Survival Guide 1: Shanghai

How To Cross the Street:

Rule 1: Wait for Green Walk signal,unless of course you don't want to wait.
Rule Two: Look Left, Look Right, Look Left, Look Right, Look Left, Look Right, then RUN while maintaining your constant left to right surveillance. You may also want to add the occasionally glance behind and of course, in front of you.
Rule Three: Keep walking. Continue on course across the street with varying speed, changing at a moments notice based upon the following variables: Oncoming traffic through red light; right turning taxis; bicycles and/or scooters going through the red light, green light, coming from the sidewalk ahead or behind you any additional cargo on bicycles and or scooters which may include but is not limited to (all of these I have truthfully seen): 30 foot PVC pipe, a trailer of chairs, a family of four (all on A scooter), carts of pineapples, cardboard, pots and pans, stove tops with attaching propane tank for easy meals along the road etc. Oh, if it is raining many of the bicyclists will be riding one handed because the other hand will be holding an umbrella.

Notice: Pedestrian green arrow means nothing to turning traffic except they might enjoy the color shift. aka Pedestrians do not have the right of way at any point unless there is a herd of you crossing the street and you can put yourself on the opposite side of the incoming vehicle next to rest of the pack. Survival of the fittest.

How to take a Taxi

For fun: let's pretend you've successfully explained where you want to go in Chinese to the cab driver who is facing the opposite direction behind a plastic panel and he heads in the right direction. If you've managed that, you are incredible.
Rule One: Close your eyes for the duration of the taxi ride and your blood pressure will maintain regular levels maybe the rest of your life.
Rule Two: If you ignore rule one, hopefully you have someone's hand to squeeze during the ride. If not, find a door handle and attempt to enjoy the scenery as it goes speedily by.
Rule Three: Do not scream, at any point. You may be light headed by the end of the ride because of the the sharp intakes of breath you have incurred for the 57 accidents that almost happened crossing one intersection. I mean how necessary are those lane lines anyway? They certainly don't exist to bicyclists or anyone on a scooter. Plus, I mean obviously that guy that just pulled out in front of us when we were driving full speed, clearly he has somewhere to be. Until he comes to a complete stop one block later in the middle of the road to say drop someone off.
Rule Four If you notice your boyfriend's eyes suddenly getting larger and larger maintain a cheerful attitude and continue smiling and talking. Laugh offhandedly as you veer suddenly left, 2 cm from the back of a stopped bus and he explains he kept wondering when we were going to slow down.
Rule Five Wear ear plugs. Lots of honking will ensue, even if the traffic in front of you is fine, the cab drivers probably know that two streets over a traffic jam is happening and want to be sympathetic to anyone stopped there. Heck they could be stopped in Singapore and you would hear sympathetic honks here in Shanghai.

And that's just one taxi ride. If you have the heart and medication to try it again, God Speed.

Meanwhile, check out these fun pics from 263m and 350m high in Shanghai's Oriental Pearl Tower, aka giant TV tower with great views of the city (some of which you can see while standing on a glass floor, who doesn't like looking at the ground 259 meters up? answer: me):

On the right road, which is actually on the left

Hello once again from Shanghai! I'm back in China after two weeks south of the equator. I had an incredible time in New Zealand--it is stunning, the scenery is as I imagined and even more spectacular in person than just on pictures. I promise more stories to come. Tonight, I just wanted to write about a phenomenon that I've experienced today.

I consider myself to be fairly adventurous and willing to jump into new things. I would also say that I am fairly intelligent, quick learner, and quick on my feet. But living in a country where I absolutely do not know the language is incredibly debilitating! I think overwhelming is a good work to describe my current feelings. I just got back to my apartment after a day of walking around Shanghai. I have noticed in this country and others, that people will just come up to you and begin a conversation with me regardless of if I respond in their language. I feel rude that I don't know any Mandarin and that bothers me. Today I had to basically walk away from a gentleman who decided he needed to sit almost on my lap and discuss with me something, all in Chinese even as I was saying "I don't speak Chinese" and was looking at him blankly. Similar situations happened to me while in Florence and Rome. And today, a woman and school girls approached me too. People will just yell out "hello" to get my attention and then try to get me to buy something or come into their restaurant. I understand the allure for an English speaker like me who knows no Chinese-I want to go somewhere where something, anything is familiar and "safe", so if a place speaks a little English or has a picture/translated menu, I'll eat there!!! Understanding spoken language is so key to my existence, I don't realize how much I need/value it until I can't use it anymore. Of course there is body language too, some people smile at me and I'll smile back. But some people just want to catch your eye to try and sell you something which makes me not want to talk to anyone or look at anyone. It's overwhelming. People here don't have as much as a person bubble as they do in the US. Granted if I had 22, 999,999 neighbors just in my hometown, I may not have a bubble as well but it is definitely different. What amazes me is how much everyone exists in their own world-maybe everyone has to look out for themselves in order to just survive the subway.
I'll admit I"m tired which makes me more vulnerable to stress, noise, and lots of people. But today's occurances will definitely be on my mind as I try to venture off. I don't want to be afraid walking somewhere that I'll get bothered or afraid to sit down because I will get approached. I promise I won't let it keep me hidden forever, it is just part of the adventure. And my goal is to learn Mandarin, at least a bit while I am China. My goal is to make it enough that I don't walk through stores thinking "please don't ask me anything"  as I feel so rude and unintelligent not knowing how to respond. Tomorrow my goal is to learn please, yes and no.
It's a start at least.
Love.

Ps. more pictures have been posted: https://picasaweb.google.com/srweir122/NZ2AndSydney?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKzlzMvGh6G8ngE&feat=directlink

Around the Bund

China and I have been getting along nicely. Beautiful day today here, first day I have woken up to blue sky and sun! Yesterday was a day filled with yummy food, date night, and a brief walk along the infamous Bund! Tall buildings with screens down the whole side. Sparkling lights and a row of European buildings on the other side of the river staring down the young flashy buildings probably wondering what happened to the good ole' days. 

Tomorrow I head DOWN UNDER! First time over the Equator. I'm just a little excited. :) 

First photo: from Patrick's office window. Guess how many roads? :) Triple Decker! 

 Light traffic in Shanghai:

Yummy Lunch!

The Bund at night!

Definitely Not in Kansas anymore!!

First post from the Eastern Hemisphere!
Hello from China! It's Saturday afternoon here (fyi it is a 13 hour time difference from IL you guys are behind) and so far Saturday is foggy and cloudy. The last couple of days have been wonderfully low key. Ann, my apartment host, has been gracious and patient and my room has a great huge bed! Patrick was absolutely stunned which was great. (here is a video in case you missed it: http://youtu.be/gNXBDpggvQ4) Thanks to everyone for keeping the secret with me. He was happy and still is a happy boy. Jet lag hasn't been too bad, thankfully with not much to do I have been able to sleep in and rest and try to not get sick! Some fun pictures:

 More to come! xo