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Published: September 22nd 2008
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Photo 1
Friday night out! Heading to an acrobatics show with friends Well, I'm past the one month mark into my new life here in Shanghai. I thought that it would be very appropriate to reflect on the things that I'm missing from home, from Toronto and Canada, and also the things that I know I'll miss from Shanghai when I eventually return home. I'm sure that as each month passes this list will continue to shift and change as my perspective and priorities change. But for now, here it is!
Things I'm missing from Canada: - apples and produce - I'm an apple, fruit, and veggie monster as most people know! For safety precautions I'm only eating fruit with a peel (bananas, pineapples, oranges, watermelons) and imported dried fruit - no fresh apples, grapes, etc. I order salads and fresh veggies from reputable restaurants to get my veg intake (thankfully) but it's not the same as going to Loblaws or a market and picking beautiful fresh produce
- Loblaws - fresh and "inexpensive" food - all western food is imported and thus it's like 3 times as expensive
- relatively clean streets - everything is dirty here. People spit on the ground, in bushes, on the road, there is dirty
Photo 2
Jazz du Funk - it's where I go to get my groove on :) water thrown from buckets (once housing vegetables for "washing") all over sidewalks, and generally just dirt and pollution everywhere. They do a pretty good job at garbage collection though, the streets and sidewalks are usually quite clear of food or paper litter, and street sweepers are abundant (our neighbourhood street sweeper plays the Happy Birthday song.... only in China!)
- fresh/unscented air - often you'll be walking along when you're suddenly whacked by a pungent scent that smells like urine/poop/garbage.... not very nice. Also the air quality and air pollution is despicable. Usually you live life in a thick grey soup, ie: Shanghai air.
- fast internet connections..... occasionally it's fine, but usually it's painfully slow since everything has to go through the Great Firewall
- western movie theatres - there are only a handful of "international" cinemas, but they only show like 2 western films, usually stupid action flicks from two years ago (although buying seriously cheap dvds are always an option)
- Trimurti - the best Indian food I've ever had....... mmmmmmmm
- seat belts.... those of you in Canada could never understand how it feels to drive in Shanghai. Road life is chaotic, fast, reckless, and an
Photo 3
entrance to the facilities adventure in and of itself, and taxis don't have passenger seat belts. I feel like I'm entering a video game world every time I enter a cab, zipping through a neon city.... kinda fun but also a little scary
- Muskoka..... the sights, the sounds, the fresh air, the trees, the lakes, nature, blue skies, white clouds, everything
- my own bed sheets - they use too much bleach and starch here (but at least it's clean)
- and, of course, home.... family and friends, my house, all the important people in my life
Things I'm sure to miss from Shanghai upon returning to Canada: - having Japan, Korea, Cambodia and Thailand for near by neighbours - REALLY cheap taxis - wow, it sounds like such a luxury to take a taxi everywhere, but here it's not
- no minimum delivery charge and free delivery!! (restaurants deliver here for a purchase of 35RMB..... that's $6 Canadian!!! Basically you can order McDonalds and get it delivered, lol)
- Element Fresh restaurant and delivery..... good, healthy, and tasty food on the cheap, particularly the Californian Garden salad and the Fresh Vegetable Wrap with Spiced Tofu..... mmmm for under $8 each)
Photo 4
the alleys of Yuyuan Shopping Bazaar - Jazz du Funk.... dancing my passions and stresses out at an awesome studio and meeting dancers/teachers from all over the world - China, France, USA, Australia, etc
- using few words - being able to just shrug and smile (because I don't speak chinese), but in Canada you feel that when someone enters into conversation with you you're obliged to respond
- awe in "new-ness" - in Toronto everything is familiar.... here everything is different, thus it's new and exciting/annoying/gross/thrilling/fun, etc
- the nightlife - Shanghai is a city that never sleeps. At any given time, 3am or 3pm, you can find a nightclub, a bar, a show, a lounge, somewhere to go for a good time. The abundance of stuff to do here makes Toronto seem very small.
- the cityscape at night - the sheer size and height of the city is impressive - throw in millions of neon lights and you've got yourself a sight to behold.
- Paul - the most beautiful French boulangerie this side of France
- Xintiandi - old westerm buildings in the heart of the French Concession, housing boutiques, a ton of delicious and varied patio restaurants, wine stores, a sweet
Photo 5
more Yuyuan Bazaar little park with a pond, and ice cream parlours
- dirt cheap massages - good ones too, for like $12-$20 and they last an hour or more
- cool chinese markets like the Yuyuan Bazaar - upon returning home I'm sure I'll miss these
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