Thursday, June 7, 2012

4 weeks of Shanghai

Well it has been 4 weeks now since I arrived in China...it is crazy how far we have come.  I remember being picked up at the airport, meeting 3 other people and driving to hotel...It is crazy how quickly we all became so close...Tonight I finally found the beautiful building we saw driving up in the taxi on the way to the hotel the first night. 

Things have changed so much in four weeks.  We completed training and started in our centers...The hotel has gone from something like a dorm to a little bit lonlier place.  Who knew four weeks ago that the times we have had in the hotel rooms together would become memories that last a life time.  We have had so many good times in the hotel...We have had movie nights, nap times, gossip sessions and just good old hang outs.  But now people have been gone for a week and the hotel is a little bit quiter...I am certain it makes our neighbors happier :)  


We met another girl from the newest group of onboarders it is crazy to think that we have been here long enough to see a second set of onboarders come through.  It is exciting to now meet them and not be the newest people.

I am very excited to move on and find a hotel but I def. have started to realize that the experiences that I have had living in this hotel have been some of the greatest times of  my life!

It is interesting to see how fast you become adjusted to life in China...We have our regular places we love to eat..Like the little noodle shop down the street from us...it is this awesome whole in the way place where they make their noodles fresh right in front of you...they are the most wonderful noodles...and they are open 24 hours a day.  The is a muslum (Sp) place next door that also has amazingly cheap food. Their food is also fresh and cheap. 

We have found bars that are so fun...we go to a bar called Perry's it is a local western bar where the food and drinks are cheap....It is a nice place that reminds me of home.  Everyone is westerner there is writing on the walls... you can get pizza and burgers, beer and hooka there...it is a great place to hang out and socialize.  

We have also experienced some really awesome clubs here...though slightly expensive they are very unique to clubs we have at home.  Lots of singers and performers....one club soho has a clown and balloons.

I have also learned alot about being a forgeiner.  The locals like to take advantage so you have to be tough and stick to your guns...They will try and push you around but if you stand firm they will usually give in. 

I have also learned alot about living in a big city...in less than a month I went from living in small town Gainesville to living in a city of 23 million...I went from almost no experience with a metro to learning the metro system in a city 3 times the biggest city in the states.

I took my first scooter ride today.  I was late for work...shock to those that know me well...and so I had to get from the metro to work fast...After some debate with the scooter taxis one finally decided to take me even though he wasnt sure what I was saying...Needless to say there were several times in the 5 min scooter taxi ride where I questioned whether or not I would live to see work...It kinda answered my questions on whether or not I will be trying to get a scooter when I get to Nanjing....


The answer is no lol....well that is all for now

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