The Wandering Monkey

Last Friday the House of Blue and Jazz call us and requested that we dance over at their place. They had the most fantastic band from New York there. We talked with the band and they played some good dance music for us, and we had two really fantastic dances. The saxophonist said that if he were staying in Shanghai, he'd take lessons with us.

Today I am working on my business plan. The name for our effort is called Shanghai Swings! We have business cards, and we have a Web domain registered, but no Website yet. Also, we have the one place to dance but I think we need a bigger location. We'd like to get two lessons on the weekdays and another on the weekends. And somehow we'd like to support ourselves doing it! I've got a lot of ideas, so we'll see how they all pan out.

On a personal note, these last couple of weeks have been a little tricky. I've tended to try to seek familiarity, falling into certain patterns. This is OK in a way, but in the long run you can't keep doing it. I think the brain after a while has simply had enough new input and it wants to just process what it has been given. So it asks for a break. Something like that.

I am beginning a language exchange with a woman out here. I don't want to pay for language lessons, and the language exchange is when two people just agree to meet and talk with each other. She is rather smart and responsible - a computer programmer. So I teach her English and she teaches me Mandarin.

I had not thought of it, but I think I will probably remain in Shanghai for Christmas. My brother is considering coming out as well. That would be cool, indeed!
-J

Pictures from the Shanghai Movie Premier ceremony!!!


Dancing at Movie Premier

Just a moment ago, Kellian, Zabi, and I went out to the "Tribe Bar", which is located adjacent to the Internet cafe where I go. There was no one there when we arrived but the employees. So a song came on which was 'swingable', so Kellian and I started dancing.

Very soon all of the waitresses and waiters and the DJ started dancing, too. We launched an impromptu dance lesson. And the important thing to remember is Yi, Er, San, Si (one, two, three, four).

To make a long story short, at the end of the evening I cut a deal with the business owner to hold dance lessons there on Thursday at 8pm. So, now we have our first venue!!!

:-)
-J

The Shanghai Dinner Experience.
I was walking home with my roommate, Zabi, and we stopped by a small restaurant on my street. It was a tiny shop which didn't have any menus in English. However, there were a few pictures of food outside the building, and I did eat there once before with a person who could translate for us.

So, Zabi and I enter the place and have a seat. "Ni Hao" (Hello) I say. So then I ask Zabi if he has a pen and paper, and he hands this over. I take the pen and begin drawing a beak, then a neck, and in the end what I hoped represented a chicken. But it sort of looked like a duck, so I flapped my arm like a chicken and went 'cluck cluck.' The waitresses gathered around started giggling, but they understood what I was getting at. Then I drew a big 'plus' sign and drew a picture of a hot pepper. OK, so a hot pepper is a little harder to draw, but they seemed to understand this as well. Then, I guestured to the waitress to follow me outside the building and I pointed to the sign with the food on it. She wrote some things down on her note pad and it all seemed to work out OK.

I got back to the table, and Zabi was looking a little out of sorts. "They seem to be OK with farting, here," he said, gesturing to the man seated with his wife behind us. Hey, these things happen, I think to myself. So we go on chatting. Zabi asks me to explain to him about the second-week fatigue that a visitor feels here. I told him I went through major fatigue in my second week. I didn't want to go out. Just getting out of the house and walking to the metro stop for an hour left you feeling very exhausted. I said this was probably normal, and since he was in his second week it's not unlikely that's why he felt the way he did.
We received our tea, and reflected a bit more on the situation. Zabi will be leaving next week to go back to Germany. He's scouting out for architect jobs and says there no work in Germany. And then it happened.
Pffft. Pllllp. Pft pft.
It was the guy behind us. He was indeed farting. I looked over, and his wife was sitting there, looking down at the table and not reacting in any way. I looked at the waitresses and the other people at the dinner tables, and they didn't react either.
"I guess this is just part of the experience," Zabi says. "They don't seem to think this is out of the ordinary."
After about 20 full seconds this experience was finally over. I was containing laughter and revulsion at the same time. "I can't look up," I said.
Thankfully some time passed before the food was presented. The waitress came by and dropped off a dish, and pointed at the chicken and the pepper written on the paper. It was not exactly what I had ordered, but it was quite good. Something like sweet and sour chicken. Then we got the other dish which I ordered from the picture, and this turned out to be fried tofu and vegetables. Quite good, too! And, about 10 minutes later, a fried chicken came out. The waitress pointed specifically at the chicken and said, "Ji rou" (which rhymes with 'zero' in English.)

"This is really good," Zabi said. "In Europe you would probably pay thirty Euros for a meal like this." The whole bill amounted to about 60 yuen, which is less than 10 dollars for the three dishes, rice, and tea.

This country is an adjustment in so many ways, that is for sure.

Shanghai, Month 2
Well, goodness me. It's been one month. Today, I am happy to say, Kellian and I had our first performance. It was at a press conference for the opening of a new movie theatre and a movie premiere. The actor in the movie is a big star out here, Andy Lau. This was quite an experience!

We arrived a few hours early and checked out the dancing surface. It was a raised stage made of sections of carpeted surface. We each brought three different types of shoes so that we would have the correct ones for the stage. Then, as the time approached, we got ready. We actually had dressing rooms! I must tell you, when I was sitting there in a dressing room, in Shanghai, getting into my swing dance outfit for a performance in front of about 200 people from the media and entertainment fields, I was thinking, "Wow, this is new."

An act came on before us. It was a little belly dancing show. Six SCAD's ;-) in Indian belly dancing outfits. Kellian said hello to them and we got to take a few pictures together before we went on. Finally, when it was our turn we headed up to the stage, and once the music started it was pretty much just like dancing always is. The stage lights were up and we could not see the audience, though we new they were there. So, we just kept dancing, had some fun, and we got a few good shouts out of the crowd when we finished. The event organizer was happy and said he would not mind working with us again, and I'd like that, too!

Now both my dance partner and I are coming down from an adrenaline rush. We're hanging out in the Internet cafe near my house. Yes, the same place I play Counterstrike and Civilization III. And tonight we go out to scout a place to see if they will be willing to let us set up a dance night there.

So, all,
Wan an.
-J

Shanghai, Day 26
Today Kellian and I took some pictures in our swing dancing outfits. They are for the promotion for this event on Saturday. We are going tomorrow to do a sample dance (a tryout, I suppose) for the guy in charge of entertainment. I think this should go well. We had a really good time with the promo pics and I will post them soon!

Shanghai, Day 25
Yesterday, I was sitting around wondering what I was going to do on my Saturday night. Then, a friend called me up and said that he had some sort of business proposal for me. So I met up with him, and here's what he said:

There's a theatre opening, and he's in charge of the live entertainment. 500 people from the Shanghai entertainment industry will be attending, and they want some live performers. Perhaps Jimbo and Kellian would be interested in performing? This will be of course paid.

I thought, hmm.... OK.

More details on this to come!

Shanghai, Day 23
Yesterday we had our first Chinese Swing Dancing party. I held it at my apartment, and we had five couples show up. We taught them all to dance -- basic step, inside & outside turns, alternating kicks. With this vast repertiore, the all broke off and started dancing with each other. Everyone loved it! Everyone caught on very quickly, faster than most American classes I have seen.

Kellian was very good and a compliment to my own teaching style. I'm going to work on my teaching demeanor, to make it more fun and less strict. But there was no lack of excitement. We are now forming our core group of dancers which we will train personally. They will all get free training and serve as the foundation of the new Shanghai Swing dance society.

It's really funny. This has proved to be much easier than I ever would have imagined. I mean, getting out here and adjusting to China was not easy, nor was leaving friends and familiar surroundings, but teaching the classes and getting people excited about swing has been very smooth.

Both Kellian and I must focus a lot more on our physical health. We're both in fine shape, but for the first time we realize that if we are going to be doing this for a living, then you have to keep those ankles strong and limbs limber.
Peace,
-J

Shanghai, Day 21
Last night my dance partner Kellian and I went out to the House of Blues and Jazz on MaoMing Lu. I invited all of my friends to come out and watch, and we did our first public dances together. The jazz band there was a little surprised, but they got used to it. Everyone watching loved it! Everyone present said they wanted to take classes, which means about 14 people now.
Kellian and I are very enthusiastic. It looks like we have all of the necessary tools for making this whole thing work. The goal now is to arrange to make a living off of doing it. If we can pull that off, we'll really be in business!!
I am throwing a little swing dance party on Friday at my place to invite everyone out and give a little dance lesson. I guess you could call this Jimbo's Swingin' Party V: Shanghai, Baby!!!
So far so good.
;-)
Jim

Shanghai, Day 20
Well, I'm not keeping good track of which day # it is. I can't believe it's been three weeks already!
I'm not having trouble getting to the blog anymore. It seems I can do it from the Internet cafes now. I don't know why it works now and not before, but it does.

Today my dance partner finally showed up. Thank God we get along! And she has good connection, good East Coast Swing and Lindy and Charleston skills. We danced one test dance together and went over my music collection. It turned out she didn't have any of the same music that I had, she being from the east coast. She said that the west coast had a much better music selection when it comes to bands! I think that's true. The Bay Area is the king of swing in the U.S.

Tomorrow she and I go out to "Lindy Bomb" a club or two. This means going into a club pretty much randomly and just taking over the dance floor by doing Lindy Hop out of the blue (and hopefully clearing the dance floor). Usually it's done with a group of six or more dancers, but I think we'll just have to deal with the two of us for now! We are starting at 7pm and bringing some friends of us along to witness the carnage. This should be fun.

I'm glad I had three weeks on my own to settle in and form my own group of people before my dance partner arrived. I think if she got here at the same time that I did, I would have become an accessory in her own social world. I much prefer it this way, with me having my own set of friends. Interestingly, the Swedish girl and I have become better friends. My dance partner is very interested in meeting her, because they both have talked about the experience that a white woman goes through here.

Yesterday my Swedish friend and I were going to dinner. She got to the restaurant first and was told that there were no tables available and there would be a 30 minute wait. Mind you, she is quite young and wearing a backback at the time, so they may have thought she was a penniless backpacker or something. But surely she could have paid for a table. Anyhow, when I showed up a little later, they said "Welcome, Welcome" and let us upstairs, where there were at least 10 tables and only two of them occupied.

My dance partner says that when people see me, mature white male, their automatic assumption is "this is an important person to know" -- wealthy or influential or the like. And she also says that when they meet her, their assumption is more like "this person probably knows people who are important". Anyhow, they both want to talk to each other to compare notes.

So what else? I'm just about over my cold. Man, that sucked. Bad timing. I'm going back to my place to watch any of the 20 DVD's that are back there (good shops for that out here...).
So, g'nite all
=J

Shanghai, Day 16
Over the last three days or so I have been recovering from a cold and not getting out much. This is pretty much par for the course with me -- got a cold in the Carribean and in France when I visited there. I think it's relocation stress.

The nightlife in Shanghai has proved to be very entertaining. Prior to this trip, I can think of very few times that I spent the whole night out partying, but here I have done it three times already. (Perhaps that's part of the reason I got sick...)

I have made several new friends. One Finnish guy named Jouni has introduced me to his friends, and they to theirs, and so on. Last Friday I met up with some Brits who were just in town for the weekend. We all joined up, got sauced, and stayed out until the sun came up. They taught me a cool new song (mom, stop reading).
Note: Must be spoken with a British accent for the appropriate sound.

As sole
As sole
A soldier I will be!
To pis
To pis
Two Pistols on my knee
Fah cue
Fah cue
For curiosity!
To fight for the old count-
To fight for the old count-
To fight for the old Country

Well, it was funny. We were walking down the streets of Shanghai about 3am with the Brits and a nice young blonde lady from Sweden, singing this song at the top of our lungs. What a country! What a city!
-J

BELOW ARE BLOG ENTRIES GOING BACK TO EVEN BEFORE I ARRIVED IN SHANGHAI, LISTED MOST RECENT FIRST.

(Blog entry from old notes written on paper)
Shanghai, Day 13
I sit at a restaurant, enjoying a meal to myself. I've come from swimming at my Mandarin tutor's apartment complex. I think of my friends back 'home', wherever that may be.

Last night I went out with my former host, Ping, and three women from her office. They all speak near-perfect English, to my surprise. Afterwards, we head out to Xing Tian Di (shing tee-ahn dee), which is a very interesting area. Literally, it means "New Sky Ground", or "New World". I believe the first Chinese Communist Party meeting was there, and today it is a major bar and restaurant area frequented by expats.

I think it is part of the French Concession, so the architecture is very Western. There are cobblestone walkways in the pedestrian-only street. Shops, restaurants and bars line either side. In any given bar you may find a common Shanghai phenomenon - Phillipine bands playing covers of American songs. Everything can be heard from Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love", "It's My Life" by Bon Joni (one someone like that), Janis Joplin, and Joan Jet's "I Love Rock and Roll."

I started dancing with Ping's friends during a band break, and a cute little thing came up to me and started dancing with me. I'm still very hesitant to get involved with anyone out here, for several reasons. Shanghainese women, it is said, often have well-formed agendas. This can be as simple as attraction (which is of course fine!), but it can also include pursuit of wealthy men, seeking a foriegn visa through marriage, or simply looking to be paid for their consortianship. You got to watch out. Of course, people are people. You'd probably find the same thing in L.A. or New York.

In other news, my dance partner arrives on Sunday. I think I will have a small housewarming party when she arrives. So far no one has seen me dance. They have all just been taking my word for it!

(Blog entry from old notes written on paper)
Shanghai, End of Week One
In my time so far I have met about 20 people, lived in two different apartments, gone swimming in two luxury complex pools, taken the cabs, busses, and subways, purchased a cell phone, and adjusted to life as a laowai (foreigner) faster than I had ever expected.

I have met natives and expats alike. Among the expats, there have been scholars, businessmen, dorky know-it-alls, lecherous slimy guys, teachers, and players. All expats are here for some reason, whether fleeing another life, tranferred by a job, or simply seeking opportunity and excitement.

The women situaton here is auspicious. The cost of living and eating varies from sub-welfare to super-premium. And everywhere you go, from restaurants to bars to just walking on the street, you are given special treatment for being white. Perhaps 'being Western' would be a better way to express it, but ABC's here have a different experience than those who can be spotted as Western from 200 yards away.

But is it good. Though I am tired, I feel no sense of longing to be anywhere other than where I am.

(Blog entry from old notes written on paper)
Shanghai, Day 2

It's hot and humid, like August in Chicago. The neighborhoods in Shanghai are not like one would expect in America. In this area there are row after row of six-story buildings with green-painted concrete exteriors. In certain areas building have been patch-repaired with concrete and don't match their original color. The exterior walls of the top floors are grey-tinged with air pollution dust. Laundry hangs from nearly every balcony, and external air conditioners can likewise be seen. On the ground, people lounge about on steps and on lawnchairs between buildings.

Inside any of these buildings it is actually quite nice. Were it not for the odd appliances and wall power sockets, you would not know the difference.

As I walk outside, most everyone looks, the old people especially. I always feel more confident when I have a Mandarin speaker with me, just in case someone tries to say something to me.

Yesterday my host Rob and I took a cab to meet my #2 host Kenny. We found his place, which had a guitar and drumset. In the apartment, right there in the middle of the afternoon Kenny and his drummer Bing jammed while we all drank beer and sang along to: Sweet Child of Mine, Your Moma Don't Dance and your Daddy Don't Rock & Roll, and others. Afterwards, we all head out for lunch, except for Rob who had to work on his thesis.

We ate at a local Chinese restaurant (they are all technically Chinese, but hey...). We had some beers then went back to Kenny's place. We watched episodes I and II of Band of Brothers. Then we played a racing game and a cool guitar came on his PS2.

After this it was about 8pm, and I asked Kenny if it was OK to take a quick 15 minute nap before we headed out on the town. Two hours later I woke up and I knew I was in for the night -- jet lag.

And so now I wake up and begin Day 2.

(Blog entry from old notes written on paper)
August 19, 2003. Flying over Kamchatka.
Flying in a plane's not like driving. On the plus, I can watch movies and sleep. On the downside, I can't get out of the car to rest or look at something interesting. One thing I miss is being able to e-mail. I'm in a communication black hole. I can't call or e-mail or anything.

Five hours to go. I hope a movie starts soon. I am a person who needs constant distraction and stimulus. When I was in China the first time, it was like overload. But after a few days I got used to it and every minute required my constant attention. When I got back, I went through stimulus withdrawl. Every moment in San Jose I was just looking around, looking around and trying to pick up on the action and energy that just wasn't there.

(Blog Entry from old notes written on paper)
August 19, 2003. On the plane to Beijing.
Once I am onboard, I feel much better. I called my mom in the last five minutes before boarding. I was terrified. At points, I thought I would cry. I had a sudden impulse to turn around.` There are a lot of Americans on the plane. So far it does not seem very "China". But I am not afraid anymore.

These choices are so hard sometimes. You feel like no matter what you choose, you will go through regret. It seems unfair. How can you feel regret if you leave AND if you stay? ONE of these decisions should be right, and if you pick the right one there should be no regret. But that's not how it works with me.

Every step, every jump in this journey over the last several months has been punctuated by a long period of travel. First, from San Francisco to San Diego - such a painful departure. But driving on the road for 10 hours washes you free of the previous place.

And then, San Diego to Phoenix, where I joined my cousin. Alike in geneology and family culture, unlike in other ways. But Phoenix was too hot, perhaps. One day I decided I would leave. The next afternoon I was gone; free-spirited and adventuring...?

No. Actually, the first day out of Phoenix was a drive through depression. All day I could do nothing else but recall the failure, mistakes, and cruelties of my life. Nothing comforted me. Nothing could please me.

On the second day, that cloud had lifted, and I drove into San Jose to retrieve my Grandfather's liquor cabinet and my Grandma's paintings. Then, to receive a final farewell, warning, and berating from an old friend.

From San Jose, with all my worldly possessions in my car, I drove two days to Montana. Again, it washed off the memories and residues, and I arrived at a new temporary life. During my stay in Montana, I was inspired to properly finish the work at my old client. And, I went back to San Jose to spend two weeks in seclusion, doing nothing more than focusing on work.

After the work was done, I spent the last week hammering out every possible detail for my trip to Shanghai. I was comforted by the presence of my friend Steve, who was navigating a difficult spot in his own journey. I like to thing my presence - though it must have been a burden at times - helped him somehow. Imported momentum and energy, perhaps.

The hardest part was the final night's dinner with a very dear friend of mine. I was prepared to leave, but on the last day, you get to thinking. What if? Why am I leaving? What if I turn left instead of right? Is there a potential for something great right here? That thought kept me up for hours as I tried to sleep on my last night. Is my mind just playing tricks on me?`

The morning was brief, tense, and difficult. Steve was up hours after I was. "How are you doing?" he asked, inquiring to my state of mind. It was the first time I recall him actually asking about anything like that.

"Dude, I'm stressed," I said flatly, without hesitation. "I'm really scared."

"I'm sure it will be easier than you think," he said calmly.

***

So now I'm on the plane and mind mind is awash in San Jose, for a third time, with different people. We're flying just south of Alaska right now.

Every jump hurts. Every reloation. The first half of travelling is always pain and processing. That reaches its zenith, and the rest of the time is freedom. Eventually, your mind is clear and ready to take on the new temporary life.

(Blog Entry from old notes written on paper)
August 19, 2003. San Francisco International Airport. Day of departure.

I have to be honest, I'm feeling very concerned as I finish preparations for Shanghai. I'm leaving so much behind in the Bay Area. It was probably not such a good idea to visit with everyone again at the last minute. I'm having doubts as to this whole adventure. I'm thinking perhaps it is a mistake or a waste of time.

I'm concerned. I'm not feeling excited or enthusiastic. I should be, shouldn't I? Seeing my friend last night has made me wonder. `

Part of it is I'm just tired out from preparing and not looking forward to the plane ride. I Imagine I'll rest most of the first day I'm there. Thank God I've got friends to stay with; this would never work without that.

I have to finish preparations. I can write more on the plane.

Shanghai, Day 12 - ish
I have finally signed up for a temporary apartment in the heart of the city. I have the flat for a month, which I am sharing with a German expat and a local Shanghainese. This is a great relief, because now I can do more things in the city. Before it took about 40rmb ($5) and 30 minutes to get from my hosts' apartment to the activities in the city. Now I am much closer. Plus, the reduction in taxi fare costs pays for 2/3 the cost of renting the room!

As an added bonus, there is a hotel two blocks from where I live which has a business center. Most hotels have one; it is a place people can rent computers with Internet access. And, unlike other places, these types of computers do not have blocking mechanisms which screen out certain Websites. Most computers I have been on screen out Blogger.com, which means I have been unable to blog. The previous entry was actually e-mailed to my mom!

I will probably spend about two days adjusting to my new environment. I am moving out of Rob & Ping's place. I have relied upon them quite a bit since I've been here. They're just good people, I guess, to put me up for so long without anything in return.

My dance partner shows up in six days. This will be interesting when she finally arrives. We have never met face-to-face before. I hope we get along!

I have some old blogs which I have written on paper, and I will retroactively post these as soon as I get organized in my new apartment.

The first week I have been here in Shanghai I was filled with huge energy and excitement and I went out every night. The second week I slowed down quite considerably. I was getting tired very easily, and the food here sometimes does not agree with me. But I feel now that I have my own place closer to things it will be much easier for me.

Power to the people! More to come!
-J