The Sound of Progress (and Christmas)

If I had to use a sound to embody my short stay here in China, it would probably be the sound of building and construction work. As I am writing this I can hear a sledgehammer striking something that must be very hard, because they keep going at it again and again and again -- and again. Yesterday I was woken up by the sound of a wall being demolished next door (at 6am), and this morning by the sound of many metal pipes being dropped onto the ground. Unfortunately for me, next door to my apartment building they are constructing a new block of flats. For six months I have certainly heard the sounds of progress, but I haven't seen anything yet.

For over 6 months this has been the noisy "construction" site next to my apartment -- not that much visible construction actually takes place

Noise pollution must be a common annoyance in a large part of China, mainly because everything is developing so fast that it has caused cities to be in a constant state of change. Everywhere you walk in Wenzhou there are large buildings being constructed while old ones are being demolished. It is a fact of life here -- for the moment anyway.

In other news, I found out I will be able to return home to England for Christmas. My dad managed to change my flight date, so now I will be leaving Shanghai Pudong airport at 6:15am on the 24th December (I can't change the flight date myself because I am unable to call the airline company from China, so my father has pretended to be me each time he called). I will arrive back home at 6:30pm on the same day. Although it may seem like a relatively short journey considering I will be flying half way around the world, if I take into account the time-zone changes, the time spent travelling will still take more than 20 hours. Still, I am very excited to be able to come home for Christmas, last year I vividly remember teaching over forty 3-6 year old children while their parents watched and took pictures -- not a pleasant time.

I wish Kimi could travel with me for the holiday, but just as with so many other things at the moment, money has got in the way. To get the visa, take time off from her work, and buy a plane ticket is just completely unfeasible now. We will be planning a trip to the UK together next year hopefully. I will miss her for the month I have planned to be away, and feel terrible that I won't be with her for the holiday, and also her birthday (sorry Kimi!!). Before you think I am a bad person, I did offer to stay for her birthday and then go home for a month, but because I would then miss Chinese New Year (a holiday that is just as important as Christmas for Chinese people), she allowed me to go home earlier.