Back-to-School Time (and more)

We got a lot accomplished today. In the morning, I became a student (and language nerd) again after enrolling in beginner Mandarin classes, which start next week. Mike and I then took a look at our new apartment. It's this great space on the top floor (penthouse!) of this fancy building in the French Concession. The apartment itself is maybe about twice the size of our old San Francisco pad, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms and an incredible view of the city. By the way, my goal here is not to brag but to entice visitors! 

View from the living room; five points for naming the site in the background (no peeking)

We also took the next step in securing our permanent residence permit (which means we passed our medical -- woohoo!). We had to go across the river to Pudong to get to the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security (sounds serious, huh?). Mike described it as a DMV from hell with three floors of waiting areas and government workers. We signed a piece of paper, they took our picture, and we were done and out of there in less than 10 minutes. Okay, not exactly the DMV.  

And perhaps most importantly, we booked our honeymoon. We'll be off to Bali at the end of September, spending three days in the jungle and three days by the beach at fantastic resorts. I can't wait! 

It's official...

...Mike and I are in a loving relationship -- as recognized by the Consulate General of the United States of America in Shanghai, China. As romantic as it sounds, it was pretty uneventful. We waited in line, went up to the window when called, raised our right hands, and swore the document we had in hand was true. The document, which states we're in a committed relationship, is required for my permanent residence permit. Best part of the process: Mike high-fiving me on the way out, saying, "We're loving!"   

Unfortunately, it was nothing like this.

Source: stylemepretty.com via Alexis on Pinterest