Disoriented in the Orient

Since the hiccup with WordPress seems to be at least inavoidable for now, I've decided to record the daily and sometimes (well, mostly) random thoughts that I have distilled from sitting in the office everyday. I hope soon I'll be able to get back on WP but until then I will post directly and indirectly on both blogs so that I can continue to share my experience in this uncharted territory with you.

Today's the first day of my second week. As usual, I hopped on my hour-long subway ride to work with my "Coffwie Amewicana" from Starbucks (sorry I shouldn't poke fun, the little girl at the counter is actually quite adorable and has always been nice to me). I have learned, through a week of trial and error, to go straight to the end of the mile-long train and plant my skinny butt on the first opening that I could find. As a result, I am no longer the middle of the battlefield where boys and girls, grandmas and grandpas trade elbows to the ribs and box each other out harder than NBA players jostling for rebounds. I have learned to slowly sip my coffee while using my kung fu sense to dodge the occasional newspaper swiping my way or the frequent rhino stump from the guy or girl (sometimes with their hair I can't tell) standing in front of me.

Strangely enough, I still feel more at home in Boston. Funny how I couldn't finish the alphabet until I was 11 and now I feel lost without it. There are Chinese signs everywhere and I know that I understand perfectly, but yet I need an extra second to process the information. I'm sure in time I'll adjust to the language but I'm not so sure for the culture. People seems to be going to whereever it is that they are going at about 100 miles per hour. Pushing and shoving without the slightest gesture of apology and dare I say it, spitting in the street. Occasionally you do meet one of the nicer and more polite ones but those are rare finds.

Overcompensating is the word that comes to mind when I think of Shanghai these days. With its golden era and cultural heritage in the past, the Paris of the East is expanding in the new world with big foreign money, expensive brands, fast cars and big price tags. The city is still beautiful and amazing, but you get the feeling that the filling in the bread is taken out.

I love my job, the office is great and I enjoy doing the work. But sometimes you just get the feeling that there's this small void missing in this metropolis. There's still no warm hellos yet but I suppose I should be happy that more than a handful of people know my name now. For now, Chief Wiggum, Scratchy and Duffman who stand on my computer will have to give me the strangth and companionship I need.

When you're on your own your mind tend to wonders and sometimes bring you the blues. But for now I will plow on and hope for the best. I wish you all well and I hope I'll get to see some, if not all of you some day not far away. Until then, take care and good luck.