Tuesday 11th

Hi people,

I do not remember what days I have tole you about as I cannot log onto my blogger. I am passing emails through to uni to send to blogger so hopefully i have not said too much of same things .....

ZHUJIAJIAO

This morning we met at a more appropriate time 9am....Today this trip was for ourselves from GCU and Students from France. The first couple of hours we had time to discover the little streets and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the market places, which were very crowded and the bargaining was very popular here also. Then we headed to a lovely restaurant which was upstairs and had balconies with french doors therefore this was very comfortable to eat and not to stuffy. The tables were the customary large round tables and the food as usual was amazing and many dishes laid out in front of us. too many too eat everything but the hospitality that we have received throughout it second to none. The people seem to be amazed by us and continue to make us feel like super-stars always looking/staring sometimes they cannot take their eyes off us. It is so lovely they all take many photos of us, all the females of the group have been told very often that we are beautiful and special. It is really unbelievable how besotted they are by our being here, however very interesting city to be a part of.

The city was very busy due to it being a holiday here. We split up into groups as it was easier to stay together as the streets were narrow and crowded. There were many markets so more shopping was being done by all, we are now worrying that we have no more room in our cases for our return journey. China people are so interesting they are very proud people and always doing some sort of fitness regime, although I think they eat vast amounts of food their lifestyle is such that you hardly see anyone obese.

There are a few things I miss back home;

My kids hugs, my kids voices.... my mum and papa J. kisses goodnight,....HUGS ......toast......special k ....and a soft mattress and of course my friends from uni including the health team.

Wish I could put my photos on as they are what everyone will want to see as they do impress with the sights we have been to.

Bye for now ,....sorry this is not more interesting but we are really having the time of our lives and the photos will be testament to that. We are all so tired by the schedule that's why we only spend limited time on computers. we have tried to change the schedule however the Chinese are also very strict in their timetables and will nor budge on anything, I must say however that they have been terrific hosts and look forward to seeing the students again when they come to Scotland to GCU, we will show them how Glaswegians do it.

I'm not sure if i said about us going to the onsite radio station at another of ECUST campus? a selection of students (including myself) went on and spoke a few words regarding what we have liked about our visit to their campus and how good they have been to us.

This was the biggest campus in China and was so big that the students use bikes to get from one class to another.

Tomorrow morning we have Chinese language again (do not be thinking that I will be fluent in Mandarin language) This is such a hard language to learn. Then we have a lecture on economics then a free afternoon so we will make plans to do something else, I would like to visit the many churches around so maybe i will do that. The last thing on our schedule to do is  a visit to Shanghai's Urban planning exhibition centre.

We have met so many people and made a lot of new friends from universities all over the world! We have met a group of visiting French students from Lyon, all of whom study Chinese and Politics; three Americans who are here for five weeks from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania and also a visiting lecturer from the University of Baghdad.