It was July 2010 that I was last in China - having completed a semester at Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages, and I have longed to go back. I would have happily returned to teaching, but while I was there the Chinese Government changed the rules and was no longer financially support the salaies of foreign teachers over 60 years. That meant I could not return to teaching.
Still, it was something I wanted to do - return to China. This time I planned to return to Shaoxing and do some research on a lady regarded as one of, if not the first, Chinese feminist. Her name is Qiu Jin and there is a museum in her honour at Shaoxing.
My sister lives in Adelaide (I live in Brisbane) and though we are in frequent communication we often are on different "planets" - and don't always agree I left home when she was only 14 years old, so we grew apart from that time and we are so different.
When she heard I was going into Singapore on my way to China, she asked if she could come with me. Fine. I was only planning to stay in Singapore for a couple of days, then a day or so in Shanghai and then on to Shaoxing. I have changed my plans to accommodate her.
I will now stay in Singapore for 4 nights, and as she is not keen to say longer on her own, she has chosen to come to China with me and stay in Shanghai for 5 nights. I will stay with her and get her to the airport in Pudong to make sure she is safely on her plane. She will have to manage a plane change in Singapore on the way home, but she should be fine. After putting her on the plan at Pudong, Shanghai, I will make my way to Shaoxing.
I am so used to being on my own, and like to stay on my own - at least no share a bedroom - I tend to wake up during the night, read, play music etc - so have found a hotel in Singapore which is not too expensive and we can have two adjacent rooms. It is a new hotel, and I have booked. There is a no penalty cancellation rule, but at this point I see no need to cancel.
We will leave on the same day - Monday May 12th - which gives us both Mother's Day with our children and grandchildren and we will depart the following day. With any luck and planes arriving on time - I will arrive some 1 hour before her, which means I will be able to meet her in Singapore and together we can get to the hotel. My plan is to go to Raffles that night.
Still, it was something I wanted to do - return to China. This time I planned to return to Shaoxing and do some research on a lady regarded as one of, if not the first, Chinese feminist. Her name is Qiu Jin and there is a museum in her honour at Shaoxing.
My sister lives in Adelaide (I live in Brisbane) and though we are in frequent communication we often are on different "planets" - and don't always agree I left home when she was only 14 years old, so we grew apart from that time and we are so different.
When she heard I was going into Singapore on my way to China, she asked if she could come with me. Fine. I was only planning to stay in Singapore for a couple of days, then a day or so in Shanghai and then on to Shaoxing. I have changed my plans to accommodate her.
I will now stay in Singapore for 4 nights, and as she is not keen to say longer on her own, she has chosen to come to China with me and stay in Shanghai for 5 nights. I will stay with her and get her to the airport in Pudong to make sure she is safely on her plane. She will have to manage a plane change in Singapore on the way home, but she should be fine. After putting her on the plan at Pudong, Shanghai, I will make my way to Shaoxing.
I am so used to being on my own, and like to stay on my own - at least no share a bedroom - I tend to wake up during the night, read, play music etc - so have found a hotel in Singapore which is not too expensive and we can have two adjacent rooms. It is a new hotel, and I have booked. There is a no penalty cancellation rule, but at this point I see no need to cancel.
We will leave on the same day - Monday May 12th - which gives us both Mother's Day with our children and grandchildren and we will depart the following day. With any luck and planes arriving on time - I will arrive some 1 hour before her, which means I will be able to meet her in Singapore and together we can get to the hotel. My plan is to go to Raffles that night.
Comments