Meat, Meat, Meat!

Here are some pictures from Sunday night's farewell party for three of our staff members. The first two are me with a bunch of the teachers and the Customer Relations office staff. The last picture is of my mentor teacher, Amy, another foreign teacher, Sarah, who is leaving to be with her fiance in another part of China, and Claire, our senior teacher.

EF treated us all out to a big farewell dinner for three of our staff members, Illene, a customer relations staff member, Sarah, my friend and fellow teacher, and Vicky, the academic staffs boss. We went to this beautiful Japanese restaurant where they cooked the food right in front of us. All 25 of us were in a big, beautiful room that even had some couches to lounge on. We had two chefs for the evening and quite a few wait staff serving us. At this place, you pay one lump sum and you can eat and drink as much as you want. All the food was meat! Much of it could look back at you... so that wasn't so fun. I did have some fish though and some great egg and vegetable rice. It was an impressive amount of food. I've never seen a dinner with so much meat before.

John, our center director, ordered sakai and I got to try it for the first time. I didn't care for it because it kind of burns going down the throat. We had put together gifts and cards for the three women who are leaving. We sang the preschool "Good-bye" song to Vicky as a big group. We had tried to get it on film for her at our last staff meeting, but it didn't take. It was a really, really nice evening.

I went back to Amy's apartment along with Sarah and Miles. Sarah had been staying with Amy for the last week she packed and we watched England get slaughtered by the German team. I was glad to have the opportunity to thank Sarah for her support over the last few weeks. I already missed her today at work.

I went to bed last night with the air conditioning unit on and I woke up this morning way too early to the realization that it wasn't on anymore. In fact, nothing that runs by electricity was on anymore. I guess that's what happens when you run out of quai on your card.

I met up with Shirley, one of the office staff members and Marie at school this morning so Shirley could help us both get to the police station and officially register our year visas and rent agreements with them. Luckily, mine was processed quickly, but Marie's apartment wasn't in that particular station's boundary even though she lives a five minute walk from my place, so we had to drive a long ways to her station.

Afterwards, I went to the bank, electricity card and quai in hand, but when I handed it to the teller she ran the card and laughed at me. She made a sliding motion with the card, so I went back home and slid my card through in the "electric room" (my own term of endearment for the dark closet on the other side of my floor that has all the power generators) to hopefully activate it. I went back to the bank and they took my money. I came back to the apartment and slid my card through and raced back to my place. Jason, the real estate agent said the power would come on instantly, but I waited for a bit turning the lights on and off and went back to the electric room. I ran my card again and raced back, but I still didn't have any power. I ran back to the electric room and took a look at all the other generators. I noticed that all their switches were at the "on" position and mine was on the "off." I flipped the switch and was greeted by light in my apartment. Happy day! At least I know how to do that smarter next time. This is how most countries by their electricity. We are spoiled.

Tonight starts my last two day weekend for eight weeks. Everyone is complaining big time, but I've had some experience on making the most out of a one day weekend....