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Nemesis · Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 122

Well, the 7-week spring holiday is in full swing, and my entire campus -- 30 minutes east of downtown Changchun -- has shut down.

Pretty much, there are only a few of us foreign teachers and a scattering of custodial staff around. Luckily, the family that runs the shop next to my house remains open, and they're well stocked with beer!

Most of the other teachers have plans to travel. I figure I'm gonna stay here and work on my website -- this seems the perfect opportunity to get some solid work done.

If I get too jumpy, I might fly down to Shanghai for some kicks...

* * *

Soooo, my question is to other uni teachers who are still hanging around their ghost town of a campus: what are you up to? Heading out or staying in?

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

My school doesn't have on-campus housing for its FT's, so we all live off-campus. The little area is essentially a ghost town now, with most restaurants having closed off until around February 29th. As such, I will go to my wife's village tomorrow for at least a couple weeks. It's better to be bored to death there than starved to death here. Wink

Ah, baijiu, stewed dishes, majiang and two-people opera, here I come, Dongbei!

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Any one want to come visit us in Zhengzhou? We have lots of attractions ... Rolling Eyes

can't think of them right now, i'll get back to you.

Have cancelled the travel plans. Web site instaed here too. Especially with my wife, i am not going to travel in this winter's weather. I'll wait until school begins and take some four day trips

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

Nemesis · Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 122

I am enjoying living in this deserted town.

I wake up around 7 and work on my website until noon. Then I drink two beers with lunch and pass out for a while. Then I wake up at dusk and do whatever I feel until wiped. Very Happy

If I didn't have my web project, I might go crazy. Some of the other teachers here are getting jittery (too much time and nothing to do), but they're all going to travel for the bulk of the holiday.

I like it. Beer at noon with zero ramifications is a good thing. Cool

Nemesis · Joined: 10 Oct 2007 Posts: 122

The only problem is, the canteens are all closed. To get food, I've gotta go into town, to the Wal-mart (my campus is in an industrial area, 20 minutes east of Changchun city).

By bus it's 20 minutes and 5 yuan, by taxi 15 yuan or so. I never bus, so...

I'm sorting a scheme right now to have a local restaurant (1-min. off campus) deliver me meals daily, while I'm here (just like Meals on Wheels!). I've got enough Chinese to go there, order, and get them to deliver it to my place, buuut...

... I lack the language skills to set up a "system" --so they are expecting my call and order every day -- and I don't wanna deal with drama daily for food. All students are gone, and no Chinese people (who speak English) are around to help translate!

So I'm plotting a scheme to get that sorted. Once eats are in place, I figure I'll just cocoon here. Laughing