Having been in China for exactly two months, I'm finding I'm already forgetting the little things that I had noticed so often with fresher eyes. As much as I love the feeling of starting to make a new city home, I don't want to forget my initial reactions and observations, especially in a place as foreign and crazy and huge as Shanghai. That being said, my motivations to start a blog are twofold; the first being selfish, and the second in case any friends or family are interested in reading about my experiences. :)
One of the things I'm most surprised about is, as much as I hate to admit it, the almost overwhelming feeling of homesickness I've gotten a few times since leaving. I've always felt so lucky to have the family and friends that I do, and to have grown up in the magical land of New England. When I moved to Seattle four years ago, I had no idea how much I would fall in love with everything about it. From sunsets over the Olympics, the proximity to both saltwater and mountains, and the terrible drivers, to the food scene, omnipresence of recycling, and incredible skyline views from my evening runs in Queen Anne. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have sung the Emerald City's praises since leaving, and when I add in the conversations and time spent with so many wonderful people, especially during my last month there, it's enough to make my heart ache for that tiny corner of the world.
Moving from a city proper of less than one million people, where I'd often bump into a familiar face in any neighborhood, to one more than twenty times the size is certainly exhilarating. I'm truly loving the newness of everything, and am reminded almost daily that this isn't just life, transported. Slowly, slowly, my Chinese is coming back, and I'm learning the labyrinth of 11 metro lines. Despite the spitting in streets, shouting into cell phones in public places, and cutting in lines, there is so much I love about this country, and I do have a sense of home in China. I can't quite describe the familiar feeling rushing through me the minute I walked out of the hotel that first day. After 5 years, it feels so good to be back.
This blog will document my transition from one home to another. Despite having been to China before, Shanghai is new territory for me, and I absolutely love how never ending its bounds are as the largest city proper in the world. Never have I been in a place that felt so massive, and the cityscape alone is proof that things here are always growing and always moving. I like the feeling of being a tiny part of what makes Shanghai buzz, and that at any given moment there are people out and about.
One of the first things I did after moving into my new place was find a running route. I think this skyline will do. :)
This blog will document my transition from one home to another. Despite having been to China before, Shanghai is new territory for me, and I absolutely love how never ending its bounds are as the largest city proper in the world. Never have I been in a place that felt so massive, and the cityscape alone is proof that things here are always growing and always moving. I like the feeling of being a tiny part of what makes Shanghai buzz, and that at any given moment there are people out and about.
One of the first things I did after moving into my new place was find a running route. I think this skyline will do. :)
