Build-up towards the National Holiday!

So it’s currently Friday 30th September and I am, excitedly, on an aeroplane to Yantai International Airport whereby I will be for 6 hours before flying to my final destination; Seoul, South Korea! Yep you heard right, a 6 and a half hour’s layover, but it means that I got the flight quite cheap at 2000rmb return (roughly £200) and I can use that time productively getting my lesson planning etc. done.

Fortunately for me, I don’t work on Fridays so my National Holiday has begun a day earlier than most. I’ve been to Korea before, Jeju Island, but never have I been to Seoul – arguably the soul of Korea! I’ll be in Seoul and potentially Busan (close to Seoul) for 6 nights. I’m excited and will write in my next blog about the trip!

So I last wrote on Sunday, so it’s only been 4-5days since then. It’s been a productive and busy week. On Monday I had my usual long working day in Qingpu. I awoke early and took my usual 10minute metro journey and then 30minute bus journey to work. The journey flew by as a friend I have made pretty much from this bus also takes the same bus every day; at the same time as me to and fro from work! This has been a treat as she, being from Russia, can speak fluent English of course, and we can chat the whole journey away in a blink!

I really enjoyed my grade one classes this Monday and Tuesday in particular because the activity was creative, artistic and fun! We studied body parts last lesson, so this week I did an activity in which the students drew around their hands, and we created hens, trees, monsters and all sorts of other pictures with our hands! The kids loved it.




On Tuesday and Wednesday evening I was super productive, what with the holiday coming up I decided to get lots of work done so I could relax on my trip. I love the area I’m living in, on Tuesday evening I walked to Weining Road in about 20-25 minutes and found a lovely coffee shop in which I sat writing in for about two hours; from 8-10pm. I’m writing for Global Times so I got my article about Women in Shanghai done in this time. After a lovely productive day at work, and evening, I walked home in genuine happiness, excitement and content.

The next evening, I again, after work, went to another coffee shop for a productive evening of writing. This time however, I went to a coffee shop close to Loshanguan Road that I’ve been to before and loved, which is open till 11, has friendly staff and is a hidden gem! I worked away, and did the 35minute walk home – again feeling refreshed yet exhausted.

Yesterday was my last day at work! I enjoyed my day teaching the kids actions; literally throwing and catching a rubber with them. After work I took the metro straight to Changshu Road, ran some errands and then came home to pack!

It’s been a productive week to say the least and whilst sat here in Yantai Airport, in my layover before arriving to Seoul, I am truly SO EXCITED.

The next time I write it’ll be post-Seoul! I’ll be in touch!

Sabrina xxx

p.s. forgot to mention – I’m running a HALF-MARATHON in Yunnan Province in TWO WEEKS! I’ll explain in my next blog post – boarding now!





Location: Shanghai, China

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