An interesting Chinese twist occurred in our home shopping negotiations.
As mentioned previously, we settled upon an apartment in Pudong. Of all of the places I viewed, I liked everything about this one - the size, the complex, the layout, the view. It felt comfortable - it felt like it could be home.
So we told our agent. This is the one. Let's get moving.
She got in touch with the manager, Woody. Woody is not the landlord, and neither is the complex. Each apartment in this complex is owned by an individual landlord, who makes financial and leasing decisions but otherwise leaves all management to someone else. In this case, Woody.
Woody got back to Sheila with news that the landlord had another offer already. A Japanese man had made an offer on the apartment. He offered a good amount of money, and was ready to move in immediately. This was better than our offer - the same amount of money, but a request for many improvements and new furniture, and a lease start date of November 1.
But rather than award the apartment to the first offer, or the best offer, the decision was made by guanxi. Guanxi literally means relationships, and in business in China guanxi is everything. Who you know, and how well you both like and trust them is paramount to anything else.
The landlord knows and likes Woody.
Woody knows and likes our agent.
Our agent, although not Chinese, knows and likes us.
This is very significant, and in the end it will get us the apartment.
Woody told us what the Japanese man offered. He recommended we offer the same, and we did. We still feel like we're getting a good deal - we're still paying under the list price.
Plus, we've had our first lesson in Chinese business practices.
So, our lease begins on November 1st. Uncle H-- needs 2 weeks to process a financial request, and we are just beginning a national holiday. So the landlord will not receive the initial deposit until probably October 22nd. Our shipment is expected to be available on October 26th. The landlord is expected to give us a few free days of access to the apartment, and so we should be able to open our container and unpack before we need to be out of the hotel. The timing will be tight, but also perfect. We couldn't expect Uncle H-- to pay for two homes at once, and this way we'll have a place to send our shipment as soon as possible and also be able to shop for the things we will need in our new home - bedding, linens, dishes and so forth - before we move in.
We're feeling very good about the entire thing, and looking forward to hosting you as guests in what will soon be our new home!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Frustrating Saturday
Life can frustrate.
Some days, life just chooses to frustrate. And this has very little to do with where you live, what language is spoken around you, or what other type of stress you may be under. Saturday would have been a frustrating day anywhere.
S-- cried a lot. And her new form of crying is actually screaming. She skips the work-up to a wail, and just goes straight to the screaming. So let's amend that.
S-- screamed a lot.
Dave and I both lost patience with her in ridiculous ways, yelling and threatening and being generally unsuitable parents.
We decided that we had to get out, so we piled both kids into the stroller and headed for the Pu'an Lu Children's Market. Just around the corner from our hotel, and oft discussed as being a great place to take children, this seemed like a good afternoon to try it.
Think of a combination between an outdoor craft fair, a subway station, and a mall.
The entire market is underground. At the corner of Jin Ling Lu and Puan Lu is a small stand selling hot food - noodles, and squid grilled on a stick. A large staircase takes you into the depths of the market. Since its a children's market, the staircase has a board over it on the right so that you can send you stroller at a steep pitch into the depths with you.
Once in, the dim fluorescent lights give everything a bit of an illegitimate feeling, like maybe I shouldn't be here. But the ATM standing proudly in the middle gave an air of authenticity. Much like a craft fair, each person has their own stand piled high with goods. More like a mall, each stand is entirely enclosed and a very small room, with clothes and toys piled all the way to the ceiling and hanging on the front entry. The walkways are small and full of gawkers, pokey children, and strollers. Every few turns has a children's ride - a horsey, a car, an armored battle tank. The back has a play area where for 15 kuai, children can jump in the ball pit, climb through the tunnels and generally blow off steam. This is a good deal for $2, and Dave and L-- headed there while S-- and I perused some of the offerings.
I tried my hand at bargaining, and failed at every turn. I have been advised to counter the original offer with 1/3 the price, and never to pay more than half. I have consistently proven that I only ended up bargaining well for things that I do not want or need, but am unable to bargain effectively for something I would actually like to buy. I ended up buying nothing, except 2 board books that were clearly factory seconds and which I bought for what translates to only a few dollars less than the publisher's marked price.
What a sucker.
Feeling like a failure, I headed to the playground to find Dave and L--. S-- was getting tired, I was getting hungry, and the frustrations of the day were only building.
Walking the entire length of the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
Walking the block of shops around the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
Again, walking the entire length of the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
After 10-15 minutes of this, I went to stand by the front entry. There was no use searching through this maze of cavernous little shops to find them. If they weren't where they said they would be, I was stuck and just needed to wait.
Frustration and anger mounted.
I had no hotel key with me, and so had no option but to wait.
There was no chair by the front door, and S-- was quickly losing patience with me.
I was thirsty, but with S-- on the verge of screaming I couldn't reach the bottle of water I had thought to bring along.
I must have looked like a cartoon, steam pouring out of my ears, my face turning red and my eyes studded with tears.
How could he do this to me, I fumed?
After 20 more minutes, I was unable to wait standing still any longer. Feeling futile, I headed into the market once again. I made my way back to the play area.
And saw Dave and L-- playing.
Have you been here the whole time?
Sure. We expected you quite a while ago.
We went home, and I didn't speak for the next hour.
Some days, life just chooses to frustrate. And this has very little to do with where you live, what language is spoken around you, or what other type of stress you may be under. Saturday would have been a frustrating day anywhere.
S-- cried a lot. And her new form of crying is actually screaming. She skips the work-up to a wail, and just goes straight to the screaming. So let's amend that.
S-- screamed a lot.
Dave and I both lost patience with her in ridiculous ways, yelling and threatening and being generally unsuitable parents.
We decided that we had to get out, so we piled both kids into the stroller and headed for the Pu'an Lu Children's Market. Just around the corner from our hotel, and oft discussed as being a great place to take children, this seemed like a good afternoon to try it.
Think of a combination between an outdoor craft fair, a subway station, and a mall.
The entire market is underground. At the corner of Jin Ling Lu and Puan Lu is a small stand selling hot food - noodles, and squid grilled on a stick. A large staircase takes you into the depths of the market. Since its a children's market, the staircase has a board over it on the right so that you can send you stroller at a steep pitch into the depths with you.
Once in, the dim fluorescent lights give everything a bit of an illegitimate feeling, like maybe I shouldn't be here. But the ATM standing proudly in the middle gave an air of authenticity. Much like a craft fair, each person has their own stand piled high with goods. More like a mall, each stand is entirely enclosed and a very small room, with clothes and toys piled all the way to the ceiling and hanging on the front entry. The walkways are small and full of gawkers, pokey children, and strollers. Every few turns has a children's ride - a horsey, a car, an armored battle tank. The back has a play area where for 15 kuai, children can jump in the ball pit, climb through the tunnels and generally blow off steam. This is a good deal for $2, and Dave and L-- headed there while S-- and I perused some of the offerings.
I tried my hand at bargaining, and failed at every turn. I have been advised to counter the original offer with 1/3 the price, and never to pay more than half. I have consistently proven that I only ended up bargaining well for things that I do not want or need, but am unable to bargain effectively for something I would actually like to buy. I ended up buying nothing, except 2 board books that were clearly factory seconds and which I bought for what translates to only a few dollars less than the publisher's marked price.
What a sucker.
Feeling like a failure, I headed to the playground to find Dave and L--. S-- was getting tired, I was getting hungry, and the frustrations of the day were only building.
Walking the entire length of the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
Walking the block of shops around the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
Again, walking the entire length of the playarea, I saw no sign of either Dave or L--.
After 10-15 minutes of this, I went to stand by the front entry. There was no use searching through this maze of cavernous little shops to find them. If they weren't where they said they would be, I was stuck and just needed to wait.
Frustration and anger mounted.
I had no hotel key with me, and so had no option but to wait.
There was no chair by the front door, and S-- was quickly losing patience with me.
I was thirsty, but with S-- on the verge of screaming I couldn't reach the bottle of water I had thought to bring along.
I must have looked like a cartoon, steam pouring out of my ears, my face turning red and my eyes studded with tears.
How could he do this to me, I fumed?
After 20 more minutes, I was unable to wait standing still any longer. Feeling futile, I headed into the market once again. I made my way back to the play area.
And saw Dave and L-- playing.
Have you been here the whole time?
Sure. We expected you quite a while ago.
We went home, and I didn't speak for the next hour.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Retail Therapy
I'm not usually one to indulge in Retail Therapy.
I tend to enjoy shopping only when I have enough money to cover what I want.
And if I know pretty specifically what I want, and where to find it.
And if all of that goes as well as planned, or better.
I'm very much an in-and-out kind of shopper.
But Friday, I needed to indulge.
Friday morning was not much. The girls slept until a reasonable time. We ate a nice breakfast together. We went for a walk, which turned into a ride on the Metro to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was good - Chinese, with mainly native Chinese diners, with mainly Chinese speaking staff, with a menu in both Chinese and English. We're breaking out, friends!
The walk back to the Metro felt long, as the girls were both tired and we didn't have our stroller. I love our stroller, and will sing its praises any day of the week. But its failure is that, even though it is small for a double stroller, it is still too big to carry on the metro. Or to fold up into the trunk of a taxi. So we walked. Carrying S--. Allowing L-- to walk or be carried. This starts to wear on us after a while, so by the time we returned to the hotel I was worn. Dave put the kids down for a nap, and I headed for Super Brand Mall. Although I don't think it puts American malls to shame, it does contain a Toys R Us with good prices on diapers. And it will be within walking distance of our chosen home. So I set off, in search of both diapers and a relaxing afternoon.
The mall has at least 7 floors, plus 2 basements. And no directory. At the top of each escalator is a small list of shops on that floor, but I realized halfway through that the directories do not list every shop. On the roller coaster of emotions that is every day, I was going down quickly. After a ridiculous amount of searching for what is really a very large store, I found Toys R Us. I've also memorized its location - 4th floor middle, stroller access at the back door.
Once in, Toys R Us in China is just any other Toys R Us. The staff even spoke a little bit of English, and brought me a bag when I was carrying two large packages of diapers. The roller coaster was riding back up - I was starting to feel good. After picking up the diapers and cups that I came searching for, I glanced at the strollers. An extra umbrella stroller, the type that sells for $20 in America, would be handy and make the metro much more negotiable. Unfortunately, those strollers sell for closer to $50 or $60 in China. Bummer.
But then I found something that was very exciting. The roller coaster just kept going up - that wonderful feeling in the pit of my stomach was building! I found a single stroller that only weighs a few pounds, and folds so small that it can be carried like a briefcase. Eureka! Forget that it cost twice as much as the other strollers - this tool would open up the world to me! With S-- in a backpack and L-- in this stroller, I should be able to manipulate the metro by myself. The city of Shanghai just grew from within-walking-distance-of-my-home to within-walking-distance-of-the-metro. Tremendous!
I bought it.
And then had to work the system to get it - take a slip, go to the register, pay, take another slip, go to the back door, pick it up. Carrying both a (remarkably light stroller folded into a) rather large box and a bag full of diapers, I headed out. The perfect ending to this trip would be a magazine and a cup of coffee. I had passed the Starbucks, but needed to find the magazine. With no directory, this would be a challenge. And by the time I found it, the roller coaster was quickly going down. My luggage had become quite heavy and unwieldy, going first down and then up the escalators to find Chaterhouse bookstore tucked away on the 6th floor.
Chaterhouse seems to be the primary English language bookseller in Shanghai, which is not saying much. Although the stores do seem to carry interesting books on travel and on Shanghai, their fiction listings are both sparse and expensive, and their children's listings tend only to carry the large series which generally are lacking in quality. The only available magazines were fashion and That's Shanghai. I had been seeking an escape, but an expat view of Shanghai would do. I bought the magazine, headed to Starbucks for my new favorite drink - an iced green tea latte conconction with some sort of berry syrup on top, not exactly the link but close. Relaxing in a soft chair, reading my magazine, eating my pastry and drinking my creamy tea made the day feel like a success.
I tend to enjoy shopping only when I have enough money to cover what I want.
And if I know pretty specifically what I want, and where to find it.
And if all of that goes as well as planned, or better.
I'm very much an in-and-out kind of shopper.
But Friday, I needed to indulge.
Friday morning was not much. The girls slept until a reasonable time. We ate a nice breakfast together. We went for a walk, which turned into a ride on the Metro to a restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was good - Chinese, with mainly native Chinese diners, with mainly Chinese speaking staff, with a menu in both Chinese and English. We're breaking out, friends!
The walk back to the Metro felt long, as the girls were both tired and we didn't have our stroller. I love our stroller, and will sing its praises any day of the week. But its failure is that, even though it is small for a double stroller, it is still too big to carry on the metro. Or to fold up into the trunk of a taxi. So we walked. Carrying S--. Allowing L-- to walk or be carried. This starts to wear on us after a while, so by the time we returned to the hotel I was worn. Dave put the kids down for a nap, and I headed for Super Brand Mall. Although I don't think it puts American malls to shame, it does contain a Toys R Us with good prices on diapers. And it will be within walking distance of our chosen home. So I set off, in search of both diapers and a relaxing afternoon.
The mall has at least 7 floors, plus 2 basements. And no directory. At the top of each escalator is a small list of shops on that floor, but I realized halfway through that the directories do not list every shop. On the roller coaster of emotions that is every day, I was going down quickly. After a ridiculous amount of searching for what is really a very large store, I found Toys R Us. I've also memorized its location - 4th floor middle, stroller access at the back door.
Once in, Toys R Us in China is just any other Toys R Us. The staff even spoke a little bit of English, and brought me a bag when I was carrying two large packages of diapers. The roller coaster was riding back up - I was starting to feel good. After picking up the diapers and cups that I came searching for, I glanced at the strollers. An extra umbrella stroller, the type that sells for $20 in America, would be handy and make the metro much more negotiable. Unfortunately, those strollers sell for closer to $50 or $60 in China. Bummer.
But then I found something that was very exciting. The roller coaster just kept going up - that wonderful feeling in the pit of my stomach was building! I found a single stroller that only weighs a few pounds, and folds so small that it can be carried like a briefcase. Eureka! Forget that it cost twice as much as the other strollers - this tool would open up the world to me! With S-- in a backpack and L-- in this stroller, I should be able to manipulate the metro by myself. The city of Shanghai just grew from within-walking-distance-of-my-home to within-walking-distance-of-the-metro. Tremendous!
I bought it.
And then had to work the system to get it - take a slip, go to the register, pay, take another slip, go to the back door, pick it up. Carrying both a (remarkably light stroller folded into a) rather large box and a bag full of diapers, I headed out. The perfect ending to this trip would be a magazine and a cup of coffee. I had passed the Starbucks, but needed to find the magazine. With no directory, this would be a challenge. And by the time I found it, the roller coaster was quickly going down. My luggage had become quite heavy and unwieldy, going first down and then up the escalators to find Chaterhouse bookstore tucked away on the 6th floor.
Chaterhouse seems to be the primary English language bookseller in Shanghai, which is not saying much. Although the stores do seem to carry interesting books on travel and on Shanghai, their fiction listings are both sparse and expensive, and their children's listings tend only to carry the large series which generally are lacking in quality. The only available magazines were fashion and That's Shanghai. I had been seeking an escape, but an expat view of Shanghai would do. I bought the magazine, headed to Starbucks for my new favorite drink - an iced green tea latte conconction with some sort of berry syrup on top, not exactly the link but close. Relaxing in a soft chair, reading my magazine, eating my pastry and drinking my creamy tea made the day feel like a success.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Home Shopping, Day 2
We have settled upon living in Pudong. The link is to a China-sponsored website, and as such offers a glowing review with a very small dose of reality. But if anyone feels like doing some research, its a good place to start. Also, just putting "Pudong" into google should get you some good finds... when you're outside of China.
As I explained earlier, Shanghai splits at the Huangpu River. West of the river is Puxi, the downtown area. Think of this as Manhattan. Dense buildings, busy sidewalks, congested streets, loads of shops, old and new buildings clustered on top of each other. An exciting, vibrant place to live and work. The center of culture in Shanghai.
East of the river is Pudong. Think of this as, well, like nothing I've ever seen before. Ten years ago, Pudong was rice paddies. This is no exageration - those communists / dictatorships can get things done reallly fast! Now, it is home to some of the largest buildings in the world, loads of expensive housing and shopping, and a futuristic skyline straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Like Puxi, Pudong is a very large area. Many expats choose to live in Jinqiao (pronounced jin - chow), which is about a 30 minute taxi ride into pudong. We are choosing to live in Lujiazui (pronounced loo - jha - zway), which is on the river's edge. We will be within easy walking distance of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the promenade along the river.
We've chosen Pudong and Lujiazui because the traffic is less, the sidewalks are larger and our budget buys more space. The apartments we looked at in Puxi were reliably 150 square meters. The apartment we have settled upon is 187 square meters, in a complex with over 30 other buildings. This provides room for green space, fountains and playgrounds in the midst of the compound. If you saw our slide show in April, this is the place we expected to live.
I'll send more details about what we hope will be our home once things are solidifed. At this point, we have just entered into negotiations. The list price matched our housing allowance, but our agents say we can bargain it down to be able to include other things in the price - new furniture, DSL, possibly utilities. Next week is a major holiday in China, so no negotiations will take place after today. It will probably be 2-3 weeks before the apartment is ours. More details on it then.
As I explained earlier, Shanghai splits at the Huangpu River. West of the river is Puxi, the downtown area. Think of this as Manhattan. Dense buildings, busy sidewalks, congested streets, loads of shops, old and new buildings clustered on top of each other. An exciting, vibrant place to live and work. The center of culture in Shanghai.
East of the river is Pudong. Think of this as, well, like nothing I've ever seen before. Ten years ago, Pudong was rice paddies. This is no exageration - those communists / dictatorships can get things done reallly fast! Now, it is home to some of the largest buildings in the world, loads of expensive housing and shopping, and a futuristic skyline straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Like Puxi, Pudong is a very large area. Many expats choose to live in Jinqiao (pronounced jin - chow), which is about a 30 minute taxi ride into pudong. We are choosing to live in Lujiazui (pronounced loo - jha - zway), which is on the river's edge. We will be within easy walking distance of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the promenade along the river.
We've chosen Pudong and Lujiazui because the traffic is less, the sidewalks are larger and our budget buys more space. The apartments we looked at in Puxi were reliably 150 square meters. The apartment we have settled upon is 187 square meters, in a complex with over 30 other buildings. This provides room for green space, fountains and playgrounds in the midst of the compound. If you saw our slide show in April, this is the place we expected to live.
I'll send more details about what we hope will be our home once things are solidifed. At this point, we have just entered into negotiations. The list price matched our housing allowance, but our agents say we can bargain it down to be able to include other things in the price - new furniture, DSL, possibly utilities. Next week is a major holiday in China, so no negotiations will take place after today. It will probably be 2-3 weeks before the apartment is ours. More details on it then.
Twice
Twice in under 2 weeks have we ridden in a taxi with our children.
If we thought the first time was bad (both children screaming as we held them on our laps), last night was fantastic.
Allow me to set the scene.
We are leaving a complex in Pudong at 8:30 at night. The sky is pitch black and the street is empty, save our taxi. Dave has climbed into the back seat of the taxi with L-- and S--. I have folded the stroller and am placing it into the trunk.
It doesn't fit in the trunk.
To reach this point, we had walked and taken the ferry earlier in the evening - it was an hour-long journey. It's now after bedtime, and none of us are in the mood for another hour-long walk.
We try fitting it in the front seat.
The driver is definitely not pleased, worrying that the wheel will bump the gear shift. Either way, it doesn't fit.
Worried that we're going to have to get out, to take the metro with 2 exhausted kids, carrying a heavy stroller, we decide to try the back seat.
It fits!
S-- sits on my lap in the front seat. L-- sits by herself behind the driver. Dave sits with the stroller on his lap behind the passenger seat.
Being the metacognators that we are, we rationalized this set-up on the ride home.
I wear a seat belt, and hold S-- over the seat belt. I worry about the window being open - she could easily fly right out. But I don't close it, because would I rather her slam into a plate glass window? No good options.
Dave can't hold L--, but puts his hand on her lap. We discuss how this is purely for our peace of mind, and probably not keeping her any safer. When she opens the door.
That's right.
She opened the car door.
As our taxi was barreling through the tunnel underneath the river, with no room for other cars to swerve out of the way of a falling child, her father pinned underneath a stroller and her mother unable to let go of her sister, she opened the door.
Dave was able to reach over, close the door, and securely lock it before she had a chance to fall out.
And we bit our nails the whole way home, unsure how we are going to be able to get around in this city.
If we thought the first time was bad (both children screaming as we held them on our laps), last night was fantastic.
Allow me to set the scene.
We are leaving a complex in Pudong at 8:30 at night. The sky is pitch black and the street is empty, save our taxi. Dave has climbed into the back seat of the taxi with L-- and S--. I have folded the stroller and am placing it into the trunk.
It doesn't fit in the trunk.
To reach this point, we had walked and taken the ferry earlier in the evening - it was an hour-long journey. It's now after bedtime, and none of us are in the mood for another hour-long walk.
We try fitting it in the front seat.
The driver is definitely not pleased, worrying that the wheel will bump the gear shift. Either way, it doesn't fit.
Worried that we're going to have to get out, to take the metro with 2 exhausted kids, carrying a heavy stroller, we decide to try the back seat.
It fits!
S-- sits on my lap in the front seat. L-- sits by herself behind the driver. Dave sits with the stroller on his lap behind the passenger seat.
Being the metacognators that we are, we rationalized this set-up on the ride home.
I wear a seat belt, and hold S-- over the seat belt. I worry about the window being open - she could easily fly right out. But I don't close it, because would I rather her slam into a plate glass window? No good options.
Dave can't hold L--, but puts his hand on her lap. We discuss how this is purely for our peace of mind, and probably not keeping her any safer. When she opens the door.
That's right.
She opened the car door.
As our taxi was barreling through the tunnel underneath the river, with no room for other cars to swerve out of the way of a falling child, her father pinned underneath a stroller and her mother unable to let go of her sister, she opened the door.
Dave was able to reach over, close the door, and securely lock it before she had a chance to fall out.
And we bit our nails the whole way home, unsure how we are going to be able to get around in this city.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Newcomer Orientation
Yesterday I attended Shanghai Community Center's 1-2-3 Newcomer Orientation. After perusing a few booths (including one renting mountain bikes... and bike trailers - yay!), we were asked to be seated to hear the panelists. A panel of expats, including an American pediatrician, a Norwegian counselor, an American businessman, a Taiwanese trailing spouse, and the director of the community center spoke for about an hour and took questions. They shared many interesting facts, and answered many interesting questions. Below are the questions and answers which I found most interesting:
Q: Is it safe to drink the water here?
Pediatrician: Shanghais' water purification system is world class. The water leaving the plant is some of the best in the world. Shanghai's pipes are some of the worst, and water picks up so many chemicals on the way to the tap that it becomes undrinkable. If water will be boiled, it is safe to cook with it. If you don't have particularly sensitive skin, it is safe to bathe in. But don't brush your teeth with or drink the water from the tap.
Q: How can I avoid turberculosis?
Pediatrician: TB is 3 times more prevalent here than in the United States - that's not terrifically high. Still, its something to watch out for. The vaccine for TB is effective as a public health measure, but not such a good idea on an individual basis. Rather, TB is a slow growing disease and extremely manageable in the early stages. At your regular check-ups, have a skin test done for TB.
Q: Does the community center provide child care for their many classes?
Community Center Director: Unfortunately, all of our space is used for the classes we provide. Many people have childcare at home through their ayis, don't have children, or attend while their children are in school. We do offer one class for mothers and children to take together, called Music Together.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you've faced working in Shanghai?
Businessman: Ethics have often become an issue. We are working in a different culture here, where many things which are clearly unethical in our home country may be perfectly fine. I've faced some very difficult decisions about how to handle what seemed like unethical practices.
Q: Is it true that the air pollution is so bad that I shouldn't jog in Shanghai?
Pediatrician: (Pause) Run anyway.
Q: Some Chinese food - fish brains and eyes, last week - has upset my stomach. What should I do?
Pediatrician: Your bowels adjust over about a 2 week time period. After that, your stomach will react to whatever it chooses. It would be a crying shame to live in Shanghai and avoid Chinese food altogether. So, eat it anyway.
Q: What can I do about the air pollution?
Pediatrician: Avoid the places where it is the worst - around traffic and exhaust fumes, and in low-lying areas. Also, air purifiers can make a difference in your home. The pollution here may not be as bad, compared to our homes, as it looks. I've seen no higher incidence of asthma attacks in my time here than in my work in California.
Further, the Chinese are taking their cues from western companies. So set a high standard on environmental friendliness in your office, and you'll be doing a world of good for Chinese air quality.
Q: Is it safe to drink the water here?
Pediatrician: Shanghais' water purification system is world class. The water leaving the plant is some of the best in the world. Shanghai's pipes are some of the worst, and water picks up so many chemicals on the way to the tap that it becomes undrinkable. If water will be boiled, it is safe to cook with it. If you don't have particularly sensitive skin, it is safe to bathe in. But don't brush your teeth with or drink the water from the tap.
Q: How can I avoid turberculosis?
Pediatrician: TB is 3 times more prevalent here than in the United States - that's not terrifically high. Still, its something to watch out for. The vaccine for TB is effective as a public health measure, but not such a good idea on an individual basis. Rather, TB is a slow growing disease and extremely manageable in the early stages. At your regular check-ups, have a skin test done for TB.
Q: Does the community center provide child care for their many classes?
Community Center Director: Unfortunately, all of our space is used for the classes we provide. Many people have childcare at home through their ayis, don't have children, or attend while their children are in school. We do offer one class for mothers and children to take together, called Music Together.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you've faced working in Shanghai?
Businessman: Ethics have often become an issue. We are working in a different culture here, where many things which are clearly unethical in our home country may be perfectly fine. I've faced some very difficult decisions about how to handle what seemed like unethical practices.
Q: Is it true that the air pollution is so bad that I shouldn't jog in Shanghai?
Pediatrician: (Pause) Run anyway.
Q: Some Chinese food - fish brains and eyes, last week - has upset my stomach. What should I do?
Pediatrician: Your bowels adjust over about a 2 week time period. After that, your stomach will react to whatever it chooses. It would be a crying shame to live in Shanghai and avoid Chinese food altogether. So, eat it anyway.
Q: What can I do about the air pollution?
Pediatrician: Avoid the places where it is the worst - around traffic and exhaust fumes, and in low-lying areas. Also, air purifiers can make a difference in your home. The pollution here may not be as bad, compared to our homes, as it looks. I've seen no higher incidence of asthma attacks in my time here than in my work in California.
Further, the Chinese are taking their cues from western companies. So set a high standard on environmental friendliness in your office, and you'll be doing a world of good for Chinese air quality.
Traffic
When I was a child, my favorite ride at Worlds of Fun was Le Taxi Tour, where "guests operated replicas of antiqued taxis." Keen to be able to drive, I saw this as my chance to shine. I could drive this buggy around the park and convince my parents of my amazing driving skills.
The taxis run on a set course, over small hills and around little ponds, following a concrete path with a small track down the middle. The wheels of the taxi fall on either side of the track with maybe a 4-5 feet between the two front wheels. This is the veering space - so that when the driver swerves to the right, within a few feet the left wheel will bump into the track and straighten the car out.
I was probably not as skilled as I thought, because I remember a lot of veering and swerving; a lot of hitting the track and bumping to the left, then hitting the track and bumping to the right. I also remember a lot of jerky starts and sudden stops.
The ride is aptly named, because I compare it to a ride in a Chinese taxi. Once in, the driver asks where you're going. They can never understand what I say, so I hand them paper with the address written. Preferably the address will be written in Chinese. Otherwise, the driver will rather humorously turn the paper upside down and round and round trying to discern what it says. The windows were probably down when you got in, and will probably be rolled up within a few minutes of takeoff - and there seems to be no prohibition against smoking on the job.
Then the ride is full of fits and starts, as the taxi drivers seem immune to most traffic laws. Shanghai's roads are full of appropriate signage - street lights, crosswalks, turn lanes and the like. But rarely are they heeded. There seems to be a hierarchy in the traffic law scheme. Pedestrians are on the bottom - people never cross without a little green man flashing across the way, and even then you look both ways the whole way across. Taxis are near the top - they follow no rules, driving in between lanes, against traffic and before lights turn green. Private cars lie below taxis and above pedestrians, and bikes reign supreme. Few bike riders pay any attention to traffic lights, and most never stop. They don't stop for red lights, they don't stop for cars turning in front of them, and they certainly don't stop for a woman pushing a pretty red stroller. When walking as a family, Dave stays near the front of the stroller to stop bikers from slamming into our children.
The taxis run on a set course, over small hills and around little ponds, following a concrete path with a small track down the middle. The wheels of the taxi fall on either side of the track with maybe a 4-5 feet between the two front wheels. This is the veering space - so that when the driver swerves to the right, within a few feet the left wheel will bump into the track and straighten the car out.
I was probably not as skilled as I thought, because I remember a lot of veering and swerving; a lot of hitting the track and bumping to the left, then hitting the track and bumping to the right. I also remember a lot of jerky starts and sudden stops.
The ride is aptly named, because I compare it to a ride in a Chinese taxi. Once in, the driver asks where you're going. They can never understand what I say, so I hand them paper with the address written. Preferably the address will be written in Chinese. Otherwise, the driver will rather humorously turn the paper upside down and round and round trying to discern what it says. The windows were probably down when you got in, and will probably be rolled up within a few minutes of takeoff - and there seems to be no prohibition against smoking on the job.
Then the ride is full of fits and starts, as the taxi drivers seem immune to most traffic laws. Shanghai's roads are full of appropriate signage - street lights, crosswalks, turn lanes and the like. But rarely are they heeded. There seems to be a hierarchy in the traffic law scheme. Pedestrians are on the bottom - people never cross without a little green man flashing across the way, and even then you look both ways the whole way across. Taxis are near the top - they follow no rules, driving in between lanes, against traffic and before lights turn green. Private cars lie below taxis and above pedestrians, and bikes reign supreme. Few bike riders pay any attention to traffic lights, and most never stop. They don't stop for red lights, they don't stop for cars turning in front of them, and they certainly don't stop for a woman pushing a pretty red stroller. When walking as a family, Dave stays near the front of the stroller to stop bikers from slamming into our children.
Gypsies
As far as I know, China has no gypsies. The Mongolians live a nomadic lifestyle in the north, but I imagine that lifestyle becomes more and more stationary as China industrializes. No, there are no troops of wanderers through the countryside, and definitlely none walking down our hotel hallway.
Which is for the best. Because were there gypsies seeking out plump, juicy children, I probably would have handed S-- over to them yesterday.
She screamed from about 3:30 untl 5:30 in the afternoon.
This for no discernible reason.
This is not unexpected from S--. She has a tendency to throw unconsolable tantrums, and to stop for the strangest things. Yesterday, L--'s new blocks made her happy.
But screaming inside the confines of a small hotel room, with no connections and no place to go, makes the noise echo in a way that could drive a person mad.
Which is for the best. Because were there gypsies seeking out plump, juicy children, I probably would have handed S-- over to them yesterday.
She screamed from about 3:30 untl 5:30 in the afternoon.
This for no discernible reason.
This is not unexpected from S--. She has a tendency to throw unconsolable tantrums, and to stop for the strangest things. Yesterday, L--'s new blocks made her happy.
But screaming inside the confines of a small hotel room, with no connections and no place to go, makes the noise echo in a way that could drive a person mad.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Autumn Festival
I've been here nearly a week, and still I'm having trouble staying up later than 8:30pm. I called for pen pals, and have been a poor correspondent because I just can't stay awake. Between adjusting to the time change, S-- waking up daily around 6:30, and dealing with the many new and exhausting things around me, I feel like crawling into bed right now (the time is 7:45 pm).
But today, the Autumn Festival, was too eventful a day to miss describing.
With a little work (and the help of HBO), we managed to stay up after 10:00 last night. Looking forward to a leisurely morning, we were rudely awakened by S-- at 6:00 this morning. She had no intention of going back to sleep after her morning bottle, and the whole family was up and running by 7:15. This led to two sleepy adults, and a sleep-deprived toddler most of the morning. That said, L-- did remarkably well.
We took the morning slow because of the festivities we had planned for the afternoon. L-- and S-- spent their first afternoon with paid babysitters. I'm a lucky mother, having made it over 2 years without ever needing to pay someone to watch my kids. But I'm afraid the time has come. And the girls (the Chinese-Canadian daughters of Sheila, our agent) who stayed with them were great.
We hired the sitters because China scheduled us for our state physicals today. Anyone desiring to live in the People's Republic of China for over a year, or wanting to leave for longer than 3 months, needs a physical conducted at China's Exit and Entry Medical Center. Armed with a post-it note written in Chinese, we jumped in a taxi and rode over half an hour to the west to the clinic. Upon arrival, we were prepared for the worst. We'd heard stories about ridiculous Chinese bureaucracy, flimsy phlebotomists and indignities throughout the process. But apparently the Chinese heard these rumors as well, because our entire experience was relatively painless.
Quite confident that they would request a urine sample, I showed up prepared, having drunk water all morning. We went to the first line, where the woman in a pressed pink uniform requested our paperwork and 3 passport pictures. She handed us a form, which we completed and joined the same line to return. With my new form in hand, she sent me to Room 102 - The Waiting Room. I'm not sure the title of the room I'd been waiting in before. After about a 15 minute wait, my number was called and I moved into the room next door. I sat on a small stool in front of a woman at a computer. I'm not sure what she did, but when she was finished I sat on a small stool in front of the woman across from her. This took a total of only 2 minutes or so. They asked if I was pregnant, and then sent me to Room 103.
In Room 103, things began to move quite efficiently. One person asked me to remove my shoes and took my weight. Immediately, another person asked me to put my shoes back on and cover them with paper booties. This was a task in flip-flops, but there was no time for figuring it out because that next nurse needed me out of her chair. She handed me a warm waffle robe and pointed me toward a small changing room. The sign said to remove all clothes from the waist up, and then place them in nifty little lockers like they have at amusement parks, or the pool. Room 108, she told me. They drew blood, did a very snappy eye test, performed an ultrasound and an EKG, gave me a chest x-ray, each nurse in their own separate room, all off of a hallway straight out of a nightmare - oddly lit, not quite white, doors on either side, and people wearing white robes over their pants, blue paper booties over their shoes, and rubber bands with keys o them around their wrists. All was completed in under an hour, but they never asked me to pee. Needless to say, at the end of the hour I was in dire need. And thus my first experience with a squat pot.
We hopped the cab back to downtown, grabbed a leisurely lunch sans children, and headed back to relieve the babysitters. The only way we knew that today is th Autumn Festival was by the fruit basket delivered to us by the hotel. It had two moon cakes inside, which we are looking forward to. We're not sure the story behind the Autumn Festival, but it has something to do with moon gazing and gifting friends and family with moon cakes. We'll let you know how tasty they are tomorrow.
But today, the Autumn Festival, was too eventful a day to miss describing.
With a little work (and the help of HBO), we managed to stay up after 10:00 last night. Looking forward to a leisurely morning, we were rudely awakened by S-- at 6:00 this morning. She had no intention of going back to sleep after her morning bottle, and the whole family was up and running by 7:15. This led to two sleepy adults, and a sleep-deprived toddler most of the morning. That said, L-- did remarkably well.
We took the morning slow because of the festivities we had planned for the afternoon. L-- and S-- spent their first afternoon with paid babysitters. I'm a lucky mother, having made it over 2 years without ever needing to pay someone to watch my kids. But I'm afraid the time has come. And the girls (the Chinese-Canadian daughters of Sheila, our agent) who stayed with them were great.
We hired the sitters because China scheduled us for our state physicals today. Anyone desiring to live in the People's Republic of China for over a year, or wanting to leave for longer than 3 months, needs a physical conducted at China's Exit and Entry Medical Center. Armed with a post-it note written in Chinese, we jumped in a taxi and rode over half an hour to the west to the clinic. Upon arrival, we were prepared for the worst. We'd heard stories about ridiculous Chinese bureaucracy, flimsy phlebotomists and indignities throughout the process. But apparently the Chinese heard these rumors as well, because our entire experience was relatively painless.
Quite confident that they would request a urine sample, I showed up prepared, having drunk water all morning. We went to the first line, where the woman in a pressed pink uniform requested our paperwork and 3 passport pictures. She handed us a form, which we completed and joined the same line to return. With my new form in hand, she sent me to Room 102 - The Waiting Room. I'm not sure the title of the room I'd been waiting in before. After about a 15 minute wait, my number was called and I moved into the room next door. I sat on a small stool in front of a woman at a computer. I'm not sure what she did, but when she was finished I sat on a small stool in front of the woman across from her. This took a total of only 2 minutes or so. They asked if I was pregnant, and then sent me to Room 103.
In Room 103, things began to move quite efficiently. One person asked me to remove my shoes and took my weight. Immediately, another person asked me to put my shoes back on and cover them with paper booties. This was a task in flip-flops, but there was no time for figuring it out because that next nurse needed me out of her chair. She handed me a warm waffle robe and pointed me toward a small changing room. The sign said to remove all clothes from the waist up, and then place them in nifty little lockers like they have at amusement parks, or the pool. Room 108, she told me. They drew blood, did a very snappy eye test, performed an ultrasound and an EKG, gave me a chest x-ray, each nurse in their own separate room, all off of a hallway straight out of a nightmare - oddly lit, not quite white, doors on either side, and people wearing white robes over their pants, blue paper booties over their shoes, and rubber bands with keys o them around their wrists. All was completed in under an hour, but they never asked me to pee. Needless to say, at the end of the hour I was in dire need. And thus my first experience with a squat pot.
We hopped the cab back to downtown, grabbed a leisurely lunch sans children, and headed back to relieve the babysitters. The only way we knew that today is th Autumn Festival was by the fruit basket delivered to us by the hotel. It had two moon cakes inside, which we are looking forward to. We're not sure the story behind the Autumn Festival, but it has something to do with moon gazing and gifting friends and family with moon cakes. We'll let you know how tasty they are tomorrow.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Home Shopping Day
In a city so vast, one would think that finding a home could take weeks. All we seem to need is 1-2 days.
Dave stayed home with the girls while I went out with Sheila and Jack to tour the possibilities they found for us. Apparently we have been specific enough in our wish list [short commute, expat neighbors with kids, outdoor playspace, 3-4 bedrooms] that within our price range there are only a few available options.
So we toured those available options. And of those we saw today, I liked 2. One more complex had great potential, but the particular unit did not. So we've shortlisted 3. They'll look into the one with potential, and if nothing else is available than we will have only shortlisted 2.
Once we choose where we will live, it becomes available after all of the following:
- all work is completed, including providing furniture
- 2 months rent has been received by the landlord
So we will remain in the hotel for a while still.
And, as always, the shortlist contains 2 options representing both trade-offs.
One is in Puxi, the part of town where Dave works. In fact, it is a very short walk from his office. As far as commute goes, this place is superb. But its only 150 square meters, and its so new that most of the units are still empty. Very little room for playing, and very little possibility of new little friends next door.
The other is in Pudong, across the river. A much longer commute, but with much more space. 237 square meters. The outdoor space is better, the location is more comfortable and the layout is fabulous for guests. But it has no balcony, and that commute can get pretty ugly.
The last one, where we hope to find something available, is also in Pudong. Again with the bad commute, but the otherwise good location. But units in this building are quite large, and the grounds are really amazing. Multiple swimming pools, playground, fountains and running spaces. More than one indoor play area, a library, and a few on-site restaurants. If we so choose (and sometimes we will), we could forget that we are in China for a day.
So we shall see. I imagine this decision will be made within a week.
Dave stayed home with the girls while I went out with Sheila and Jack to tour the possibilities they found for us. Apparently we have been specific enough in our wish list [short commute, expat neighbors with kids, outdoor playspace, 3-4 bedrooms] that within our price range there are only a few available options.
So we toured those available options. And of those we saw today, I liked 2. One more complex had great potential, but the particular unit did not. So we've shortlisted 3. They'll look into the one with potential, and if nothing else is available than we will have only shortlisted 2.
Once we choose where we will live, it becomes available after all of the following:
- all work is completed, including providing furniture
- 2 months rent has been received by the landlord
So we will remain in the hotel for a while still.
And, as always, the shortlist contains 2 options representing both trade-offs.
One is in Puxi, the part of town where Dave works. In fact, it is a very short walk from his office. As far as commute goes, this place is superb. But its only 150 square meters, and its so new that most of the units are still empty. Very little room for playing, and very little possibility of new little friends next door.
The other is in Pudong, across the river. A much longer commute, but with much more space. 237 square meters. The outdoor space is better, the location is more comfortable and the layout is fabulous for guests. But it has no balcony, and that commute can get pretty ugly.
The last one, where we hope to find something available, is also in Pudong. Again with the bad commute, but the otherwise good location. But units in this building are quite large, and the grounds are really amazing. Multiple swimming pools, playground, fountains and running spaces. More than one indoor play area, a library, and a few on-site restaurants. If we so choose (and sometimes we will), we could forget that we are in China for a day.
So we shall see. I imagine this decision will be made within a week.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Suckerpunched
We moved to St. Louis in the summer of 2000 - so we lived there for 7 years. We bought our house at the end of our first lease, so we lived in our house for 6 years.
Wow.
Six years.
In that time, I'm afraid I can't say that I grew to love St. Louis. Maybe it compares more to your parents' car. It's not what you would have chosen, and it comes to you already scratched and imperfect. But you drive it every day so that you know every tick and you can work past every problem. It's home.
St. Louis is an interesting town. If you're a native, you love it. And you probably won't ever leave. If you're a transplant, you may never love it. And most of your friends will probably be transplants as well.
But bearing all problems in mind, St. Louis somehow manages to suck people in. In the 7 years that we lived there, only 3 friends actually moved away. And one moved only as far as Columbia, a 2-hour drive away to work in the state capital, so I'm not sure it counts. The restaurants are priced within reach, the housing is affordable, the parks are plentiful, the ball team took the penant, and the universities and hospitals are some of the best.
So not only did St. Louis suck us in, but it worked its magnetic magic on our family as well. In the last few years, both my parents and my sister-in-law and her husband moved to St. Louis. Had we not been there, neither would have made the move.
Selfishly, I have no regrets that either lived in town with us.
We got to know my SIL and her husband better than I could have imagined. She's easily one of my closest friends. And he's not only amazing with our girls, but also a thoughtful conservative mind. Discussing politics in Dave's family is often dangerous, but when he's involved he quietly mediates a voice of reason from both sides. I've enjoyed getting to know them immensely, and I hope we have a chance again to live within a few miles of each other.
Living with my parents down the street could have been disaster, but we were in heaven. My girls were as comfortable with Nana and Papa as with us. And Nana and Papa's home felt like home to them. During the stress of moving, being able to stay in the stronghold of Nana and Papa's home certainly made the time easier for both girls. But having such support within walking distance for a year was a Godsend for me as well. S-- remains a difficult baby, and neither of us would have survived this year without the infant skills of my mother and the quiet, solid patience of my father. They walked our dog, babysat in a pinch, joined us for many meals, and were overall wonderful neighbors. I hope that when we honestly settle down, they will consider following us again.
I feel the need to apologize for abandoning both families.
I'm sorry.
But at the same time, I'm torn. I'm filled with joy that we were able to share our lives with each of you, if even for just one year.
Wow.
Six years.
In that time, I'm afraid I can't say that I grew to love St. Louis. Maybe it compares more to your parents' car. It's not what you would have chosen, and it comes to you already scratched and imperfect. But you drive it every day so that you know every tick and you can work past every problem. It's home.
St. Louis is an interesting town. If you're a native, you love it. And you probably won't ever leave. If you're a transplant, you may never love it. And most of your friends will probably be transplants as well.
But bearing all problems in mind, St. Louis somehow manages to suck people in. In the 7 years that we lived there, only 3 friends actually moved away. And one moved only as far as Columbia, a 2-hour drive away to work in the state capital, so I'm not sure it counts. The restaurants are priced within reach, the housing is affordable, the parks are plentiful, the ball team took the penant, and the universities and hospitals are some of the best.
So not only did St. Louis suck us in, but it worked its magnetic magic on our family as well. In the last few years, both my parents and my sister-in-law and her husband moved to St. Louis. Had we not been there, neither would have made the move.
Selfishly, I have no regrets that either lived in town with us.
We got to know my SIL and her husband better than I could have imagined. She's easily one of my closest friends. And he's not only amazing with our girls, but also a thoughtful conservative mind. Discussing politics in Dave's family is often dangerous, but when he's involved he quietly mediates a voice of reason from both sides. I've enjoyed getting to know them immensely, and I hope we have a chance again to live within a few miles of each other.
Living with my parents down the street could have been disaster, but we were in heaven. My girls were as comfortable with Nana and Papa as with us. And Nana and Papa's home felt like home to them. During the stress of moving, being able to stay in the stronghold of Nana and Papa's home certainly made the time easier for both girls. But having such support within walking distance for a year was a Godsend for me as well. S-- remains a difficult baby, and neither of us would have survived this year without the infant skills of my mother and the quiet, solid patience of my father. They walked our dog, babysat in a pinch, joined us for many meals, and were overall wonderful neighbors. I hope that when we honestly settle down, they will consider following us again.
I feel the need to apologize for abandoning both families.
I'm sorry.
But at the same time, I'm torn. I'm filled with joy that we were able to share our lives with each of you, if even for just one year.
The Shanghai Kitchen Contest
Rules: Using only ingredients we can find at a reasonable price (read: we are willing to pay) in Shanghai, and only tools available in our kitchen, create a tasty and nutritious meal.
The winning recipe will, at the full discretion of the judges, provide a meal that is affordable and leaves our family of 2.5 feeling happily satisfied.
Honorable mention will go to dishes that meet the criteria but do not constitute a full meal.
Tools provided by Hong Kong Plaza serviced apartments:
- microwave
- 2 burner electric range
- medium saute style skillet
- rice crock and lid
- electric tea kettle
- 2 forks, butter knives, tea spoons (like, for tea) and sets of chopsticks
- 2 plates, glasses, mugs and saucers
- 2 Chinese soup bowls and soup spoons
- 1 wooden spatula
- 1 small refrigerator
Tools added to the apartment by us:
- a collection of plastic bowls with lids
- baby spoons
- swiss army knife
- Palmolive
- paper towels
Foods available:
Feel free to do as much research as you see fit. What we've learned so far is that fruit is quite affordable, and fresh vegetables seem to be relatively so. Some convenience foods are available, but at a price. Items for baking are quite pricey, and frozen foods seem to be as well. Pasta and sauces seem to be affordable. Chicken breast is quite affordable, and ground meat is comparably prices to America, if not a bit higher.
Please submit all entries to our personal email address. May the best person win!
The winning recipe will, at the full discretion of the judges, provide a meal that is affordable and leaves our family of 2.5 feeling happily satisfied.
Honorable mention will go to dishes that meet the criteria but do not constitute a full meal.
Tools provided by Hong Kong Plaza serviced apartments:
- microwave
- 2 burner electric range
- medium saute style skillet
- rice crock and lid
- electric tea kettle
- 2 forks, butter knives, tea spoons (like, for tea) and sets of chopsticks
- 2 plates, glasses, mugs and saucers
- 2 Chinese soup bowls and soup spoons
- 1 wooden spatula
- 1 small refrigerator
Tools added to the apartment by us:
- a collection of plastic bowls with lids
- baby spoons
- swiss army knife
- Palmolive
- paper towels
Foods available:
Feel free to do as much research as you see fit. What we've learned so far is that fruit is quite affordable, and fresh vegetables seem to be relatively so. Some convenience foods are available, but at a price. Items for baking are quite pricey, and frozen foods seem to be as well. Pasta and sauces seem to be affordable. Chicken breast is quite affordable, and ground meat is comparably prices to America, if not a bit higher.
Please submit all entries to our personal email address. May the best person win!
An Inch Too Far
Having built up our confidence after a few successful outings surrounding our hotel, we decided to attend the Expat Expo this morning. The easiest way to get around Shanghai is by taxi, but most do not have seat belts or space for car seats so we decided to brave the metro. We walked through the park, past People's Square, alongside the Shanghai Museum (by this time, in the rain) and found the Metro Stop. Unfortunately, this was not the endpoint. The walkway just to buy tickets was long and convoluted, and L-- had no interest in being carried. But with such crowds, and many steps, carrying her is really the only way. Through the turnstiles with our tickets, we had longer walks before we reached the train. Prepared for a packed train and the need to hold onto our children for dear life, we were pleased to find that everyone exited the train and people stood from their seats for parents carrying children. After a rather unpleasant walk, the ride was easy.
Once we reached our destination, we faced another unpleasant walk. This time because L-- wanted to be carried and my shoes kept slipping on the wet ground. I carried my shoes, my newly purchased cheap umbrella, our diaper bag and L--. By the time we found our destination, my back was sore and my patience was thin. This proved not a problem, though, as the Expat Expo was a fine place for L-- to run around (S-- spent the morning pleased to ride on Daddy's back in our fine new backpack). People enjoyed giving her flyers, ballons and balls, as we quickly threw information into our bags and followed her through the exhibition hall. Toward the middle, Gymoboree had set up a room with staff blowing bubbles and children throwing the parachute. L-- stayed with Dave, and I explored the rest of the tables. I found some information on some great organizations, including the American Women's Club of Shanghai which organizes some wonderful sounding walks, workshops and classes - all during the day, with no childcare provided. Nuts.
So far, a success.
Then L-- got hungry and S-- got tired, and things went downhill.
We crossed the street to Shanghai Center, THE address in Shanghai and the home of western shops, grocery and restaurants. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen, where we managed to keep L-- from screaming while she waited for her meal by watching English Motocross - she is quite a fan! But by the time we had finished at the grocery store, both kids were entirely out of steam. And on only our 4th day in Shanghai, we grabbed a taxi home.
We may never do it again.
Not only did the taxi driver not know where he was going, and need to stop to ask for directions only a block away from our building. But our children both screamed the entire way. L-- had no desire to touch anyone else, let alone have one of us attempt to restrain her in an effort to keep her from flying out of the car in a wreck. S-- was exhausted, and screamed every time L-- touched her. During a 10-minute temper tantrum, these touches were frequent.
We reached our room at about 1:45 and promptly put each child to bed. S-- screamed herself to sleep (her new habit - literally screaming for about 5 minutes). L-- just got crying about 10 minutes ago. This is about an hour and a half, 1 diaper change, 2 snacks and 4 stories after being put in bed.
Needless to say, we're still figuring this out.
Once we reached our destination, we faced another unpleasant walk. This time because L-- wanted to be carried and my shoes kept slipping on the wet ground. I carried my shoes, my newly purchased cheap umbrella, our diaper bag and L--. By the time we found our destination, my back was sore and my patience was thin. This proved not a problem, though, as the Expat Expo was a fine place for L-- to run around (S-- spent the morning pleased to ride on Daddy's back in our fine new backpack). People enjoyed giving her flyers, ballons and balls, as we quickly threw information into our bags and followed her through the exhibition hall. Toward the middle, Gymoboree had set up a room with staff blowing bubbles and children throwing the parachute. L-- stayed with Dave, and I explored the rest of the tables. I found some information on some great organizations, including the American Women's Club of Shanghai which organizes some wonderful sounding walks, workshops and classes - all during the day, with no childcare provided. Nuts.
So far, a success.
Then L-- got hungry and S-- got tired, and things went downhill.
We crossed the street to Shanghai Center, THE address in Shanghai and the home of western shops, grocery and restaurants. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen, where we managed to keep L-- from screaming while she waited for her meal by watching English Motocross - she is quite a fan! But by the time we had finished at the grocery store, both kids were entirely out of steam. And on only our 4th day in Shanghai, we grabbed a taxi home.
We may never do it again.
Not only did the taxi driver not know where he was going, and need to stop to ask for directions only a block away from our building. But our children both screamed the entire way. L-- had no desire to touch anyone else, let alone have one of us attempt to restrain her in an effort to keep her from flying out of the car in a wreck. S-- was exhausted, and screamed every time L-- touched her. During a 10-minute temper tantrum, these touches were frequent.
We reached our room at about 1:45 and promptly put each child to bed. S-- screamed herself to sleep (her new habit - literally screaming for about 5 minutes). L-- just got crying about 10 minutes ago. This is about an hour and a half, 1 diaper change, 2 snacks and 4 stories after being put in bed.
Needless to say, we're still figuring this out.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Inch By Inch
So far, life in Shanghai seems pretty simple. Our hotel is comfortable and well appointed, and the location is fantastic. We're only a few buildings from Dave's office, so his check-ins haven't eaten into family time much at all.
My approach to expatriate life has been simple. I'm taking it inch by inch. I'm finding the places that I'm comfortable, and then working out from there. It provides me more of an expat experience than a China experience, but I figure I've got 2+ years to explore China and there's no need to rush into anything.
We were picked up at the airport by Jack, who rode back to the hotel and checked us in. Smooth.
Our room is comfortable and room service, although overpriced, provides good food - both Western and Asian - with English descriptions.
We've ventured out only a few times so far. Dave's walked to the office twice. We've explored the park across the street - there are ducks and fish, which kept L-- amused for quite a while. There are malls on each of our corners, each full of restaurants. Luckily, we thought ahead to ask our contacts for restaurant recommendations. For our first meal out, we sought out Wagas. Being told it was on the same corner as Hong Kong Plaza (our hotel), we only needed to search through 3 malls to find it. Luckily, it was in mall #2. The atmosphere was hip and bright, noisy enough to be kid-friendly, and the pasta was tasty, plentiful and cheap (28RMB = apr. $3). At these prices, eating out is definitely more affordable than the grocery shopping we did at City Shop, the import grocery store.
From not speaking to anyone in Chinese on Wednesday, to not leaving the hotel on Thursday, circling our block and exploring the surrounding malls felt quite adventurous today. But still quite comfortable.
Our world will grow quickly. Just one inch at a time.
My approach to expatriate life has been simple. I'm taking it inch by inch. I'm finding the places that I'm comfortable, and then working out from there. It provides me more of an expat experience than a China experience, but I figure I've got 2+ years to explore China and there's no need to rush into anything.
We were picked up at the airport by Jack, who rode back to the hotel and checked us in. Smooth.
Our room is comfortable and room service, although overpriced, provides good food - both Western and Asian - with English descriptions.
We've ventured out only a few times so far. Dave's walked to the office twice. We've explored the park across the street - there are ducks and fish, which kept L-- amused for quite a while. There are malls on each of our corners, each full of restaurants. Luckily, we thought ahead to ask our contacts for restaurant recommendations. For our first meal out, we sought out Wagas. Being told it was on the same corner as Hong Kong Plaza (our hotel), we only needed to search through 3 malls to find it. Luckily, it was in mall #2. The atmosphere was hip and bright, noisy enough to be kid-friendly, and the pasta was tasty, plentiful and cheap (28RMB = apr. $3). At these prices, eating out is definitely more affordable than the grocery shopping we did at City Shop, the import grocery store.
From not speaking to anyone in Chinese on Wednesday, to not leaving the hotel on Thursday, circling our block and exploring the surrounding malls felt quite adventurous today. But still quite comfortable.
Our world will grow quickly. Just one inch at a time.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
We'll See
After a very long day yesterday, I sat at the computer to check email and update the blog. After checking email, I went to the website you're viewing. The computer won't open it. So i went to blogspot.com. And get this - everything is in Chinese! I was able to log in, thinking that once I got to my administrative page, I'd be able to read. Nope! Everything is still in Chinese! I don't suppose it matters too much. I've used the page often enough to know what buttons to push to publish. Still, I'm feeling a bit thrown.
Also, my computer tells me I have 16% of my battery power remaining. If I cut this short, please understand.
And now, the rest of the story.
Some of you may know that Dave and I had a bit of a wager going. I thought L-- would stay awake the entire plane flight. D-- disagreed. Since we never agreed on the terms on the wager, I never posted it. And good thing for me! After being awake from at least 3-5am the morning we left, and definitely suffering from the stomach flu, L-- was a model passenger. The family was all upgraded to business class (thank God... and thanks, Mike!) and L--, S-- and Dave spent the 1st few hours of the flight sound asleep. L--'s energy never rose to her usual self, and neither did her appetite. Any other day this would have been worrisome, but on a 14 hour plane ride it was a blessing. S-- never held down food, but bottles did her fine so we were able to prevent much mess. However, she still suffers from the flu and we believe she is mildly dehydrated. Although L-- seems to be over any sickness, we are just a bit worried about S--. Please keep her in your prayers.
As the pilot came over the speaker system to announce the details of the flight, he also informed us of an expected typhoon. We were scheduled to land in Shanghai at 1:35 yesterday afternoon. So was the typhoon. The pilot explained that they will land in plane in up to 35 mile per hour winds. If the current conditions had not fit this, we would have diverted for a few hours, or possibly a few days, until we could land. Watching the news, we learned that many flights were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday. But although he announced 30-35 mph winds at landing, we felt no turbulence and our family were no more ill than when we took off. The humidity was intense, and there was some rain, at times strong, on our 1 hour drive to the hotel. But I've seen much worse in St. Louis. Speaking with our agent this afternoon, offices and schools were closed both Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the storm.
I'm beginning to fear that my batteries or my internet connection will fail, so more later. Thanks for the prayers - and please keep them up! Please pray specifically for the visa paperwork to go smoothly and for S-- to feel better. Good thing I packed some Pedialyte!
Also, my computer tells me I have 16% of my battery power remaining. If I cut this short, please understand.
And now, the rest of the story.
Some of you may know that Dave and I had a bit of a wager going. I thought L-- would stay awake the entire plane flight. D-- disagreed. Since we never agreed on the terms on the wager, I never posted it. And good thing for me! After being awake from at least 3-5am the morning we left, and definitely suffering from the stomach flu, L-- was a model passenger. The family was all upgraded to business class (thank God... and thanks, Mike!) and L--, S-- and Dave spent the 1st few hours of the flight sound asleep. L--'s energy never rose to her usual self, and neither did her appetite. Any other day this would have been worrisome, but on a 14 hour plane ride it was a blessing. S-- never held down food, but bottles did her fine so we were able to prevent much mess. However, she still suffers from the flu and we believe she is mildly dehydrated. Although L-- seems to be over any sickness, we are just a bit worried about S--. Please keep her in your prayers.
As the pilot came over the speaker system to announce the details of the flight, he also informed us of an expected typhoon. We were scheduled to land in Shanghai at 1:35 yesterday afternoon. So was the typhoon. The pilot explained that they will land in plane in up to 35 mile per hour winds. If the current conditions had not fit this, we would have diverted for a few hours, or possibly a few days, until we could land. Watching the news, we learned that many flights were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday. But although he announced 30-35 mph winds at landing, we felt no turbulence and our family were no more ill than when we took off. The humidity was intense, and there was some rain, at times strong, on our 1 hour drive to the hotel. But I've seen much worse in St. Louis. Speaking with our agent this afternoon, offices and schools were closed both Tuesday and Wednesday in preparation for the storm.
I'm beginning to fear that my batteries or my internet connection will fail, so more later. Thanks for the prayers - and please keep them up! Please pray specifically for the visa paperwork to go smoothly and for S-- to feel better. Good thing I packed some Pedialyte!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Overnight
1:30 am: S-- woke me up vomiting.
2:00 am: S-- vomited again, after her bath
2:30 am: S-- is clean. I grabbed new sheets out of L--'s room for her, and noticed that L-- vomited at some point through the night and didn't manage to wake me up.
8 hours and counting until take-off
2:00 am: S-- vomited again, after her bath
2:30 am: S-- is clean. I grabbed new sheets out of L--'s room for her, and noticed that L-- vomited at some point through the night and didn't manage to wake me up.
8 hours and counting until take-off
Monday, September 17, 2007
Drama: The Week in Review
Monday and Tuesday
Mission: Empty our house of everything beyond what will travel to Shanghai with us.
Accomplished: We made runs to Goodwill, to my parents' house and to friends' houses. We made lots of trips to the dumpster and to the recycling center. We boxed and shrink-wrapped. We vacuumed, scrubbed and defrosted.
Wednesday
Dave's Mission: Lunch meeting with a client; and secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Lunch meeting with a client. No visa.
Lynne's Mission: Pack everything for delivery to Chicago, and eventual loading onto the plane.
Accomplished: More bags packed than our baggage allotment with items left unpacked and piled into a box.
Thursday
Dave's Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: A lovely happy hour full of stimulating conversation with some interesting and diverse co-workers. No visa.
Lynne's Mission: Drive the girls and the stuff to Chicago without any adults falling asleep and any children falling apart. Join Dave for the happy hour.
Accomplished: No adults fell asleep, but both girls did. With the help of my mom, we had a very pleasant drive. No happy hour, though.
Friday
Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Toured Navy Pier and Millenium Park on a wonderful morning with my mom, bought an I-Pod, ate a tasty lunch, and grew increasingly frustrated with Uncle H-- for not having sent the necessary paperwork for our visas when we requested it... over 6 weeks ago.
Saturday
Mission: Help L-- and S-- to enjoy a going away party with Dave's extended family.
Accomplished: The girls were charming and enjoyed everyone immensely.
Sunday
Mission: Relax with the family and complete the final packing job
Accomplished: All bags are packed, although neither Dave nor I feel very relaxed at the time of publication.
Monday
Dave's Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Secured 4 Tourist Visas, leaving much more to do upon arrival and possible complications with our shipment, but enabling us to still leave tomorrow.
Lynne's Mission: Secure 4 business class seats
Accomplished: After over an hour on the phone, I secured 1 business class seat - for S--, of all people! But the rest of the family has been priority wait listed, which at least sounds promising!
Mission: Empty our house of everything beyond what will travel to Shanghai with us.
Accomplished: We made runs to Goodwill, to my parents' house and to friends' houses. We made lots of trips to the dumpster and to the recycling center. We boxed and shrink-wrapped. We vacuumed, scrubbed and defrosted.
Wednesday
Dave's Mission: Lunch meeting with a client; and secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Lunch meeting with a client. No visa.
Lynne's Mission: Pack everything for delivery to Chicago, and eventual loading onto the plane.
Accomplished: More bags packed than our baggage allotment with items left unpacked and piled into a box.
Thursday
Dave's Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: A lovely happy hour full of stimulating conversation with some interesting and diverse co-workers. No visa.
Lynne's Mission: Drive the girls and the stuff to Chicago without any adults falling asleep and any children falling apart. Join Dave for the happy hour.
Accomplished: No adults fell asleep, but both girls did. With the help of my mom, we had a very pleasant drive. No happy hour, though.
Friday
Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Toured Navy Pier and Millenium Park on a wonderful morning with my mom, bought an I-Pod, ate a tasty lunch, and grew increasingly frustrated with Uncle H-- for not having sent the necessary paperwork for our visas when we requested it... over 6 weeks ago.
Saturday
Mission: Help L-- and S-- to enjoy a going away party with Dave's extended family.
Accomplished: The girls were charming and enjoyed everyone immensely.
Sunday
Mission: Relax with the family and complete the final packing job
Accomplished: All bags are packed, although neither Dave nor I feel very relaxed at the time of publication.
Monday
Dave's Mission: Secure 4 Employment Visas for entry into The People's Republic of China
Accomplished: Secured 4 Tourist Visas, leaving much more to do upon arrival and possible complications with our shipment, but enabling us to still leave tomorrow.
Lynne's Mission: Secure 4 business class seats
Accomplished: After over an hour on the phone, I secured 1 business class seat - for S--, of all people! But the rest of the family has been priority wait listed, which at least sounds promising!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Victoria Island
I've never been, but apparently the trees on Victoria Island stand tall and strong. Apparently, they stand impressively tall and strong. They withstand ocean winds amid rocky island soil. They stand so tall that a person would be compelled to ask,
How can that tree stand so tall and strong?
Apparently the answer is that their roots are intertwined. The trees on Victoria Island have woven their roots into each other, so that they hold each other up.
Much like a strong family, or a network of friends.
I feel like taking our family away from America is like pulling one of those trees on Victoria Island. There were loads of people holding us up and making us strong, who we are now leaving behind.
But there were also other people leaning on us.
How can that tree stand so tall and strong?
Apparently the answer is that their roots are intertwined. The trees on Victoria Island have woven their roots into each other, so that they hold each other up.
Much like a strong family, or a network of friends.
I feel like taking our family away from America is like pulling one of those trees on Victoria Island. There were loads of people holding us up and making us strong, who we are now leaving behind.
But there were also other people leaning on us.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
L--'s Home
L-- and S-- moved into my parent's home on Thursday morning.
They haven't been inside our house since.
On the way home from church today, L-- asked to go home.
Mommy: Yeah, we're going to Nana and Papa's home.
L--: No. L--'s home.
Mommy: But won't Nana and Papa's home be fun? We can eat some chicken and read some books...
L--: No. Go L--'s home.
Mommy: We can't go to L--'s home. That's our old house. We put our things into boxes, and now we're moving to our new house. Right now we're going to Nana and Papa's home.
L--: (crying) No. Go L--'s home.
She continued this for 3-5 minutes.
It broke our hearts.
They haven't been inside our house since.
On the way home from church today, L-- asked to go home.
Mommy: Yeah, we're going to Nana and Papa's home.
L--: No. L--'s home.
Mommy: But won't Nana and Papa's home be fun? We can eat some chicken and read some books...
L--: No. Go L--'s home.
Mommy: We can't go to L--'s home. That's our old house. We put our things into boxes, and now we're moving to our new house. Right now we're going to Nana and Papa's home.
L--: (crying) No. Go L--'s home.
She continued this for 3-5 minutes.
It broke our hearts.
Good Bye, House
To prepare her for all of the change in her life, L-- has a few important library books on loan. One such book is Good-bye, House by Robin Ballard. In the book, a little girl's family is moving to a new house. She says good-bye to each room one at a time, remembering something special that happened in each place. Once they move, she meets a new friend and expresses excitement about her new life. It's been a great transition book for a 2-year-old.
On Friday morning, much of Dave's family came in to help us clean out the house a bit. The kitchen furniture went to the Chicago suburbs, the baby goods went to Grammy and Grandpa's house, and the living room furniture drove all the way to Michigan.
Good-bye, furniture.
On Saturday morning, we walked into the St. Louis Art Fair from Dave's sister's home. After a lovely walk and a tasty lunch, Ben gave his last hugs to the girls. L-- told him she loves him.
Good-bye, Uncle Ben.
On Saturday afternoon, we held the Give Away Party. A number of friends came, and left with their arms full. I enjoyed watching people's joy in their new things. Seeing my 5-year-old neighbor's excitement over my old jewelry box was priceless. A pregnant neighbor and her grandmother came for all of my old maternity clothes and baby gear. Perfect.
Good-bye, stuff.
On Saturday evening, we had a Going Away Party. A lot of the same old crew, eating good food and sitting up talking. We had a wonderful time. And said a few hard good-byes.
Good-bye, Jan.
Good-bye, Eric and Nancy.
Good-bye, Michelle.
This morning,
Good-bye, church.
This afternoon,
Good-bye, Matt and Sarah.
Good-bye, Tim and Kristen.
This evening,
Good-bye, Mark and Carm.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Kind regards from Glenn
Hi Lynne,
Thanks for the information below. Here are the final packing details: 1340 lbs gross / 1040 lbs net / 193 cubic feet. I have booked the shpt for export. It will be collected from the St. Louis whse on Sept. 10th. Vessel will be the NYK "Daedelus" v. 1 which departs Los Angeles on Sept. 29th. ETA to Shanghai is Oct. 12th. Here are copies of the web tracking page & your insurance certificate.
Kind regards, Glenn
That was from Glenn, our shipping coordinator. I'm not attaching the link to the web tracking, but feel free to ask me about it. I'm going to be watching it cross the ocean every day, by golly!
Thanks for the information below. Here are the final packing details: 1340 lbs gross / 1040 lbs net / 193 cubic feet. I have booked the shpt for export. It will be collected from the St. Louis whse on Sept. 10th. Vessel will be the NYK "Daedelus" v. 1 which departs Los Angeles on Sept. 29th. ETA to Shanghai is Oct. 12th. Here are copies of the web tracking page & your insurance certificate.
Kind regards, Glenn
That was from Glenn, our shipping coordinator. I'm not attaching the link to the web tracking, but feel free to ask me about it. I'm going to be watching it cross the ocean every day, by golly!
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Doors Are Closing
I can hear my movers swinging closed the doors to the truck.
It is over, and the things that will go are on their way.
My bike and our toddler bike trailer didn't fit, which is disappointing but not surprising.
But everything left out has been left out consciously.
It'll be okay.
It is over, and the things that will go are on their way.
My bike and our toddler bike trailer didn't fit, which is disappointing but not surprising.
But everything left out has been left out consciously.
It'll be okay.
Confidence?
I'd call it just over half full.
And I'll say with some leve of not quite confidence that everything we need will fit.
And I'll say with some leve of not quite confidence that everything we need will fit.
Nerves
I've got that nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.
The movers are here, and they're great. A father and son team who are very nice, and seem to know what they're doing.
But I just saw the lift-van.
7x7x4 is not very big.
This is going to be a tight fit, and I'm so nervous that I'm going to have to leave behind things that are important to me.
The movers are here, and they're great. A father and son team who are very nice, and seem to know what they're doing.
But I just saw the lift-van.
7x7x4 is not very big.
This is going to be a tight fit, and I'm so nervous that I'm going to have to leave behind things that are important to me.
Way Behind
Walking the length of my home this week, I've written many posts. Unfortunately, I have not found the time to sit and write any of them. And if you notice the time of this post, you'll understand why I'm not putting in much effort now, either.
Sunday
The big shopping trip. The girls stayed with Nana and Papa, and Dave and I went shopping. We spent a ridiculous amount of money, for people trying to simplify and rid themselves of excess.
Monday
Our dog moved out.
She has undoubtedly gone to a better place.
Her new owner has no children and lives alone. She runs most mornings, lives in a small town and has a big backyard. Her family all have dogs and enjoy dog sitting.
Her new owner has loved her as long as we have.
It's really perfect.
But when I roll over at night, I miss her being curled up behind my knees.
Tuesday
With the help of my parents, I completed all of our errands. Then began the task of moving everything to its appropriate place... for the next few days.
Wednesday
Completed the moving task. Giveaway items are organized in the basement. Items for storage are piled on pallettes in the back of the basement. Items to be shipped have been inventoried and valued, and are neatly arranged by destination room, and filling the otherwise nearly bare living room. The 2nd floor is a disaster, but it contains nothing that will be shipped.
8:30 am this coming morning
The shippers will arrive.
Sunday
The big shopping trip. The girls stayed with Nana and Papa, and Dave and I went shopping. We spent a ridiculous amount of money, for people trying to simplify and rid themselves of excess.
Monday
Our dog moved out.
She has undoubtedly gone to a better place.
Her new owner has no children and lives alone. She runs most mornings, lives in a small town and has a big backyard. Her family all have dogs and enjoy dog sitting.
Her new owner has loved her as long as we have.
It's really perfect.
But when I roll over at night, I miss her being curled up behind my knees.
Tuesday
With the help of my parents, I completed all of our errands. Then began the task of moving everything to its appropriate place... for the next few days.
Wednesday
Completed the moving task. Giveaway items are organized in the basement. Items for storage are piled on pallettes in the back of the basement. Items to be shipped have been inventoried and valued, and are neatly arranged by destination room, and filling the otherwise nearly bare living room. The 2nd floor is a disaster, but it contains nothing that will be shipped.
8:30 am this coming morning
The shippers will arrive.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
7 x 7 x 4
Our shipment leaves Thursday for China.
Movers will enter our home and place things, as directed, into boxes which will stack neatly into a liftvan. A liftvan is a large container, comparable to a wooden crate the size of a treehouse. It measures 7 feet deep, 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
One challenge this week is keeping the house organized, so when the movers enter the home on Thursday, they aren't tempted to ship to China things destined for Goodwill.
The larger challenge this week is determining which of our belongings will fit into the cool crowd - the 196 cubic feet riding the boat.
Parsing my life into 196 cubic feet is a unique challenge.
We're throwing and giving away boxes full... no, rooms full of stuff. We're storing more piles of stuff in the basement. And we're loaning two U-Hauls and a cargo van full of stuff to family.
Yet we just spent a ridiculous amount of money on books, groceries, blankets and more to compete once more for container space.
Although shopping opportunities will abound in Shanghai, plenty of things will be simply unavailable. In one week and 196 cubic feet, we are trying to approximate how much we will need for the next two years. Or at least for the next 6 months, until we can restock on furlough.
Movers will enter our home and place things, as directed, into boxes which will stack neatly into a liftvan. A liftvan is a large container, comparable to a wooden crate the size of a treehouse. It measures 7 feet deep, 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide.
One challenge this week is keeping the house organized, so when the movers enter the home on Thursday, they aren't tempted to ship to China things destined for Goodwill.
The larger challenge this week is determining which of our belongings will fit into the cool crowd - the 196 cubic feet riding the boat.
Parsing my life into 196 cubic feet is a unique challenge.
We're throwing and giving away boxes full... no, rooms full of stuff. We're storing more piles of stuff in the basement. And we're loaning two U-Hauls and a cargo van full of stuff to family.
Yet we just spent a ridiculous amount of money on books, groceries, blankets and more to compete once more for container space.
Although shopping opportunities will abound in Shanghai, plenty of things will be simply unavailable. In one week and 196 cubic feet, we are trying to approximate how much we will need for the next two years. Or at least for the next 6 months, until we can restock on furlough.
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