Ruth just handed me the computer... guess I am supposed to write something... Shanghai has really been a great adventure so far. I am amazed at how quickly we felt at home in our apartment and in our neighborhood. It is a bit of a bubble - as we wander outside Da Mu Zhi (Thumb Plaza) and Yanlord apartments, fewer people speak English and it is easier to get lost, but every day our bubble of comfortability (Ruth is cringing as I make up words) expands a bit.
The kids have adjusted very well and are even starting speaking some Mandarin. John says "dui, dui" ("yes, yes") as we put puzzles together, and I swear Betsy has started saying "xie xie" ("thank you") because she hears us say it all the time.
Work is definitely an escape from adjusting to Shanghai life - everyone in the office speaks English and I've been friends with many of the engineers there for a few years. So while Ruth is "roughing it" in the jungle of Shanghai with the kids, I'm in a cubicle farm reading emails and going to meetings.
We need to start planning some trips soon - we only have 18 months and we have a lot of places to see. Please offer suggestions if you have them!
1 comment:
Go to Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta warriors. We stayed in a nice hotel there. I will ask my uncle which one. It was well worth the trip.
Also-you have probably planned to visit Hong Kong and Bejing. So much to see in both of these places. We took a train from Xi'an to Bejing and it was an incredible experience. Don't know if this is an option for you, but we got to see the countryside and experience the old Chinese culture. I think John would be facinated.
Post a Comment