I think of my adventures here in China as a large puzzle. The great adventures and thought changing experiences are stealing the show when it comes to the puzzle. However, the puzzle is not complete without the ten pieces of solid blue or the fifty pieces of cloud. So that the puzzle may be complete, here is a collection of smaller experiences that I'd like to tell.
Scraping the Sky
It is absolutely amazing how quickly Shanghai is expanding. Everywhere you look there's a new building being built. Sadly that's about it so I leave you with one more puzzle piece to add as well as a picture to tell a thousand more words for me.
Foreigners: Saving the World one Pamphlet at a Time
One method of advertising that drives me absolutely crazy is pamphlets. Like clockwork, a person accepts the handout, holds onto it until the next trashcan, and then throws it away. Luckily, for the most part I've observed people in New York completely ignore this unless actually interested. In Shanghai it appears as if everyone is interested... for about five seconds and then finds a trashcan or the ground. As a foreigner, a Chinese pamphlet is a waste to give to me and thus I'm ignored, saving paper from the trash if only for a few minutes.
Look at the Odd White Man!
One of the more interesting aspects of living abroad is stepping out of the majority and into the minority. Sadly, I don't really get the full experience since Shanghai is the most international city, besides Hong Kong, that China has to offer. As I gaze around the subway or as I walk, I'll often catch curious looks and sometimes very strong stares from the natives. With each passing day my mind assimilates more and more into the Chinese society. The other day I was walking to work and saw a young white child riding a scooter with his mother close behind and I found myself staring as if the circus was passing by.
