Shanghai and home

This will have to be a quick post.
I'm writing this during the break of my weekly three hour English class or job number two.
I don't necessarily think teaching English is my strong point, but it is a good opportunity to speak to another bunch of Chinese students and understand their thoughts about China, their expectations of life in the UK and their ambitions for the future, etc.
More than that, these guys are going to come and study in Newcastle, so I think there's loads of useful advice and preparation I can give them.
I'm also keen to give ideas back to former colleagues at Newcastle Council and the two universities about how they can improve the experience for their Chinese students.

In the wider sense, Chinese students to the UK is such a major business with so many policy implications for both countries that I find it extremely interesting. If on the off chance I was ever to do futher study in the future, this and other ideas about migration would definitely be my focus. With birth rates falling across the west, dealing with young people moving to our cities is something we're going to have to get increasingly used to - and people have problems with it today...

Anyway, enough of that.
I recently read an article in one of the ex-pat magazines here which gave gentle amusing criticism to writers of blogs in China. I was proud to see that I'd achieved all of their cliches. However, this blog is written for friends and family back home and to help me remember when we eventually leave China. So I make no apologies.

Had a great time in Shanghai last weekend. Went expecting to think less of the place now we live in Beijing. I enjoyed our visit in 2006 but thought it felt very much like a world city without much feeling of being in China. However, many, many would also say that of Beijing. Anyway, to cut a long story short we had a great time. Ate at a cracking French (contemporary European...) restaurant with brilliant views of the bund on Friday night. Stayed at a lovely hotel. Had a great time wandering round the city in the sunshine on Saturday visiting parks, shops and the French Concession and then met up with Michael and Shelley (Suzhuo isn't far away) for a meal on Saturday night.
On Sunday Caroline had to work - which in reality was the reason for the trip.
As you may have seen if you watched the F1, it rained - damn heavily.
A point on that, you know you're in a big city (20M) when they can host an event like a Grand Prix without you really noticing an increase in visitors.
Me and Michael met up and he gave me pearls of wisdom about marriage...

It was an enjoyable and quite relaxing weekend, which we both need given our heavy work schedules at the moment. My 3 jobs don't take up as much time as Caroline's ridiculous 2, but more importantly we're both enjoying it and trying to carve out interesting experience and opportunities for the future.

So one more busy day with a load of tasks today and then tomorrow morning we've got a flight home to catch.
Can't wait to see friends and family.
Speak to you all soon in person.
Will no doubt get the chance to update this with some recent photographs in the next 2 weeks too.