First Impressions

I wish I could say that my first impressions of Shanghai were wonderful, but most of them were not. I felt that I had researched and read a lot about life in Shanghai, but like most big changes you just can't really know until you get there. Add a serious lack of sleep, jet lag, and language barrier, and things get a little hairy. Things have gotten better in just a few days here. I've already met a few women who have offered to help me figure things out. Like, what do you cook, what do you do during the day with kids, where are good places to go shopping for necessities and fun things. How have I met them you ask? Glad you asked. One I met in the grocery store, where a box of the Capt'n is about 8 USD. I stopped her and her four daughters in the aisle to ask a few questions. She was great, and I think she will be a wonderful contact because she knows other moms of young twins. She listed off 4 or 5 people she knew, but didn't know if any of them lived near us. I also met a mom of 4 year old twin boys today at a coffee house where the American Women's Club of Shanghai meet every Wednesday. She and I hit it off, and are in a very similar situation. She is only here for 6 months, and is a few steps further in figuring things out, which will be a great resource(and friend?). Keep praying for that all of you who are!
Mike told you a little bit about our first day here when Kate and AJ were being photographed and the mob scene that ensued. It was a little scary being in the middle, because Chinese people don't have a very big radius for personal space. I guess in a city of 18 million, you're going to run into other people a lot. So, if we get in your personal space when we get back, just tell us to back off.
Again, I am so thankful that Rachel is here to help me this first week, because otherwise, I would probably just hole myself up and not get out as much as we have already. We have been shopping for some good fake things, like purses, shoes, jackets, really most high end brands you can find a knock off here. Rachel has found a lot of good things. I bought Kate some cute little pink Puma shoes for about 10 USD. They didn't have AJ's size, so he'll get some later. I also got myself a Diesel messenger bag for a diaper bag, which hopefully, I won't have to use for too much longer.

Each time I go out I am more comfortable about how to do things. Even just telling our driver where to go and when to pick us up is getting easier. A driver? Yes, because, believe me, you do not want to drive yourself around these streets. Our driver, James, is actually a very safe driver, but the rules of the road are different here. Pretty much, as Mike described it to me, you don't have to worry about any other car except the one in front of you. You can just pull over without looking, it is a very aggressive way of driving, although to them, it is normal. There have already been a few times when we could have reached out to touch the people in the car next to us. As a pedestrian, you have to walk very defensively, because cars/bikes/scooters/buses, don't really care if you're there, they will keep barrelling at you.
Another big difference, as you might guess, are the grocery stores. There are a lot of brands you might recognize, but just a little bit off. Also, there are open bins of frozen chicken pieces. Rachel said that when she went to the store, she saw two little girls playing drums with frozen drumsticks. We went to another grocery store,and they had open bins of non-frozen chickens, head still in tact, and people just put their hands in and grab them out, touching all the others while they're at it. Apparently, chicken feet are a tasty snack, too. GROSS!!! Don't know how much chicken we will be eating here. We may become vegetarians by default.
A funny thing that Rachel and I get a kick out of, are all the shirts that Chinese people wear with English on them, that they probably don't know what they say. There are lots of signs in Chinese and English, but it is obvious the translator didn't know the English language very well.

I'm guessing that they don't think too highly of us. What do you think?

I am sure I will have more stories and pictures soon.