15th Feb


'Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sun' As Bob Marley used to sing but this is the case. An over whelming sense of happiness takes over, right from nowhere. Some mornings I don't wake up with a beaming smile on my face, it is the morning remember, mornings are always too early!
I'll take my usual path to school, unless the weather is bad and so the crowded bus it is. 'clank' as I push open the glass door into All Young School. "Hello!" generally it's Lisa who greets me first. My sister, my rock, the lady who can't not make you smile! Upstairs, I check the timetable. I check my games list for each class. "Ohh we've played that game, okay today it will be the Wheel of Fortune…" I fill up my water bottle "Here comes Water Women" This is my nickname at school. I greet pupils who have arrived early and make my way to the first classroom to check what Linda, Boom, Lily or Four (TA's) are writing on the blackboard for todays lesson; 'Review grammer: What is it? It is… What fruit/colour/drink do you like… New words: Fountain, Pond, Grass. Review action words: Brush my teeth, wash my face, jump, walk… Review opposites: Thick-Thin, Buy-Sell, Open-Close…' I have some banter with the TA's, discuss last night antics, joke, laugh, smile and head back upstairs to collect my equipment for the lesson ahead.
"Goodnight, see you tomorrow" I say. "Bye, love you Emma" This has become the new thing now; The girls tell me they love me before I leave, sweet really. Again I walk back or catch the bus. "Ni hao" smiling as I enter the Muslim restaurant, they smile back, hurrying off to make whatever dish I've pointed at.
This is my routine. The same routine but it hasn't become boring, yet? I could see how things could fall into a monotone way but with the people around me, people who have become like my Chinese family or amazing friends, the children who make me laugh and smile, the children give me an overwhelming sense of achievement; They're the individuals who will make my experience here in China so much easier, so much more enjoyable. People ask, 'don't you ever get lonely when travelling?' and that's beauty of travelling you're never alone! From the man at the fruit shop to the teachers at school, they make everything so worthwhile!


Something I love doing in China:
Rain or shine, I'll wrap up and stand out on my balcony. Come the evening looking out at the lights of other apartments or at the night 'sky' (Well the smog, there is no sky in China, unfortunately no sparkling stars!) In the day, looking out at nothing really just apartment blocks, trees, cars.. My music playing in the background, setting whatever mood I feel that day. Just standing there. That's all.
A lot of the time I don't know why the simplest things give me such feelings but I don't need to have reasons.


What I've found most frustrating:
It has been only one month! It feels so much longer, probably because of the routine every day. But then also that's a good thing. It's shown that I've settled in just fine and that I have; I've successfully caught the bus and used the subway, remembered routes, ordered and eaten in restaurants, bought items and food, learnt little amounts of Mandarin and all in a month's work.


What makes me proud:
My age! I have met many people ranging between 21 and mid 50's and the conversation flows from world politics, to the future, Africa's struggle... Issues I enjoy discussing, mainly because people who travel (especially older) have countless stories to tell, so many opinions and I always walk away having learnt so much. But my main point is that I can have these conversations being so young, I can speak to people that much older than me and they don't look down on me. I feel proud to be who I am I suppose. Is that just way too big headed? :)
I have had part-time jobs in the past but this is my first full-time job and I have met the requirements that were set out to me when I first came, perhaps even succeeding them.
I lived in Uganda for one year and that will always be first home but here it's a 'real' place to live. What a feeling to say my first apartment was in CHINA!


I'm not perfect. I'm still finding myself. But with the hope of learning meditation and following the philosophy that surrounds Buddhism, I look forward to finding my inner peace...


So, to one month in Songjiang, China, 'cheers!'


Emma x x x