Cats, children, clubs

The next week in the largest city in the world is coming to an end. And who would have thought, there was a lot going on again. I was fully embraced and warmly welcomed by Matthias and his friends, and I spent a lot of time with the group consisting of Germans and French people....

But let's start from the beginning. After the first week being quite wild, I took it a bit slower in the second week. On Sunday evening, the whole crew went calmly for hot pot dinner. A kind of Chinese fondue. Very delicious, very spicy! After that, we went for a nightcap on Bilal's (from Vaterstätten) rooftop. In many residential complexes, you can legally or illegally climb up on the roof and have a breathtaking view over Shanghai.... Wonderful :) 

The work at Stepping Stones continued to be very fun and I slowly but surely got into a regular work routine. However, the work intensity and time here are limited, so after a workday until 4:30-5pm, there is still plenty of time to get lost in the hustle and bustle of Shanghai. But since the sun sets quite early here due to the smog, around 5:30pm.... 

After two quiet evenings with a lot of sleep, on Wednesday Matthias and friends went to a sports bar. But before we could start with the beer flatrate, my love for animals was once again put to the test by Flocke and Co. On the way home from work, I discovered a small cat on the busy People Square. Without much thought, I took the helpless animal with me. After that, Matthias and I spent the next hour feeding milk to the cat, but eventually I had to realize that my enthusiasm would not be enough this time. At the end of the evening, the cat was handed over to the Chinese neighbors' care. I am now optimistic and naive and assume that she will be cared for and nurtured with love....

On Thursday, unexpectedly and very spontaneously, we went to a school. Since we had a shortage of teachers and two cancellations, I stepped in and had the opportunity to continue improving the English skills of a 4th grade class (slightly hungover) 

After that, I went back to bed to catch up on the sleep from the previous night. On the free Friday, I took the time to get to know my upcoming neighborhood and finally register officially at a Chinese police authority. Despite having a visa and an official entry, you still have to register with an authority within 24 hours and state where you are staying. Well, the 24 hours turned into 2 weeks, but you can't have everything.... 

And then it was already the weekend again. After a small dinner with Matthias at the shared flat, we went to C'S Bar, consisting of thousands of small catacombs and rooms, electronic music, and cheap beer. Perfect for starting a long night. After the group, consisting of Matthias, Jannik from Cologne, Jan, Sundara (from Tibet), and a Swiss guy whose name I can't remember right now, gathered together, we continued to an so-called 'Underground' club around 2am. After a 25-minute taxi ride, we arrived at an old American villa. After climbing over the garden wall, we stood in the living room of a nice single-family house. Young people everywhere, loud music, and light effects. From the living room, you could also look into the basement through a glass floor, where the party night was starting. Very crazy, very fun, very long..... 

The next day, we slept in extensively (still not in MY room) and had a delicious French breakfast. In the afternoon, Matthias, Jannik, and I went to the 'Fake' market. A huge underworld with thousands of stands where you can get Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton bags, Nike sneakers, or, like us, hiking equipment from The North Face for little money. However, it's not really relaxing, so afterwards we treated ourselves to some tasty street food and a beer on the street at a pleasant 26 degrees at 10pm. After that, we went to bed reasonably early. While I was still dreaming this morning, the guys were already on the train at 6am and will arrive in Chengdu tonight at 11pm, just like me. I'm currently sitting back and relaxed, drinking a coffee, and looking forward to the upcoming vacation week in Chengdu. 

Sending you my best wishes.