First week in Shenzhen Coming to a Close

 I am reaching the end of my first week in Shenzhen.  I was fortunate to arrive amidst a national holiday and thus had plenty of time to get my bearings and settle in.  Thursday was my second full day here. I got tested, bought some cleaning supplies, and visited my job in the early afternoon.  The school is pretty neat but I could imagine it will be much more interesting with students there tomorrow.  Later in the day I enjoyed a trip to the mall across from SeaWorld called "Gateway One".  I was there to get sunscreen, which was very expensive, but I needed to protect my skin from the intense sun here.  Once I had acquired the most expensive sunscreen on the planet I took some time to wander the mall.  They had some lovely statuary scattered throughout the building that I enjoyed.  From the roof I could see the SeaWorld Square and the mountains behind the building. 

After my short tour of the mall I went a couple blocks down the street to meet with my principal and coworkers who had invited me to a meal.  I wish I had taken pictures of the restaurant and food but I forgot.   It was very good though.  We started with tea, then enjoyed a few shared dishes on a rotating table with a couple bottles of nice red wine.  The night continued at a local bar called "Life on Mars" (David Bowie reference) where we enjoyed a few cocktails.  Once I tired of drinking and socializing I departed for home and went to bed. 

On Friday, after testing, I went to the nearby Wentianxiang Memorial Park where a ton of steps lead to some spectacular views. 

On Saturday afternoon I joined the Shekou Hash House Harriers for a run up Nanshan Mountain.  We scrambled up a hill swarming with ants and took a ton of steps to a lovely view where we enjoyed some beer and a swimming hole.  Then we returned to the SnakePit and had a wonderful dinner of chicken and mashed potatoes and more beer.  I had so much to drink that I do not remember what time I left the bar but I think it was still daytime.  I woke up in the middle of the night with a wicked hangover and puked.   I still feel a little off from the sheer volume of beer that I drank yesterday.  Definitely not imbibing that much on the next run.

Today has been comparatively low key. I got tested at 11ish, did some laundry, ordered my first grocery delivery, and made sure to submit my travel and visa receipts.  School is back in session tomorrow.  It will be my first day working in the building.  I will get my government health check in the morning and my bank account will be set up in the afternoon.  I am very much looking forward to this!