We're here, we're safe and so far, it's great. The flights were ok - I got loads of sleep, Anna got none, I was somehow in trouble for this but then I tried to speak Chinese to two men who turned out to be Japanese, and my humiliation made up for being well rested.
We got to the flat at about midnight our time (we're 7hrs ahead). It is huge. It is huge. No seriously. You come into the living room which has a three piece black leather suite around a nice coffee table pointed at the FLATSCREEN TV. Yep, you read that correctly. FLATSCREEN TV. Kitchen is in the same room, microwave, mini fridge, hot plate and kettle. 9 cupboards. 9 cupboards.
Go through into the bedroom - another room entirely - queen-sized bed, bookcase, three wardrobes and desk, with new computer. Then into the ensuite bathroom, sorry, I mean wetroom!! Western loo, don't panic. Landed on my feet, landed on my feet.
We were woken up at 6am with the whole of campus doing morning exercises and military drills. Everyone is in fatigues and marching up and down the basketball and tennis courts outside the block. Apparently this isn't normal, there's some kind of start-of-term celebration going on.
Right now I'm in the International Studies office. We've met lots of nice foreign teachers - there are 30 :- Americans, Canadians, Aussies, Kiwis, Japanese, Brits. No Frenchies yet but I secretly hope there might be one.
Anna's been told twice this morning alone to keep hold of me, because I'll be popular with the Chinese girls. She hit me afterwards.
We won't get internet in the flat for a week or so, but I think I'll be able to use it in this office fairly regularly. I'll upload photos when I get the chance.
Oh, teaching! Not started yet, term doesn't being until Monday but I don't think we'll have any classes until the following Friday so we've plenty of time to settle in. We'll both be teaching Freshmen - first years - it seems and, from what I can gather, that means their level will be quite poor.
Anyway, love to you all, seems I can use hotmail and Gmail so I'll be in touch.
Ed x