Power Outages Save Energy

This week was my coldest one yet. We got my down comforter just in time for the bitter cold. I may have mentioned before that even though it does not get below freezing here, the houses are not insulated and do not have central heating, that means we bundle in blankets and huddle around space heaters and drink lots of warm drinks. Unfortunately the cold cold weather (which came on fast and earlier than usual...no global warming here) was the cause for much sickness. One day we only had 10 out of 15 kids in my class, it fluctuated from that to 14 of 15. My roommate got sick midweek with the flu and Bethany, the other roommate and I tried to steer clear. Catie missed 2.5 days of school this week and a few last week. As much as I resisted, I'm now laying in bed failing at my attempt to nap and suffering from a terrible sinus cold. It started as a sore throat Thursday and just progressed from there. I blame it on the kids coming back to school not completely better and spewing their germs with every uncovered cough and sneeze. There's only so much one can do before falling prey to the icky germs. =(

On a different note, I woke up at 7:30am on Saturday morning to the power going out. I quickly learned that it was scheduled to be out until 7pm. Wonderful. No heat, hot water, internet, you know, the essentials. I finally dragged myself out of my warm bed around 9:30 and made my way to school around 10:30 because there was power there. In China, the government schedules these power outages to save energy and unfortunately those of us who can't read the notices on the front door of the complex have no idea when or how long the outage will take place.

After lunch I met up with a friend and we got massages - so good! (except I'm a little sore today)Then we got her husband and kids and took a bus into the city to a really neat coffee shop where we happened to meet another foreigner and his little girl. We all chatted for quite some time before I left with my friends for high dining at....Pizza Hut. Yes, I kid you not, in China, Pizza Hut is marketed as higher dining than in the States. By the time we made it home again the power had returned.

It was an interesting weekend, sorry no pictures this week. I survived my first full week of teaching everything and this coming week is our field trip to the local aquarium! Definitely will have pictures of that one.

Trying not to think of missing Thanksgiving at home this year. Love and miss you all!
kaitlin