Pretty October Weather in Shanghai

The weather in Shanghai right now is pretty much awesome. It’s sunny without being too hot. It’s cool without being too cold. And there’s a breeze without it being windy. Those of you who know me well know that I am not a big fan of wind, particularly strong winds that throw dust into the air and whip my hair around too much. This, of course, is all before the biting cold, wet winters set into chilling our bones in a few weeks time.

So I should be out and about enjoying this amazing weather. I should be taking a walk through the city, or perhaps maybe even sitting at one of the (few) public parks. I could even be hanging my clothes out to dry if not for the lack of an adequate balcony for me to do so.

Alas, I am doing none of the mentioned above. I really want to get my thesis approved and submitted before the December deadline and I am making myself stay in this weekend to get more and more editing done on it. I am not too fond of the idea of having to pay tuition for another term to extend my writing time. I’ve been looking at and thinking about this thesis paper for over a year now so to be frank, I’m sick of it already. I’m sure that when I’m done with it, I’ll want to do nothing but talk about all the “important graduate research I did” during my time in China. But for now, I really just want to be playing outside.


note: I realize this photo doesn't make the Shanghai "outdoors" look too exciting, but it was the best I could do from my living room window using photobooth. Look how brightly that sun is shining!

10 Thesis Procrastinating Things

10 things that are keeping me from being extra productive on my thesis writing

1. Staring at a sentence forever to find the perfect words to get my point across. Usually results in epic_fail.
2. Thinking about the freedom I will have once my thesis is approved and I officially graduate.
3. Checking my email. Every 5 minutes. Even though I know there are no new emails to read.
4. Wikipedia. Need I say more?
5. I recently caved in and purchased a personal VPN so that I can have easier/freer access to the Internet across the Great Firewall. What does this mean? I am able to use Facebook again.
6. Nostalgia. Reminiscing. Again. Nothing new there.
7. Trying to remember how cold Shanghai can get during the winter. Cold weather is almost here, but the last few days have been nothing but abundant sunshine. The false sense of security before winter hits us.
8. Eating peanut butter and jelly. But in Chinese steamed buns, mantou 馒头
9. Organizing my iTunes.
10. Writing this list.

Update

Ni hao! 你好！

So I finally caved in and purchased a private/personal VPN so that I could access the Internet a little more ... easily ... I kept hoping that once the PRC's 60th had passed things would start to lighten up. Guess not. I had been posting in livejournal for awhile in the mean time and I will see about getting some of those entries posted here as well. Seeing how this is my "China" blog.

What has been going on in the mean time? Basically, I left China. I spent about 6 weeks in the fabulousness that is Southern California. Then I came back to China. Same city, Shanghai. Same job, teaching English. Still working on getting that thesis finished as well. Left China (again) for the National holiday (8 days off from work!) to visit South Korea. Still working on that thesis.

10 Happy Things

1. God
2. Korean pop music. Purchased directly from South Korea during my trip. Saucy hips? Sorry, Sorry? Again and again? Heartbreak? This stuff is legit!
3. Finding out that Michelle (Michi!) will be visiting Shanghai for a few days during her winter Asia trip. I am so excited to see her!!!
4. Nice weather. The sun has been shining and the breeze has been light.
5. Calling home to California and hearing my parents’ voices.
6. Getting comments from my advisor about my first thesis draft. Not a whole lot of positive news, but at least I’ve passed one major step on the road to completing my thesis.
7. Having a quiet weekend to myself. I have the whole apartment to myself for a few days so it has been nice to have no noise and not much talking. Nice break from my kindergartners.
8. Making my kindergartners laugh over the simplest and silliest things.
9. Thinking about Southern California and Los Angeles.
10. Thinking about international travel and reflecting on my time abroad this last year and a half.

What are the 10 things that made you happy this past week?

South Korea, "It's So Cute!"

A whole week spent away from the hustle and bustle of Shanghai. Nice~

I spent China’s National Holiday with Michelle and Brian in South Korea. We were mainly in two cities, Seoul and Busan. Michelle and I were mostly overwhelmed by how “cute” everything was.

“Look at that sign. It’s so cute”
“Look at that building. It’s so cute.”
“Look at that Korean baby. It’s so cute.”
“Look at that hanbok [traditional Korean outfits]. It’s so cute.”
“Look at the food. It’s so cute.”
etc. etc.

Until Brian pointed at a poster of a wild boar nursing its babies and asked me ...
“Look at that poster of the pig. Is that cute?”

Seoul was amazing. It’s always nice to get away from Shanghai’s crowds and pollution and see a completely Westernized and developed big city, but with a bunch of Asian people. The streets were clean, people followed the traffic laws, people weren’t rude and pushy, we didn’t have to worry too much about being cheated with cheap goods. It was good. We were there during the Korean Thanksgiving holiday so there would be Koreans wearing Hanboks (the traditional Korean outfit). Palaces were even offering free admission for those who entered wearing hanboks! Promoting cultural pride! Michelle and I also went to visit JYP Entertainment. haha, one of the Korean pop star companies. There were also so many Christian churches all over the place. Most of them had a cross lit up with red lights so they were very easy to find, especially at night.

We took a close to 3 hour KTX (Korean Express Rail) train from Seoul to Busan/Pusan to see more of South Korea. Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and also a seaside port on the Eastern coast of the peninsula. We arrived a few days too early for the Pusan film festival which is apparently a pretty big deal in Asian cinema. We did see all the festival setups when we went to Haeundae Beach on our last morning in Pusan. The highlight of our Pusan trip was probably what I shall term the “Hike of Death” when we went searching for Seokbulsa Temple in the hills of Geumjeongsan Mt. Lonely Planet describe it as difficult and hard to find, and a strenuous hike. Oh, all of that was very true. Michelle and I were really working hard at this hike that had us walking down hills using rocks and tree roots as our steps, as Brian kept a fast pace ahead of us. We finally found the temple a few hours into our hike (we stopped for a lunch break, and subsequently also finished our hike that day with a foil package of cooked duck meat). The hike back up to the South Gate was pretty tough since everything was so steep. We now wanted to head to Beomeosa Temple on the other side of the hill. We kept climbing up, passed South Gate and then started following a group of ajummas (Korean aunties) because we were assuming they were headed the same way. Even if they weren’t, they at least knew where they were going so we figured we would end up somewhere. We walk for awhile (a much better trail this time) and ended up at a crossroads and no idea which direction to now head. Michelle and I went to the guard station and using our broken Korean asked which was to Beomeosa Temple. One of them started speaking to us in English and told us that it was getting late and we’d never be able to make it before night fall. Too bad. So we took a bus back down the hill and went to the Busan tower instead. And then caught a Korean movie (no subtitles!) that night as well.

We had 1.5 days back in Seoul, after Pusan, before our flight back to Shanghai. We went to watch a show at the B-boy Theatre near Hongik University. That was pretty cool. The next day, our last full day, was spent shopping. Rather, Michelle and I shopped and Brian went to visit Seoul National University’s admissions office to get information on their language classes. He liked South Korea so much, he’s now making plans to move and live there for awhile after China. All three of us met up at Myeongdong for a final dinner of Korean BBQ. And we left the next morning, bright and early.

South Korea is pretty. I would definitely like to visit it again in the future. The food was delicious, the culture was vibrant (shops close late! these people like their night life, even older people), the colors were beautiful and yes, the people are good-looking too.

South Korea, Here I Come!

I have put in my dues to China. I worked the random extra "make up" days so that I can get my whole week off. I have seen all the red and yellow national flags of China waving from every single lamppost, tree, rail, pole, anything that they can hang a flag from. I appreciate all the red lanterns as well.

Happy 60th bday PRC. Turning 60 is important in many Asian cultures, Chinese culture included. And when you are the PRC, it's a HUGE deal.

2008 - Beijing Olympics
2009 - PRC turns 60
2010 - Shanghai World Expo
2011 - Time to take over the world???

And so what am I doing for the PRC's big 6-0? I am actually leaving the country to visit South Korea (will be in Seoul and Busan, and whatever is in between!) for about a week.

passport - check
suitcase - check
itinerary - check
draft of thesis sent to advisor - SUPER CHECK!