I went out for a walk around Shanghai on my own on monday and boy was it nerve-racking. I wanted to try and find a temple/pagoda which was not too far away from the flat so I took the metro to 'Caobao lu'. However I had decided that in order for people to to try and take advantage I needed to look like I knew where I was going so instead of looking where I needed to go on the map I just took an 'educated' guess when I walked out of the metro station. Bad Idea. I ended up going in a big circle and getting in a bit of a panic that I was lost. My brilliant sence of direction did lead me back though, but for a first taste of individual travel it was slightly scary. Next to people's square I went, in which I thought I'd be able to blend in with the bigger crowds but nope. The first thing that happened is I was approached by a group of (quite friendly looking to be fair) chinese people, who straight away asked me am I english.
I thought to myself 'errrr what do I say' because while they may be innocently trying to practice their english, it could be a clever roose to beat me up, steal my wallet ect ect(well in a very worst case scenario). In the end I just mumbled something about me being busy and walked on. and this happened all the way down, the very long, 'Nanjing lu' with people asking "yoo wan DVD' or 'Rolex, want Rolex'. This was the moment when the acumulation of the hours of mandarin training came out. BU YAO. bu yao bu yao. Urgh, maybe one day I'll be able to say something more elaborate, but in all honestly I guess it's all you need to say.
Yesterday It was Annemaries 23rd birthday (fellow volunteer) so it was the task of me and Nele to go and buy a birthday cake. It's amazing how much they like it when you try and speak mandarin because as soon as you say anything for example; "qing gay wo nage" they instantly become alot more friendly and helpful, and everyone was laughing when I tryed to work out how to say "ar sh san"(23) on the spot. Then we went to KTV in pudong, which for people who don't know is karaoke. I think chinese people really like it because it's a way to express themself, which the chinese people are not very adapt at doing in normal social/everyday situations. Well at least that's what I've read and It seems true enough. It's so odd to be so far away from all the things I knew before I left for Shanghai. I suppose call it a touch of homesickness but I think its different, because it's more in awe than anything else.
Anyway thats enough for now,
bye bye
This sounds amazing! Glad you're having fun and also giving me something entertaining to read.
Hi Ben - We are enjoying reading your blog and glad that you have settled in ok and hope your first day of teaching went ok - working in a school i know how hard it is to control a classroom of over excited children, so hope it wasn't too scary! Best wishes from 'The Newmans'