Saturday, December 28, 2013

Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew...

...Before Moving to Shanghai. 

So here's my contest submission for those of you who may not have seen it (yes, I got robbed, but I had fun writing these up nonetheless).
  1. What may be cringe-worthy behavior at home is standard practice here. Like a pitcher winding up his throw, locals loudly clear their throats, amassing enough mucus to successfully hawk up a giant loogie that always seems to land right next to you, just a little too close for comfort. Oh and burping loudly, picking one's nose, and wearing one's pajamas in public are no big deals either. Although you may not pick up these practices yourself, you somehow become immune to them over time.

  2. Toilets come in various shapes and sizes. Be thankful when coming across an actual, stand-up toilet because the next restroom could only house squatters -- lovely porcelain holes in the ground (why even bother with the porcelain, I’ve often asked myself?). And an actual toilet with toilet paper? You must be in some swanky (or foreigner-friendly) establishment. 

  3. The pollution is as bad as they say. Walking outside on some days is like taking a stroll through the smoking section of a crowded restaurant. I never anticipated how much I’d miss breathing in fresh air and looking up at blue skies. 

  4. Honking is a constant, but isn’t always an expression of aggression. It could just indicate, “hey, I’m coming through,” or “FYI, I’m approaching this intersection.” 

  5. That said, there is serious road hierarchy: public buses reign supreme; below them, taxis; personal vehicles come next; mopeds and bicycles (electric and traditional) follow but are no less sympathetic toward the lowest on the totem pole – pedestrians. Crosswalks make terrible shelters; direct eye contact and dirty looks help get you across the street in one piece. 

  6. But, somehow it works and traffic flows rather smoothly (albeit at a snail’s pace during rush hour). And come to find out, bike riding in this city is arguably safer than in most others. With car registrations costing upwards of USD10K, bikes outnumber vehicles and morning commutes become Shanghai’s version of “critical mass” when four wheels have no choice but to yield to two. 

  7. Sure, the local grocer sells chicken feet and pig stomach, but Shanghai is also home to some of the best restaurants in the world, attracting renowned chefs and offering culinary delights from all over the world.

  8. You can find anything here. It may cost a pretty penny (a box of Cheerios will set you back almost USD12), or it may be fake (beyond the Rolex watches and the Channel bags, there are counterfeit Rosetta Stone language CDs and Nikon camera parts), but it’s here; you just have to seek it out. 

  9. Shanghai is the new frontier where young people from various parts of the economically unstable world come flocking. It’s where dreams of starting your own business, opening your own shop and, sometimes, taking on a new persona, can come true. 

  10. Time flies in general, but it bolts when you’re an expat. Just when you’ve settled into your new life abroad -- a life so very different from the one you left behind -- time’s up. 

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Where my fans at?

Okay, lurkers, time to reveal yourselves and show some love for the blog :)

Before I left Shanghai, I submitted an entry to a contest sponsored by ExpatsBlog.com entitled, "Top Ten Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving to Shanghai." To show your love, click here and leave a "real" (more-than-10-word) comment if you enjoyed what you read.

Thanks, as always, for the love and support!  xo

Expat Blog Awards 2013 Contest Entry

Friday, December 13, 2013

Zhoumo kuaile!

I'm going home tomorrow! Here's what mom has for me in the fridge, most of which was bought on request:

  • Greek yogurt
  • Baby carrots
  • Three Twins ice cream
  • Baba ganoush and/or hummus
  • Cheeses, including (but not limited to) Armenian string and goat

Posts will be intermittent; I'll be too busy breathing in as much fresh ocean air as possible. And so I leave you, for now, with a Chinese Christmas wish:


Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Cost of Groceries

I've mentioned before the exorbitant cost of non-Chinese food items, but I wanted to prove it to you.  I'll let you do the math (divide by six).



Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Yes, Really

The Chinese state media recently released five "surprising benefits" of smog:
  1. It unifies the Chinese people. 
  2. It makes China more equal. 
  3. It raises citizen awareness of the cost of China’s economic development. 
  4. It makes people funnier. 
  5. It makes people more knowledgeable (of things like meteorology and the English word haze). 
(Credit: Time Inc.; read more.) 

I suppose they get points for looking on the bright side (pun intended).  

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Music Men

When walking down any major street in Shanghai, you're guaranteed to hear one of these two songs. On repeat.



I'm not sure why these two songs in particular, and why there aren't any other songs in these men's collections of counterfeit CDs...
...but after you get past the bewilderment of this phenomena, it becomes quite amusing and sometimes leads to singing along or feigning latin dance moves.

Friday, December 6, 2013

Zhoumo kuaile!

I know I've complained about the air quality before, but it's really, really bad today ("beyond index"!).
This time, I can really feel it in my chest and I've had a nasty cough for few days now. If only Shima knew how to use a toilet, I wouldn't have to go outside. But she hasn't acquired that skill yet, which means I've given in and will be sporting one of these accessories on our walk this afternoon.
Only one more week 'til I see the blue skies of California! My lungs and I can't wait. 

P.S. More on the current "airpocalypse". And some think artificial rain may help.  

Thursday, December 5, 2013

East vs. West

A graphic designer who was born in China but lived in Germany created a series of images that represents the differences between East and West.  Although I loved them all, this one was my favorite.  Check out the rest.


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Shenzhen Street Food, by Mike

For about a year and a half, I've asked Mike to grace this blog with a guest post. He's finally complied...

I'm really more of an eater than a blogger, so I decided my first post will be to take over the Fatty Tuesday column (You're not taking over anything. And you missed the Tuesday deadline anyway.).

After stuffing my pie hole this past weekend with a Thanksgiving feast and all of its leftovers, I went down to Shenzhen for one night. Not knowing the restaurant scene down there, I figured the best way to try different local fare was to hit one of its famous food streets.

The Dongmen area is known for being an old and well-established shopping area but also has very respectable street food. Here's what went down:

First up was a delicious tofu I kept seeing people walking around with. Not very greasy and with a good amount of spice, the dish was two large slices of tofu for less than a buck.
Given its close proximity to Hong Kong (just across the Chinese border by the South China Sea), Shenzhen's seafood is fresh and popular, so I had to give the grilled oysters and clams a try. For less than $2 per serving, you get three grilled oysters smothered in a slightly sweetened garlic mixture (imagine scampi with a touch a soy) or five clams covered with glass noodles and the same garlic mixture. I got both.
Not quite having my fill of noodles after the clams, I got myself a bowl of famous Chinese-style hand-cut noodles (dao shao mian) for $2. Super fresh with great texture and awesome with a beer.
Feeling pretty full, I was on my way out, but paused when I saw a long line at one of the carts. After realizing it was Chinese-style stewed pig's feet, who was I not to top off my night with some tasty trotters? I've had plenty of pig's feet before (not the crappy pickled-in-a-jar-at-a-bar kind), and these didn't disappoint, especially for about $1.50.
All in all, with two beers and five dishes for under $10, not a bad meal, or first post if I do say so myself (and he does).

Monday, December 2, 2013

Thanksgiving Success

I've deemed myself and Mike Thanksgiving gurus. Here was our holiday "by the numbers":

15: Number of friends from our various walks of Shanghai life (school, work, and bike rides) who came over for our turkey dinner.

9: Number of nationalities represented (from British to Chinese; Dutch to Russian).

2: Number of appetizers served (deviled eggs and a cheese platter).

5: Number of sides that accompanied the turkey (bread stuffing, green bean casserole, spinach gratin, potato gratin, and salad, served only because we were worried we wouldn't have enough. We did.)

3: Number of desserts served with homemade whipped cream (bourbon pumpkin pie, apple crisp, and good ole American brownies).

1: Number of photos I have from our Thanksgiving dinner... of the leftovers.