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I have been here for about two weeks already. I am starting to get used to the freaking cold weather here.
Usually daytime the temperature will be around 0 - 5dc, at night it is really cold if there is wind. And because of that, I fell sick from Friday to today. I had high fever of 39dc, whole body ached and dizzy. I teared a little and for a moment, regretted for coming to Shanghai. But well, now I am feeling better already so don't worry friends.
03-Jan-2012 Tuesday
After we reached Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 5am, on 3rd Jan, we waited for the others who took other flight till around 7am then headed to NTU GIP office. There we had wifi and awesome breakfast. After about two hours of dreadful yet redundant briefings, we were dismissed at 1030am, on our own for 6 months! Then my housemate, Benjamin's uncle sent one driver to bring us to Carrefour to buy whatever things we need. There we bought some household products, quilts, food etc. Each spent about 900 RMB. Then we also get one local sim card, however my Blackberry cannot be used for China Unicom’s data plan. I can only make calls but not online. Yet I paid 126RMB for the package for one month. So Gridman, my housemate cum colleague lent me his old IPhone 3S. I then put the sim card in and it works for data plan. So I quickly downloaded Whatsapp but it cant log in using my Singapore number because it would need a code that will be sent to my number. So I have no choice but to use china number for whatsapp on IPhone. As for my BB, I can still use the Whatsapp using my Singapore number but can do so only when there’s wifi.
04-Jan-2012 Wednesday
The next day we woke up for lunch at nearby eatery and everyone called home quickly as the previous night we all had difficulties trying to fight with the poor network coverage in our house area here. We had to stand at the balcony to make phone calls. Pathetic much! I called back Singapore for less than 10 minutes in total, and texted 2-3 SMSes. For just that, my card balance dropped from 200RMB to 30 RMB (less 126 monthly fee). It means I spent about 8SGD. That is freaking expensive. Luckily after that we were told that tomorrow the internet will be done.
05-Jan-2012 Thursday
I met Yiyao at Nanjing Road for dinner and passed him the things he asked me to buy from Singapore. After the dinner at ??, we went to Wai Tan, near to Peace Hotel there for some night sceneries. It was a very nice place for tourists but the wind was so strong that we left after taking a few photos. He also brought me to a few places to shop, however as I have not enough RMB with me, I didn’t dare to buy many things. Also since I already have enough winter wears, I didn’t buy much things. Then that night, when I tried to use the internet, it was very unable, especially when I was in the bedroom. So in the end, gave up and went to upload photos to my laptop. Again, the network is too slow and unstable that I gave up and slept at 1plus.
06-Jan-2012 Friday
Today, we the housemates went to shop around, Jacqueline and I each tailor-made one set of suit that costs us 500RMB each. Not sure how the quality like, will be getting it next Friday, hope it will not be disappointing. After walking for a while, we went home at 9plus as the rest of the housemates are going clubbing except me. They kept asking me to go along but I just don’t have the mood to join. Plus mummy and BF asked me not to go, so I stayed home.
I webcam with Dardar, Yang and Family. However as the internet was not so stable yet, so I came to the living room to use the lan cable. And dumb me, don’t know how to on the heater, till I was so cold and caught a cold. That night after I bathed, my eyes and body were super hot all of a sudden. I took a temperature and my body temperature was 39dc. I took 2 pills and slept at 2plus. At 4plus when the guys came back from clubbing, my temp dropped to 38.4 when I measured again. Then my roomie Jacq gave me pills to eat before I went back to sleep again. Then she put towel on my forehead and took care of me that night. THANK YOU DEAR!
07-Jan-2012 Saturday
I texted Huijie and Ruoxuan that I am sick, then they came to see me without telling me. I was so touched then quickly woke up upon seeing them. Had a quick lunch at nearby eatery and then walked around the neighbourhood with them. They left at 4plus then I went home and took a nap again. Anyway I felt sorry towards Yiyao, for cancelling the museum trip with him.
08-Jan-2012 Sunday
I met Monkey happily to get my money at People’s Square Station. However, when he passed me the money, they were all SGD notes!! The exchange rate is pathetic, only 4.5. If I exchange $1000 SGD will lose about 400 RMB, not worth doing so. So I didn’t exchange. After Monkey and his friend left at 5pm, I shopped awhile myself there. Then soon after they left, one local guy approached me and asked me for number. He said he had been noticing me since I took a photo just now and he said I am very pretty, wanted to be friend with me. Of course I rejected him and then immediately went home for steamboat with the guy housemates. Well, while shopping with Monkey and his friend, we saw this:
It is something very amazing that allows users to scan and redeem unlimited discount vouchers from these machines. All you have to do is to purchase this device at 20rmb which has no expiry date. I though it is something wonderful and cool! (But till now I have not used it much. Didn’t use any of the vouchers printed so far.) I 'ditched' Yiyao again (He invited me to his colleague’s place for steamboat) and met Monkey as I thought he was giving me RMB. I needed cash urgently!
09-Jan-2012 Monday
First day of IA! Super sleepy as I couldn’t fall asleep the whole of yesterday night. We took around 45 minutes from my house to the company. Our working hours are 9-6pm. I got my own desk but laptop was not really yet today. My supervisor, Mandy gave Gidman and I a few floor plan drawings to read. But it was so bored and we finished within a few hours. Sleepy and bored to the max! Lunch time, Shirley, Mandy and Ellin treated Gidman and I to dim sum lunch. We wanted to pay but they said that was supposed to be the ‘Kai Gong Treat’. Felt so paiseh letting them treat. Anyway, got home after work, thought can sleep earlier but in the end slept at 2plus again. Pray for tomorrow.
10-Jan-2012 Tuesdays
Second day of IA, I am still sleepy and bored. Nothing to do again but I can use the internet as I brought my own laptop today. Yicheng has nothing to do in his company so he was given paid leave from today till Friday. How I wish my company is as kind too! After work went to meet the other two housemates with Gidman (Ben has to work OT so didn’t join us). We had simple noodle at Jia You Hao Mian. Not too bad, the price is reasonable too. This dinner costs a toal of $36 RMB. It is like Ajisen in Singapore. We took a few photos at the place nearby and went home. The weather is colder tonight, and my cough is getting worse. Luckily the fever has subsided.
11-Jan-2012 Wednesday
I have my own company laptop, DID phone and a cabinet. This is the photo of my desk:
Behind me is Avivva, on my left is Shirley, in front of Shirley (Diagonally infront of me is my supervisor Mandy), diagonally behind me is Gidman. Today I did nothing still, just surf the net and chatted with friends on MSN and Skype. Time pass a bit slow on my side. Finally it’s the end of work, I went to meet Yiyao near my company here, Shangcheng Road Statio. We took a while to find the place we want to eat. In the end chose steamboat at the plaza (forgot the name) opposite Times Square, my workplace. It is always nice seeing him, someone I am comfortable with. We were both tired after a long day’s work. Thus went home after the steamboat without delaying.
12-Jan-2012 Thursday
Accumulated from the last few days’ lack of sleep, I was super sleepy today. Dozed off at work as I have nothing to do till 4plus.We went for meeting with Mr Hong and the team at 3plus and finally, some tasks were assigned to us. Then we started to work on them which kept us occupied and felt less sleepy. After work I quickly went home, wanting to grab a nap. Gidman asked me to join them for dinner, but I just feel like going home. I prefer to eat at home, especially in winter time. Then I cooked the leftover food from yesterday’s steamboat with yiyao. Cooked them quickly and ate before going in the room to do my own stuffs. Slept at 12plus but still, very tired.
13-Jan-2012 Friday
TGIF! My housemates all not working today except Gidman and I. They told their supervisor that school has started (When school starts on 2nd March, we will study on Fridays (full day) and Saturday mornings. Attachment will be from Monday to Thursday 9-6pm). The day passed by SLIGHTLY faster as we got work to do for the whole day. After work Gidman and I went to meet other course mates for steamboat (NOT AGAIN?!) at Xiao Fei Yang. We took the train and reached there at 7plus. Then the whole group, 9 of us waited till about 8pm before we were brought to a function room for steamboat. The dinner was great though I had steamboat for three consecutive days. But due to the big group we had, its easier to eat steamboat. Then took a few photos with HJ and RX and of course others too. Then we four (Ben, YC, Gidman and I) cabbed back at 10plus. Not long after bathing , I went to sleep. I hope I can wake up early tomorrow so I can shop more with Yiyao! Can't wait!!!
14-Jan-2012 Saturday
Firstly, Happy Birthday Yiyao!
I woke up late, and met him an hour later than the agreed time. Reached Nanjing East at around 1130pm. Then we went to find China Construction Bank to open an account so that my uncle can transfer me money. We took quite some times to find the bank before heading to Cheng Huang Temple for shopping and lunch. It was raining non-stop the whole day, and that made photo-taking and shopping a total headache. We dined at this random xiao long bao restaurant and its totally a wrong decision made. We ordered a few dishes and it costed 100rmb. The tang bao (soup bun) is the worst! 22 rmb/piece yet it has nothing but soup inside! I fought with Yiyao to pay the meal! In the end I won as I told the cashier that, in Singapore, if the birthday boy pay for the meal then the restaurant’s business won't be as good as before. Then the lady took my money instead but I doubt she believe me. Hahahaa. We walked around the place for about 2 hours. Yiyao and I were not feeling that well after that! We were both feeling dizzy and for him its like food poisoning. He looked pale and he kept saying he’s fainting anytime. My hands were so warm but not his. That scared me very much. Thus I held his hands the whole night to give him warmth. Of course the sensible Kathy quickly stopped shopping and then we took train to Nanjing Dong Lu to get gifts for Yiyao’s friends. We spent almost one hour in Metersbonwe. It was having sales on fifth floor. I bought a travel bag for brother. Then after that we went to Yue Lai Hotel for dinner. There we had 4 dishes but we paid about the same price as the lunch. The food was much nicer than the lunch food! I went out before the food were served to get Yiyao a mini cake. It looks ordinary but tasted great! A bit expensive compared to the food we ate.
Anyway, Monkey kept calling me on my mobile but I didn’t pick up. Sorry cant meet you, maybe tomorrow?
Happy Birthday again Yiyao! Hope you are feeling better no.
15-01-2012 Sunday
I slept till 2pm and woke up alone in the house. My housemates went out so I started to webcam with friends. I thought I will be meeting Monkey for dinner, but in the end it was cancelled. I love it because I really enjoyed the moments spent at home talking to my loved ones. I also called my relatives and cousins in China. Then suddenly I missed home so much! I wonder how my family and friends doing in Singapore. I miss them a lot.
I told boyfriend and T.T that I cried because I missed home. Then they thought it was because I stayed home alone and kept asking me to go out meet friends. But I guess not, as I have been here for about 10 days already, I really miss home! Then I called xiaoyi and I cried again. Then he persuaded me to go Xiamen to find them. I thought for a second and agreed. Then he taught me how to book train tickets and etc, will go and do it soon.
Dear all, I Miss you guys!!!
My China mobile number is: 188 1741 2748 (You are welcome to Call/SMS me), but you guys can still whatsapp me using my Singapore number :)
