My First Day at School

Today was my first day of orientation at EF, my new school here in Shanghai. There were five other teachers who were also new to EF. A school representative met us at the hotel & showed us how to use the bus to get to the main office near People's Square. There we had coffee & took a look around the center.

Then another representative took us to open bank accounts, get passport photos for various administration purposes, & buy cell phones & SIM cards. We took a break for lunch, & in the afternoon we met more of the staff members & signed our contracts. Everyone was very nice & welcoming.

The main office takes up several floors in a high-rise building downtown. It's very stylishly decorated, with banks of computers for student use, as well as several classrooms, lounging areas, & even a pool table! It looks like a well-organized forward-thinking company.

I won't be teaching in the main office, but in a school in the northern part of town in Hong Kou district. I'll go tomorrow to find the school & explore the area. I'll also start looking for an apartment that's close to my school.