field trip #2

this last friday, wunan took the international classes to a place called the Shanghai Chen Shan Botanical Gardens. It was a place way out in the suburbs of shanghai, which I didn't even know existed! suburbs? in china? maybe I am just nieve, but i didn't know! it was about a 45 minute bus ride out of puxi (the district i live in). the suburbs were way awesome! there were huge housing and apartment complexes. some of them looked very southwestern and modern, i didn't feel like i was in china anymore! it felt very america-ish :)
i was with my 5/6 year class again to help. they are such a fun group for field trips. i can actually talk to them and ask them their opinions!
this place is HUGE! they have everything from peony gardens, rose gardens, rock gardens, aquatic life gardens, a children's garden, authentic chinese plants garden and even a small mountain with two waterfalls!! the chinese teachers kept laughing about how shanghai has the smallest mountains in china!
 we walked around to about 4 of the different gardens and had a picnic lunch! here are some pictures:

the mountain

beautiful rose

lunch of champtions: tiki crackers, hi-chews, peanut butter, bread, oranges and water

another rose

kiddies

xixi :)

waterfall

pagoda at the top of the mountain

me at the waterfall

this field trip was much less hectic than the other one to the pearl tower. it was less crowded and the kids could actually run free in the gardens and play, opposed to having to be dragged along hand in hand at the tower. so far both field trips have given me the opportunity to see more of shanghai and not pay for it! double bonus :)

and i got to play and hold mark a lot :) he was scared of the littlest bugs and kept jumping in my arms ... i didn't mind. because he is SO precious.

mark :)