Our little slice of Shanghai

Trent and I live in a beautiful apartment complex called Qingshui Garden with at least 27 buildings, I say at least because we live in building 27 but I have no idea how many there are! There are lots of families that live here and they're mostly Chinese and Korean. Pu Dong is an area well populated by ex pats from all over the world but somehow I still manage to draw a decent amount of attention where ever I am. People say hello to me and speak English to me occasionally, I feel very much like I'm still in DeWitt quite often. Why? you're asking, how is this possible? Well, because everyone stares at me! They peer into my face inquisitively as if I am the giant white girl they met that one time at that one party or something. Most of the time I don't mind and I just peer back at them, but in my moments of frustration I wish I could blend in or if they're going to stare at me I wish they would just ask me whatever they're wondering. Sometimes they smile back at me and say ni hao and a lot of people do speak English but I haven't really gotten to know anyone just yet.

Luckily Trent has been here for a month longer than me and in that time he has been taking Chinese lessons. I have picked up some of the survival phrases for shopping/buying food on my own but otherwise I really don't know any Chinese. One of Trent's co-workers is interested in doing a language exchange with me, basically we get together and I have conversations with her in English to help her improve and she in turn tutors me in Chinese. I'm excited to get started I think it will be really helpful for both of us.

Below are photos from our neighborhood, from our balcony and the window in the hallway by the elevator and of the buildings, walk ways, ponds and trees throughout the complex.  There are details of the beautiful vegetation and that last photo is our living room, the beautiful flowers were a gift from the students in my first class because today is Teacher's Day in China it was such a wonderful way to end my very first week teaching. It definitely had its ups and downs but I finally feel like I am doing something that puts my 6 years of college to use in an equally challenging and rewarding environment. Looking at these photos I realize I need to take a lot more to help you have a more well rounded understanding. Unfortunately, this blog can't convey the complete picture no matter how hard I try. So much of what makes this city so unique and memorable are the smells and the sounds. I could take 1,000 street scene photos but without the humming of motors, frequent blaring horns, bike bells, yelling and all of the different smells literally layers of smells sometimes awful sometimes good. Basically you just have to come and see for yourself, I will never be able to express how vibrant, alive and stimulating this city truly is.