Teaching English: Ningbo, China... Schools Out!

After the school bell rang, what did I get up to? Wuhan and Beijing saw me run around the city at the weekends. It took time for me to prize myself out of my comfortable loft style apartment but towards the end of my Ningbo experience, I ventured out. A Saturday blogging spot? Yes, I found craft beer and quality food! Going into the night, I needed that Ningbo content! Preach!

My blog has been my main device since returning to China in February 2023, to document and celebrate those much cherished international travels. The Pandemic had grounded me within England without any means to continue my globetrotting ways, when I didn't get the right vibe in my Ningbo apartment to write, I knew it was time to look elsewhere for inspiration. I found myself and still do, almost one year behind with my blog schedule, in the grand scheme of things that isn't a big issue. The issue was the working space because during the weekends I didn't want to spend time in coffeeshops, I want something alcoholic to help those writing juices flow! Before I found 'my local', I spent a couple of weekends in two coffeeshop near to my house because day-time bars weren't really visible in my then local area, more recently places started opening up. 'Feel' and 'KM Coffee' became my first taste, I enjoyed writing away from home. I flipped my small dining table to face the window, that helped for those frigid winter weekends. 

I had been to 'DemoHood/带梦胡同' a few times but that had almost been two years previous to the moment I found 山野咖啡/Mountain Coffee'. I actually found this place by chance, I met a friend for coffee during my third working year in Ningbo. I loved the vibe of the place and wished I had brought my laptop with me, the WiFI was rapid and I really loved the open windows, revealing handy workspaces. I became a regular, the beer wasn't bad, in-fact it was really good! I ventured down to 'COMMUNE/幻师' several times but I never felt the pint pouring or punctuality met the standards of 'Mountain Coffee'. I got into the routine with a cheeky 8 minute walk from my previous Ningbo flat. The food served was fresh, I spent plenty weekends eating out there with their speedy internet free to use with either writing on the go or a show. It was a lovely place to reset from spending each night in at home during the working week. I found that it's completely healthy to break out of those four walls. 宁波, I sure switched it up! 

My loft apartment became my escape when the working day concluded, I enjoyed returning to my own space very much. The quality of properties that I was showed back in 2023 were questionable to say the very least, 'Cheng Rui Mansion' was the hot property for me. Only a mean 2 minute commute from my bed to the school gates, it sure had its moments living literally on top of the school! I enjoyed the rent, I didn't believe in going out every weekend because my four walls felt like the right place to be. I needed this place more than ever during those stressful days, on Fridays it was my place to open a bottle of wine. The level of consumption definitely was a lot, but I no longer resort to that vice when I don't feel 100%. I ended up living in 2 units within '丞睿大夏', the reason wasn't me as a tenant but the landlord sold the property from under my feet! I moved down five floors lower to another apartment. That was an experience to move a whole apartment in less than 7 hours before flying to Portugal in July 2024! Stress? Yes! 

Paying rent after living at home for three years in England felt nice, in-fact it felt amazing because I was back in the world and had my own space. In fact, I became too comfortable because it was my rented sanctuary, to be honest it stands as a hot property! From the aspect, the location boasts a Metro connection less than a 7 minute walk and shopping opportunities in two separate directions. Finishing work, during certain Fridays I was able to make a train before 18:20 and be off to places like Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai because the Metro ride from home was under 30 minutes with a cheeky change. The cons were as follows, the kitchen really was too small and that meant my appliances were in my living room, my fridge took up space next to my sofa. For my first independent adult home since Beijing, I think '丞睿大夏' was the right choice for me! Not to mention the airport express road was just a few minutes away! Choices! It was time to move on at the end of that third working contract. 再见, NB! Home is where the heart is! 

I had waited for three years for my life in Ningbo to begin, I had seriously underestimated the workload and type of teaching at that third kindergarten location. My therapy was to stay at home with a bottle of wine, making use of my balcony instead of going to a bar. I never felt the urgency to get out into those streets during the daytime neither the nighttime appealed to me all that much. During the beginning, I went out with friends from my then new teaching company but as time went past our routines changed. I did venture out to a secret nightspot for a few months, delights it did serve but one wet night saw me staying at home for a really long time. As mentioned, Ningbo was a base because I didn't want to hop to another city after the usual two year period, three would be the magic number! Being a small city, I feared that if I had adopted my usual sightseeing pace, the major attractions would all be clocked within the first year. Energy was focused towards those international trips and weekends outside of Ningbo. This life! 

As time ticked by, I knew that my exit from Ningbo loomed, I planned to get out and about. Unknowingly, I found myself spending a few freezing days beside '东钱湖/Dongqian Lake' because a certain travel plan wasn't to be, that was a period of reflection. Staying local for the remainder of the public holidays after February 2026 ensured I returned to the lake for a gorgeous sunshine weekend at another lakeside homestay, the change of property and sunny weather were appreciated! Pulling myself together, I spent a weekend at Ningbo's '老外滩/Old Bund', clocking colonial remnants and getting boozy responsibly! June 2026 saw me visit '奉化区/Fenghua District' for the first time, '雪窦山/Xuedou Mountain' looked lush in that summer-ish rain. The will always be open, I would never rule out return visits to Ningbo even after leaving. There were no mistakes, Ningbo played out different, distance changed my perspective, I saw what I wanted to in the end. '天一阁' and '月河' were clocked! '南唐老街' was so overrated! 

Ningbo Played Nicely! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure