Initial Thoughts

I have arrived here in Shanghai (pronounced Shaang-hai for those of you who wanted to know). It hasn’t quite been three weeks yet, but it feels like an eternity. The excruciatingly miserable moments have led to zen level happy moments. There have been many moments where I have found myself cursing myself for making the decision to move here, frustrated with how different Chinese culture is. However, I sit here, quite happily, in my 3 bedroom flat having just eaten a great Turkish meal- I don’t think there is anywhere else I would rather be. Some might say the beach, but I actually turned down an invitation to a beach party to stay in alone on this Saturday evening.

China. An impossible place to describe, explain, encapsulate. Walk down a street and you will surely find something that will make you giggle (a toilet paper holder with an ashtray? no wrestling signs in the bathroom? men with their bare bellies exposed like it ain’t no thang?). You will also find meat. More than you or I can imagine, I cannot believe anyone is a vegetarian in this country. The fact that everything is so meat-centric makes me crave vegetarian meals. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the smells. Back in Arizona, a friend of mine who was visiting referred to what trash smells like in 115 degree weather as “hot trash”... a term that stuck with me. China takes the awfulness that is walking by baking trash in the dessert to another level. I’m reluctant to make any real claims about my thoughts on living here, but I am pretty fucking sure that I will never get used to the awful, horrible, no good smells.

Everything is cheaper here. The high fashion pushes you to be bold with your choices when you’re getting dressed in the morning. Travel via the Metro is clean, easy and affordable. Advertising is everywhere, even in the middle of parks! Speaking of which, there is SO much green space here. Supposedly when Shanghai was being built, someone influential went to Singapore and decided that Shanghai should be modeled after Singapore, leaving us with many random parks and other green spaces to wander through. Personal space is not a thing here- so you better get ready for that personal bubble to be popped! There really are a lot of Chinese people in Shanghai... so you get stared at A LOT if you are not one of them.

So much to see, learn and do in this short amount of time... all while trying to conform to a culture that isn't my own. Excited for the growth that I've forced upon myself.