On The Road: Hotel: Traders Upper East

Hello All,

Another blog series is starting: On The Road! This series will be about my overseas adventures.

This first one collects a short video and pictures of my hotel, Traders Upper East Hotel Beijing. Pictures and commentary after the video.

So my school's housing wasn't ready yet, so they put us up in Traders for a few weeks. The hotel is nice and in a little shopping neighborhood with some nearby local stores, expat stores, and restaurants.

They hotel has a free buffet breakfast with typical American breakfast foods, like eggs and waffles, and typical Chinese breakfast foods, like fried rice and steamed buns.

View from entry door. 

Bathtub

Sitting Toilet 

King Size Bed

Head Board Light

Glass of Wine at the Hotel Bar

My first meal in China, a turkey sandwich with fried egg. (I had just gotten off of the plane and wanted to have something light before I crashed.)

My bill for the meal above. Yes, the glass of wine cost just about as much as the sandwich. But over all the whole meal only cost about $28 (on the expensive side based on some of the other places I've eaten since then, but this is the hotel restaurant).

Epic Battle of Epicness: Round 1: Bayside: Zack Morris v. Peter Pan

Name: Zack Morris A.K.A.: - Hometown: Bayside Known For: Being a hunky teenage heart-throb Strength: Scheming money out of his friends. Weakness: The ladies Wins: -

VS

Name: Peter Pan A.K.A.: - Hometown: Never Never Land Known For: Not growing up Strength: Fearless Weakness: Impulsive Wins: -

Zack Morris connives his way out of ever single problem he puts himself into. He is mean to his friends, and is a womanizing playboy. Peter Pan has a complex named after him, he willingly throws himself into unneeded battles, and does a horrible job at "mothering" his lost boys. Not a lot of good seems to come from either of these boys, but when push comes to shove, Zack is going to win because what girl (or gay boy) of the 90's didn't want their own Zack Morris. Conclusion: Zack Morris v Peter Pan

International Job Fair, Final

Sunday

I go back to the Hyatt, and run into Chadwick at breakfast. She’s really happy to hear that I have a job offer and wants to stay in touch. I also run into Nichimashi, and he has me sit down with him for a few minutes. I’m still feeling food.

I get my offer from Xiamen, they give me a 24 hour time frame to respond. It’s a great offer, but I decided that the city is too small for me, and on Monday I respond with a “No thank you.”

I leave Boston continually checking my e-mail.

Monday

All throughout the day, I’m checking my e-mail. Finally, at the end of the school day I hear back from Nichimashi, saying he will be checking references and getting back to me by Wednesday afternoon.

Tuesday

Constantly checking e-mail and hear back from some other schools. (Jeju, Shanghai AS, Shanghai Community and Monaza all say “no.”)

Wednesday

It’s a snow day, and I am constantly checking my e-mail, waiting for Nichimashi’s response. They respond that they went with a candidate with more international experience.

Friday
I respond to Keystone with "Yes!"

Epic Battle of Epicness: Round 1: Hogwarts: Mary Poppins v. Santa Claus

Name: Mary Poppins A.K.A.: - Hometown: Cloud above London Known For: Inventing words Strength: Changing people's lives Weakness: Getting emotionally attached Wins: -

VS

Name: Santa Claus A.K.A.: St. Nick, Papa Noel, etc. Hometown: North Pole Known For: Giving children presents Strength:  Magical travel Weakness: Never actually told a kid he was naughty Wins: -

This is another tough round. Both of these characters love and care for/about children, but only one can move onto round two. Mary has strange magic that seems only limited by her imagination, she scolds bad children, and has a nifty song to move the job along. Santa has years of experience, hundreds of holiday specials, songs for everything he does, and gives freaking iPods! Santa is way more epic than Mary (come back when you have your own holiday).
Conclusion: Mary Poppins v. Santa Claus

International Job Fair, Part 3

Interview Schedule: Saturday

Time	School Name
8:30	SF Hong Kong
9:00	Venezuela Puero La Cruz
9:30	IS Beijing
10:00	-
10:30	-
11:00	Xiamen
11:30	-
12:00	Keystone
12:30	-
1:00	Venezuela Carabobo
1:30	-
2:00	Ruamrudd, Bangkok
2:30	-
3:00	-
3:30	-
4:00	TA SIS UK

Saturday started with a few notes in my mailbox, (Puerto La Cruz, IS Beijing, and TASIS UK have canceled). Then I started with ISF Hong Kong I honestly don’t even remember this interview, but I gave it a rating of Good interview, might go.

Then I took a long breakfast, where I checked my e-mail every ten minutes. Until I met with Xiamen. He was a great person, and the interview quickly went to “the pitch.” And as I left, he said, “Please don’t accept any offers until you speak with me.” Good. I marked it as a good interview, might go.

Keystone in Beijing. We spoke for 45 minutes. The pitch happened with the president of the school left me with the headmaster to go get some promotional material and the contract. Again I left with the “don’t accept any offers without talking to us first.” Rating: good interview, would go.

Carabobo, I don’t remember the interview, but I rated it, good interview, would not go.

Ruamrudd, interviewed with the principal and a priest. I knew this wasn’t going to be a good match, until the principal started talking about how the fathers are just the owners (not sure how that happens). Rated, good interview, might go.

Still no word from Nichimashi. So I talked to Sally, and while there, I got a phone call from Keystone. They offered me a job (K, 1, or 2, I don’t remember). I went back to Sally and she said to hear Keystone out and get a time line, then talk to Nichimashi and see what’s going on.

Keystone has a nice offer and have given me until February 10th to get back to them. I go to Nichimashi and the headmaster hasn’t heard from the principal either. But asks for me to wait patiently.

I meet up with Carrie for dinner and finally hear back from the principal and we schedule a skype interview for 10:30 that night. Also at dinner, I get an offer from Xiamen.

Head back to my room and pace until 10:30, have a great interview with the principal, and got a very personal story from him. Then I head down to the bar and run into some people I met (Sherman and Ms. London). Sherman and I buy a bottle of wine but she’s two sheets already. Ms. London is going to be going to Russia.

Sunday and beyond in part 4.