Friday, 8:35 am

I'm frequently surprised by how old things are - and we've been in the two newest cities in
China. At dinner last night, our host ordered a bottle of rice wine. As a table, we finished the whole bottle and he was not unimpressed. It tasted good - sweet, and mildly of soy sauce. He showed us the bottle and explained that the company was over 500 years old. I was awestruck, until I realized that this is only middle-age in China.

Still, Shanghai is very new. Much feels like America in the 80s. Money is all around, and there seem to be two types. There are the people and places who are entirely modern and stylish - sleek lines, high quality, comfortable and subtle. Things that feel worth their high cost. And then there is ostentation. Our hotel feels more like the latter, as do many of the people walking down the street. Clothes seem to be fashion for its own sake, rather than to look flattering or timely. Hotels are richly decorated with plenty of switches and options, but what is that worth when the bed is hard and the covers are thin? This ostentation is money for its own sake, and lacks value. The flashiness of money in this way is anything but intimidating. It makes me quite comfortable in my own sense of style.

Yesterday had quite a few experiences. We'll see how many I get while Dave is in the shower.

Lunch alone at a Chinese Restaurant:
We could also title this Complete Failure. After wandering alone for a bit yesterday morning, I decided to grab a quick bite of lunch and head back to the hotel for a nap. In no hurry, I took the advice of my guidebook and walked to a small fried dumpling stand not far from the hotel. It claimed to be cheap and very good. And no doubt, from the line outside and the crowd in. But as I studied the scene, I realized I did not know how to order. Above the cashier was a board written in Chinese - the item, then the price. Everyone stood in line to order, and then stepped aside to pick up their food. I could not point at my order, and I did not assume the cashier could speak English. So I walked on. I gained more courage as I passed another shop, much the same. I stood in line (well, I pushed toward the front of a group) and as I got closer to the front, I strategized. Unfortunately, my best plan was to ask if the cashier spoke English. She said she didn't. I left. The end. I ordered a cheese sandwich from room service.

Dinner with our Host at a Traditional Shanghainese Restaurant:
In the morning, we met The Boss. He explained his busy schedule - meetings much of the day. He also explained that in between meetings, he would have hours to spend with Dave, and that after about 3:00 he would be all ours. Around 7:30 pm, we saw him again.
He took us to Xintiandi, a fantastic area that we've read about as being the expat bar strip. There was a mix of cultures, though, and our host explained that this is a place that the Chinese think of Western, and the foreigners think is Chinese. It's a small area of old, traditional Shanghainese buildings which have been refurbished on the insides to be entirely modern. It is really a fun area to walk area, and is filled with bars, restaurants, and rather touristy shops. No McDonalds and no Hard Rock Cafe, so not too Western. We had drinks at a bar known for its glass, and the decor was modern and lovely. Then we moved on to the traditional restaurant.
Brightly lit, noisy and smoky, the setting was explained to be very traditional as well. The Chinese don't eat in quiet, romantic restaurants. Social time is a gathering of friends having a loud and long meal together. The tables were spaced rather far apart, and except for the smoke it was quite comfortable. The food came in dim sum style (kind of like tapas - many small dishes, which you share) and everything was very good. We drank tea and rice wine and the meal lasted quite a while. We discussed work and the company, no specifics about the future position but questions about work culture and expectations and fears. We learned about his family, his experience in the US, and his dislike for the suburbs. Everyone Chinese who has spent time in Lincolnshire has quckly expressed disdain for the community. It feels so complacent and closed, and there is nothing to do. Everything is closed by 8:30. This certainly does not fit into Chinese culture, where things just start to wake up around 8:00 and by 11:00 they're really getting interesting. People don't get into work until around 9:30, which may be quite nice for a family. We'll be able to have breakfast together every morning, even though we may not have dinner together every night. And Dave has been promised that his orientation will include a different restaurant for lunch every day for 3 months. I said that I'm jealous I won't be able to join him! He invited me, of course, and I said that I don't we want to invite the babies. He said what everyone else has said - that we will want to hire a helper. In the US, I felt silly even thinking about hiring a helper. But speaking to everyone here, I feel a bit silly not considering it. We shall see.

We're meeting a real estate agent in an hour. I'm very excited to see what kind of options will be available to us. Everyone has assured us that we will be comfortable with our options, and from the price range provided and our limited internet research, I think we will. As I told The Boss last night, my biggest fear right now is just not knowing what daily life will be like. Hopefully today will assuage some of that fear.

After we finish our tour, we call The Boss and he is taking us out again for dinner and drinks. This is when we will talk business. Then tomorrow we expect to have on our own, and to be able to do any extra research - grocery stores, walking through parks and neighborhoods, whatever other questions we might have. The timing here is working out quite well. A week here would be better, but 3 days will certainly do.