

They have given me a list of materials for some certificates that I have to apply for. I need 7 photos. Do you know how hard it is to get passport photos taken in Tai'an?

I go back to my room and start to read the workbooks and decide that sleeping is a better option. Barbara another teach comes to introduce herself and invites me to dinner.

There are 10 Western teachers at the school at the moment, 2 Korean's, 4 American's, 4 Australian's. I meet 5 of the teachers at Dinner. The males do there own thing and the females do there own thing. Don't quite get it yet, but maybe I will soon. Dinner comes to 61 Yuan for the 6 of us. That is the equivalent of $10AUD or $1.69 each. It is unbelievable. As it's my first night they shout me dinner. Look out this could break the bank!

Wednesday 19/03/08
This morning I have a leisurely morning wandering the streets. I'm really trying to find a couple of spots, the internet cafe and the western supermarket. Don't find either but manage to buy myself a hair towel and a pair of slippers for a huge $9.

On the way back to the school I buy myself a peeled pineapple and a hand of bananas for less than $1. I think that I will predominantly eat fruit during the day and at night head out for dinner with the girls. I 've checked out my shared kitchen, and couldn't bring myself to use it!

Barbara is coming at 2pm to show me around town.

My mobile has international roaming, but found out doesn't work in China. Tried to get a new sim today but language barrier too hard. Will ask for help at the school to buy one and will let you know the number.

Will tell you more about Tai'an in my next email.

Until then, take care
Love
Bettina
XXXX

PS. Love to hear from you all.