The Wandering Monkey

Shanghai, Day 8
I am now looking for apartments.
I have missed several days of blogging. China has been good, exhausting, and very, very interesting.
I used to have two hosts here, and now I have just one. Kenny's lease expired and his plans were not firm for a new place, so I am now with Rob. Rob left town and took his computer with him, so now I can only get to the Internet thorugh cafes.
And, some of the cafes block Blogger from working. Dang!
More details later. Lots of past blogs will be soon updated.
;-)
-]

Shanghai, Day 6
I am at a Shanghai Internet Cafe. Kenny took me to it. The first one we went to was closed down.
Everyone is playing video games here. Lots of Counter-Strike, Starcraft, and the like. All perfectly legal copies, I'm sure. Every computer has it installed.
Going to eat and then going swimming.
;-)
-J

Shanghai, Day 5 ( Monday )
I met last night with a Finnish expat. Like me, he just arrived and he's going to be exploring the city a month or two before beginning work. We discussed the Shanghai experience. We had both been working tech jobs back home moved to Shanghai for a change of pace. Both of us had seen Beijing and decided Shanghai was the real hot spot. In Shanghai, you quickly meet folks from everywhere. Shanghai looks like New York and feels like L.A. but is friendlier than both. Also, the Shanghainese are currently achieving the highest level of wealth and freedom they have ever known, as as such they tend to go out and have fun more often.

I have discovered several centers of activity in Shanghai. One the the Bund, a colonial-developed area on the riverfront. It separates the main part of the city, Puxi (poo shee), from the new business disctrict, Pudong (poo dong). Pudong has all of the interesting scyscrapers.
(Copy this link into your browser address bar to view:)

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jszyszko/lst?.dir=/ChinaTripNov2002/Shaghai&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a//f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/

The second area I have noted is Xu Jia Hui (shoo jyah hway). This is very much like New York's Times Square. It is a shopping area with neon signs the size of buildings. Pedestrian crosswalks arch over the streets and people can be seen there at all hours.

I am going to mark these areas on my map to help in picking a housing location.
-J

Shanghai, Day 4 ( Sunday )
Yesterday I began the day at Ping & Rob's place. We got breakfast, then I bought a cell phone. In the afternoon we went to the public pool in Mandarine City, a very exclusive housing complex. There we met of Ping's Chinese friends and also ran into some expats. One was from the UK and the other Brazil.

We talked, exchanged info, and had some beers at the swim-up bar. I launched an impromtu swing dancing lesson, and now the guy from the UK and Ping's friends all want to sign up. Another guy from Germany sent over his girlfriend to learn how to dance as well. I think this could catch on!

After that we went to dinner. At night I finally caught up with my friend Albert. He's a former Silicon Valley guy like myself. I had met him last November when Merry and I went to China. He got us on the guest list at Guandii, a popular night club. I met a whole bunch of folks there, including the owner of another nightclub -- supposedly the best new place in the city.

It is amazing how many folks I am meeting now. It's just been three full days.
However, I am beginning to feel the effects of culture shock. There are so many unfamiliar things that after a while you can tend to lose your points of reference.

I am really grateful to everyone who has been helping me, and I am feeling good that I will find my place here. Today Kenny and I are going house-hunting. I'm preferring a place closer to the center of the city, but he's looking futher out because the rents are lower. I'll figure out the different neighborhoods and rental costs so I can make a more informed decision.

All for now,
-J

Shanghai, Day 2
Wowsa.
It's been 48 hours, and it feels like a different world. I have stayed one night with my hosts Rob & Ping, and one night over at my other host Kenny's place. Rob is a Westerner, working on a doctorate relating to silk trade in the 1950's, and Ping is his wife. Kenny is a guitar player in a couple of small bands, and he is a blast to hang out with. I owe so much to these people for everything I am doing right now.

Yesterday I began at Rob's and we headed out for lunch with Kenny, then I spent the afternoon with Kenny and his drummer, Bing. At Kenny's place they have a studio set up in the apartment building (very understanding neighbors) and we all jammed to songs like Your Moma Don't Dance and Your Daddy Don't Rock & Roll. I played the drums for a little bit but I can't compare to Bing, who is really good. We explored Shanghai a bit more, and then we returned back to Kenny's to watch a DVD of Band of Brothers and play games on his PlayStation 2. By 8pm I closed my eyes to take a quick nap and I was out like a light.

Today Kenny and I had breakfast at a backstreet market. They made a Chinese Egg Pancake, which is pretty much a crepe. They cooked it on an up-ended barrel with a fire burning underneath it. It cost 2.5 RMB (or about 30 cents). I realized it's really hot and humid here, so we visited an underground mall. You can bargain them down there, and I bought two pair of shorts for 90 RMB (about 11 bucks).
At about 3pm I crashed once more, and when I woke up at 9pm I went to Karaoke with Ping and Rob again. They do karaoke in a private rooms rather than in a public room like in the U.S.

It's been a very short time, but already I am growing accustomed to the environment. I am used to seeing the signs in Mandarin, seeing everyone being Chinese, and everyone looking at me for being blonde. I still know very little of the language and it is a challenge every time I separate from my friends, but so far so good.

Now I am going to get some sleep. Tomorrow I get a cell phone, definitely.
-J

Shanghai, Day 1
It was a very long flight. 11 hours from San Francisco to Beijing, a two-hour layover and transfer, then two more hours to Shanghai. I picked up a cab at the airport but had trouble explaining to the driver how to get to the destination. Fortunately, I had the phone numbers of my two friends out here and I reached one, where I am staying now.

Before I got on the plane to go, I must admit that I did feel very nervous and apprehensive, even downright concerned. "What am I thinking?" I asked me. I figured I'd be getting on the plane all full of vigor, but instead I was completely conflicted. I thought about it, and actually that's not very different than any of the moves I have made in the past two months in America. Any time I took a road trip from one city to another, leaving one temporary life behind and beginning one more, the first half of the trip was always filled with concern and sometimes sadness. Then, after about four hours or so, your mind adjust to the new environment and you just sort of go with it. And so it happened again this time.

Once I landed in Beijing, there was no question in my mind that this was a cool thing to do.
I am going to get a cell phone today, meet up with some friends, and figure out how the busses work and all that good stuff.
Yah!
-J

T-Minus 8 Hours.
The car is sold, and I have just a few remaining details to take care of before I leave. Today I need to put my clothes in a final packing arrangement, send some info to my broker, do some DMV paperwork, and send off some final packages and letters. I also need to arrange all my Shanghai phone numbers and contacts in my notebook. I leave for the airport in five hours.

Last night two of my best friends invited me out to a dinner. Man, I needed that. I had been getting a slow buildup of stress! We talked for quite a while about all sorts of the usual things -- jobs, parents, Lolapalooza. Friends make all the difference!

At the moment, I have no keys. Most of your life, you have lots of keys. Car keys, house keys, dorm keys, work keys, and so forth. But I am keyless.

And away I go.
;-)
--J

T-Minus 1 Day.
Wow, so this is the last full day I have here. It's so funny when you prepare for something long in the future it seems the day may never come, then when it's finally here it seems like somehow it has snuck up upon you.

T-Minus 2 Days
I am going to sleep, and in four hours I will wake up go out and paintball.

On Friday the buyers for my car called me up and wanted to re-negotiate the deal. I was quite upset, since I had in good faith accepted their offer and turned down three inquiries about the car. I got off the phone with my neurotic buyer, thought about it a moment, then called her back and told her that our deal had been concluded and agreed upon and I had acted in good faith and expected her to do the same. She said that the original deal was null because I asked for a change in the transfer date from Saturday to Monday. Then she began going on listing all of the things wrong with the car, some real and some purely imagined. I lost trust in the buyer and told her we didn't have a deal anymore and hung up. I called back another guy who's number I had saved and he's going to buy it on Monday.

Deals are funny things. It's never over until the money and goods are handed over. I could have still dealt with the original woman, but I guessed that if she would try to change the price of the deal after it had been agreed upon, she could find some other sort of justification to change or cancel the deal completely at the last moment. Then I'd be stuck!

Saturday during the day I went to a friend's day party and saw my swing dance friends one last time. It was good to see them but it is always difficult, since I am planning on moving away. There was one notable absence -- a very good friend of mine who took a business trip to Ireland. Erin go braugh, baby!

Peace,
-J

Past midnight, so technically t-minus 4 days.
When the sun comes up today, I will rest, cancel bills, and forward addresses. Perhaps I will also organize my stuff and empty my car. My friend Steve has been great to let me crash at his place for the three weeks I'll have been here. The atmosphere is low-key and relaxing.

Saturday there is a very big party scheduled during the day. Now if anyone asks, "Weren't you going to China?" I can finally answer, "Yes, I leave on Tuesday." On Sunday I'm to go paintballing with Steve and some of his friends. Monday's my last full day; I sell the car, wash clothes, and finish packing. Tuesday I imagine Steve will drive me to the airport and I step on the plane.

Silicon Valley has been my home for the last five years. Of all the places I have lived since I left Chicago eight years ago, this area has been the most like home. But I have weighed my options carefully, and I think once I get past the pain of separation I will be happy and find some very interesting things to do. I also consider that the risks I am taking are nothing compared to that of my friend in Iraq right now. Life is short. No more fucking about. Life is short. Nothing is forever. If you are not happy, don't stay unhappy just because it's scary to change. That's not the point of life.

90 day renewable visa is in my hand.

Air China International, Flight 986 SFO --> Beijing. Aug 19, 2:20pm.
Flight 1589, Beijing --> Shanghai. Aug 20, 7:40pm.

Everything is a 'go'.

T-minus 5 days.
Yesterday afternoon a family with a teenage daughter looked at my car and decided to buy it. The daughter is about to get her license and it's going to be her car. This sale is a much better deal for me than selling it to a car dealership. Plus, I feel the car will be in good hands. As part of the arrangement, we do not transfer ownership of the car until Monday, so I will still be mobile until I leave.

Today I drive to SF to pick up my visa and then drive to the travel agent to pick up my plane ticket.

T-minus 6 days.
I have said goodbye to everyone, with the notable exception of my father. I feel it is appropriate to perhaps craft a letter and see that it gets sent off to him.
In current practical matters regarding my trip, I have only one task remaining which is selling my car.
The closer the Shanghai goal comes to realization, the less worried I am about it. I believe my expectations are reasonable and my plan is actually quite legitimate. This plan, though extreme in one aspect, is probably the most personally fulfilling direction possible.

I have my visa application in for a three-month visa, which can be renewed for another three months. This is perfectly acceptable to begin my journey. I　called the travel agency and made my reservation for next Tuesday.
T-minus 7 days, and counting...

Greetings all.
Yesterday the Forecast Application database was properly assembled and passed testing and approval from my client. "Permission to leave the country?" I asked him. "Permission to leave the country." he said.
Today I learned my old friend from high school is indeed in Iraq. He is a reservist and he was pulled into active duty many months ago before war ever broke out. He originally thought he was going to Turkey but when they dropped their support we never found out where he ended up. He seems to be in good spirits and optimistic, though he says it's very hot. He's looking forward to when he can come home and we are all looking forward to that as well. So I sent him an e-mail inviting him to come out and visit me in China as soon as he can and I will introduce him to all the pretty girls out there.
Today I go to the Chinese Consulate to make arrangements for my visa.

With good fortune, today is the last day at my client site. Finishing up work there is just about the only reason I'm still in the U.S. When that is finished, there will be nothing to do but wander.

Every morning I wake up and I get some sort of strong image in my head. Some days I'm amazed, "I'm actually going to do this." Some days I think, "What on earth are you doing this for? What is the purpose? You're heading off to a foreign country where you know people only through e-mail and you don't speak the language and you don't have a job and you don't have specific purpose other than to dance with this girl you have never met."

When I was first forming this plan, I talked about it with just about everyone I ran into. I got every response possible. Most frequently, "Why China?" or "Why Shanghai?" Often, "Oh I don't know about that; going to a foreign country where you don't understand the language and culture?" At first I engaged everyone who gave a discouraging response with logical reasoning. I explained how Shanghai feels now like Silicon Valley felt five years ago. How jobs in Silicon Valley are sparse and pay less, while house prices remains phenomenal ($500,000 for a modest two-bedroom house on the peninsula).

Every now and then, someone would simply say, "Cool!" My favorite response was from a good friend of mine who recently married and even more recently became a new father. When I told him, he said completely non-chalantly, "Oh great. I spent three years abroad in Japan and I loved it."

And so it goes.

-J

Today I went to a dentist again to see about tooth whitening. Since I have a crown, it would have to be replaced with another lighter-colored crown. The cost: $2300. Too much!

I had lunch today with a guy who has spent the last year in Shanghai. To my surprise, he has met my Shanghai dance partner and told me a bit more about her. Small world, this Silicon Valley- Shanghai thing. My lunch friend told me that my future apartment location in the Jin An district is a good location. Not too crowded and not too poor, good and close to transportation with some nice things to do in the area.

The only thing I have left to arrange is an immediate place to stay when I arrive. Once I have this, I could end up leaving within days.

For the first time today I talked to my future swing dance partner on the phone. It turns out we have just about the same ideas and level of excitement over swing dancing, Shanghai, and living in China. We have both wanted to do the Shanghai Lindy Exchange. I told her my ambition is to get The Swing Session to come over and play for it. "Do you think they would agree to do it?" she asked. I told her, "They already have!"

I am now trying to pick an exact date of departure. I'm basically just twiddling my thumbs here in San Jose. But my dance partner won't arrive in Shangahi until September 7, and I want to make sure I know enough people and have enough things to do in the meanwhile. I'm sending out notices to folks out there to see who is available to visit.

A few specific plans have changed. We are still looking to get a the same 3 BR apartment in the same area, but it would just be myself, my dance partner, and one more person. So dow much is THAT? 1500RMB, or $187 per month.

Looks like I'm going to sell the car after all. You would not believe how tricky it is to store a car until you try. But I think selling it makes the most sense, regardless. It has been an trying emotional experience to let go of everything and head to another country to strike out my fortune. But it feels very tangible now.

Aug 20 looks like a reasonable target date.

Peace,
-J

I am at the client site. It will probably take the week to set everything up properly, but there are no serious problems. I still need to see if I can swing a type F visa from my client's Shanghai branch. I have not been pressing it since I need to focus on the task at hand.
I got my vaccinations shots this morning. My Shanghai dance partner won't arrive there until Sept 7, and I am wanting to get there within a few weeks from now. It turns out a friend of hers may be arriving around Aug 22, and we could hang out and visit the city in the meantime, provided there is a place to stay until the apartment is ready.
My principal concern about Shanghai is now, "Will I feel comfortable there day by day?" I think that is the most critical element. Finding a job and going to school are secondary concerns. If it turns out I don't like living there day to day, I am not obliged to 'tough it out'. However, I think I will enjoy it. I just want to make sure that life is as pleasant as possible from the very start.

Still in San Jose. Last night went to a party held by a couple of friends, their annual "Foodfest". I met up with a lot of the old swing dance crew. It had been a while since I'd seen them, and it was very encouraging. One new person I met is actually going to be traveling through Shanghai in September, so we made plans for her crew and I to meet up.
The time to departure is coming closer. All I need to do is ensure where I will be staying and try to pick up the type F visa, if possible. Today I'm going to go to the dealership and price out my car for resale. I'll arrange so that my friend can sell my car for me if I decide not to return.

Last night I head up to San Francisco for an Oriented.com meeting. It's a group which brings together people who have business or other interests in Asia. They meet on the last Thursday of each month in San Francisco, Boston, Shanghai, Tokyo, and other cities. I met a lot of folks there, some of which are going to Shanghai as well. I'm more enthusiastic about my travel plans than ever before.
I was surprised to meet an old friend there, and along with a new friend we all went to the Top of the Mark. My favorite swing band, the Swing Session, plays there each Thursday. We did a little swing dancing, and after the show I said hello to the band. I told them told them still want to do the Shanghai - San Francisco Lindy Exchange, and I want to fly them out to perform. Everyone in the band is very enthusiastic about this idea. It would take some doing, but I think it could happen.