Ready for another semester at Jiao Tong University

I walked through the university to go to my private class at Hongqiao Lu but as I walked through a taxi driver called me over. He seemed to need help and the man in his taxi asks me if I speak English. I said "yes sure" and he blinks at me "oh you are Chinese?" and I explain I'm from England. So he is looking for the international student building so I give him directions but then he needs me to ask the taxi driver to wait for him. I have to translate and come to an agreed time for how long the taxi driver is willing to wait and where he will wait. They were both very grateful I could help them and it made me feel very happy to help that I can't wait to become a translator now!

Afterwards I decided to try a beginners guided meditation class that I found on the website Spiritual Shanghai. I left a bit early from my flat to go to People's Square to buy some stationary ready for starting my course next week. I was surprised how long it took me to get there and I decided whilst I was in the area I would drop by my favourite place to eat beef rice. The restaurant is called Forever Young on Fuzhou Lu which serves rice in hot stone bowls - very hot but very tasty!

I then walked along East Nanjing Road to get to the Metro to go to the class. It is really pretty to walk here at night and always lots of people and things going on.

The class was actually in this lady's house which she was kind enough to invite people in to teach them meditation. There were 4 of us in total and she explained how it would work and did a Deeksha blessing which is pure energy being put into us to help us gain clarity. I have to say I did feel it briefly and it was an amazing feeling. I haven't yet been able to connect to my inner divine but I will continue practising.

I got a little lost looking for the Metro again but that is what I love about Shanghai that I never panic and just flag down a taxi is very quick and easy. When I get back home I feel much better.

Back to Jiao Tong

I went to Jiao Tong to enrol for my next semester - well actually I already enrolled, I just needed to get my class schedule and textbooks. I couldn't believe it took me over an hour to do this though! And that is without the testing portion! Queues were crazy long and I was surprised it seemed a lot less organised than the last semester enrolling process.

First I went to a room where they confirmed my details then sent me to the 4th floor. There I queued and sat down for 2 seconds where I wasn't even asked which class I wanted to be in and given a piece of paper with my schedule and told to go to get my new student card made. Another long queue to have a photo taken for the card and then went to get my textbooks. I spent 260RMB on textbooks and that is even minus one textbook that a friend kindly gave to me before she left.

Right then there was a huge storm and downpour! I seriously had never experienced so much rain, I felt grateful for coming early and not getting caught in the rain although I was very hungry and wanted to leave to get some lunch. It took an hour for the rain to stop and the thunder and lightning to pass. The rain was so heavy that it caused the canopy to collapse!

I hurried home in case it started raining again but was stopped by a girl asking me for the main gate of the university. I did my best to direct her although I'm not too clear where it is exactly myself but she kept asking and wouldn't take "sorry I don't know" for an answer.

I stopped by my little snack shop outside my house to get some lunch as I was starving! Back in my room to eat and then the drilling started again. I was so annoyed I decided to go out for a while and headed to West Nanjing Road to Krispy Kreme. I miss English tea so much that this is the only place I actually find the tea tastes like English tea!

Afterwards I went to get some dinner at Ramen Play. I quite like this place and they have many choices. The prices are little more expensive than other places though. I wasn't too hungry so opted for the udon noodles which came in a steaming hot bowl!

 
After dinner I walked around the shops here and saw a man selling cute puppies. I am not sure if they are ok or not but they brought a lot of attention and were so very cute!

I then left and walked and walked, enjoying the night life and the cool evening. I eventually found myself near Jing'an Temple and decided to take the bus back home.