Classes have begun

It's update time! Classes began on Monday (although they had a frightening introduction on Sunday). According to my schedule, I will have Chinese language from 8:40-11:35 a.m. every day except Wednesday, Issues in Contemporary Chinese Culture on Mondays and Thursdays from 1:30-3:30, and Chinese Politics every Friday from 1:30-4:40. So it's nice because I have Wednesdays off and no classes on Tuesday afternoon. The language classes are going to be intense. Our teacher doesn't really speak to us in English, and we move very fast. But I've already learned a lot. I'm in level 2, which I feel is a good place for me. It's not too comfortable, but we don't move too fast either. Either way, I'm feeling like my language skills should definitely improve over the semester, although actually passing class might be a stretch, and I don't know if I'll exactly be "fluent".


For my first Wednesday off I plan to sleep in, go running, and then spend the day getting lost somewhere in Shanghai and exploring. Hopefully my money from Western Union will have come in by then, and perhaps I can get a bike. Also, I hate Wells Fargo for giving me the wrong PIN number and leaving me on the other side of the world in the People's Republic of China without a way to get money. So when I get back, I'm switching to Bank of America, free popcorn in the lobby be damned.

So things are still going well. It's pretty crazy here (as you can imagine). There is a Wal Mart here, only it's 3 stories and in the middle of an urban area. Also, the seafood section looks more like an aquarium, complete with live turtles, all sorts of fish, and live frogs (they're fat too!). Also, the writing on the wall says 200% Satisfaction Guaranteed (There's actually a tremendous amount of amusing "chinglish" in this city). Also, you can select a variety of Chicken's feet, whole fish, Jackie Chan shampoo, or pig's feet. Also, I have yet to find a carton of milk that is not on or past its date of expiration. It's like the dairy gods are teasing me. It's incredibly fascinating though, everywhere I go is like a wonderland of craziness. And I love it.

I'm sure I'll get homesick here in a while, and I'm holding out as long as I can without western food. But luckily, the place where the Wal Mart is part of a new shopping complex that features a lot of places where you can get western stuff. There are several bread and pastry shops, a western food market that sells peanut butter and other items, and a movie theater that sometimes shows movies in English (although it's about 12 USD, which is a pretty ridiculous price in China).

All in all things are well. I hope things are doing good back home. I'm on the hunt for some cool baby clothes for Kyle (the only place I've looked at is in the luxury mall where an outfit was about 700 kuai, or $100...the Chinese have a knack for blowing a lot of money on their children, an interesting consequence of the one-child policy).

I'll leave you with some interesting tidbits I've noticed about Shanghai thus far:

-Traffic laws are more of a suggestion than a law.

-The entire country has blocked internet porn (not that I've tried for any other reason than to see if it was true). Also, if you type in *ibet and other such words, often the internet will shut down "randomly".

-They don't use American style toilets, rather, there is a whole in the ground (granted, a porcelain hole) that you squat over. Also, people are expected to bring their own toilet paper (and usually you can't flush it).

-You can buy cigarettes and beer just about anywhere. Also, you can smoke pretty much anywhere.

-There's no such thing as an ambulance having the right-of-way (the law is there, but people are not accustomed to following it). Often, a taxi or private car is the fastest way to get to the hospital.

-A liter of Canadian mist (read, homeless man liquor) costs 50 USD, a liter of Johnny Walker Red Label costs 22 USD.

-All of the crappiest fast food restraunts in the states are the fanciest restraunts here. Dairy Queen, KFC, McDonalds, and Burger King are all super nice. Meanwhile I feel like I need my hepatitis booster just to drive through the parking lot of the Georgetown Dairy Queen (God Bless it).