Back in the Saddle Again

2.1-->2.10.2011
I woke up on Tuesday morning grumpy and delirious. All I wanted to do is get across that ocean.
My first memories of last week started at SFO when I was hoisting my oversized luggage onto the conveyor and the Japanese-American airline person asked me a question in Chinese. I slowly pondered what she said and then clarified: “Did you ask me if I like apples?” “Yes!” she replied with a smile.
It was still too early for any thoughts and as I waited at Pete’s coffee for the time to leave, my parents thumbed through my 24 new passport pages and a sparkly Chinese visa. Before I stepped into the endlessly long security line I said a hard good-bye to my parents and left. Down at the gate I watched the crowd of people gather and then enter my plane. The Air Canada airliner was clean and quiet and only about 30 people showed up for the flight. I had a whole row to myself.
I slept for most of my first flight to Vancouver and when I woke up I looked out to find a crystal clear skyline interrupted by sharp snow capped mountains. Not exactly what I was expecting. When the pilot went into the decent I could see the bay dotted with small islands.
On the ground I hustled through the Vancouver airport and was misguided by the overhead signs. I eventually found my next gate and could spare some time to eat the last chocolate chip cookie I would have in North America. When it came time to board I saw for the first time in my life Chinese Mainlanders form a line and tell other people to form a line. Inside the Air Canada 767 was a class of middle schoolers from Shanghai and many Chinese-Canadian families with plenty of screaming babies.
As we waited for the flight to leave the gate I looked around to see two open seats next to the window a few rows back. When I ditched my seat mate—who was from Oregon—and claimed my territory I looked up to see two young Chinese eyes that peered at me as if I had just canceled Chrismas. I got away with robbery and for the next 12 hours and 40 minutes Air Canada entertained me with 4 movies that I had been dying to see and enough free food and beer to make me happy.
After flying over the jagged mountains of Alaska, a volcano erupting in Japan and the endless Northern Pacific Ocean the decent into Chinese pollution seemed somewhat anticlimactic. I was still amped to get back into China. I double–timed it through the passport check, got my bags and went through the arrival door. I was saddened when I didn’t see Yuri, my girlfriend, waiting for me on the other side. I wanted to just get to my apartment but thought I should call just to make sure Yuri didn’t go to the wrong terminal. After a minor payphone scam I realized I could call her using my American phone. When I did she told me that she was just getting off the metro. I’m glad I didn’t leave the airport without her!
We took a cab back to my apartment. Flying over rooftop freeways we could see fireworks exploding at eye’s height. I had arrived on the first night of Chinese New Year. At the apartment I left my bags at my place but my actual room was not ready so I headed to the hotel down the street.
The next day, Yuri, Alex (my roommate) and I spent moving our stuff into our new apartment. We unpacked what had been left here in the city and took a trip to Wal Mart to buy some necessaries. Over the next few days it was much of the same rhythm. Wake up late, do some project around the house that needed to be done and go for some productive adventure around town. All the while I made American breakfasts for the three of us and Yuri cooked Japanese dinners.
One of the adventures we had taken was to Ikea. We needed a few things for our living situation so we decided that Saturday was a good day to get everything done. With half of Shanghai gone (most migrant workers returned home for the New Year’s festival), the streets empty and the shops and restaurants closed we thought Ikea would be empty. We were sure as hell wrong! We got there about three in the afternoon and wanted to start our outing by getting some Swedish cafeteria food. To do that we went against a sea of shoppers clanging their carts and stepping on each other to get to the cafe. There were so many people there was hardly any room to walk. Winded we ate copious amounts of meatballs, smoke salmon and many cups of Swedish coffee. After we got the things we wanted, a family tried to cut us off in the checkout line. Yuri and I just about lost our cool as we were shouting at the family’s mother in English. They finally apologized and acquiesced their space.
On Monday the three of us thought it would be worthwhile to watch the super bowl at an Australian owned sports bar downtown. We left the apartment at 7am and took a cab to the French Concessions. When we arrived at the bar, we were surprised when we couldn’t find a place to sit; the place was packed. When we finally wedged ourselves between some American expats and some nervous Steelers fans we ordered a breakfast of eggs benedict and Carlsberg beer. It was a fun initiation back into expat life here in China.
Yesterday I went with Yuri to move her into her dorm down the road a bit. Because Yuri is going to the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics she will be living in some international dorms two metro stops down from Fudan. We lugged her one big Japanese suit case to the ninth floor of a communist inspired building. When we opened the door she was shocked and said “I just want to go back to your place [Mark].” The place was small, cramped and cold, not to mention she will be sharing her abode with another Chinese student. The rest of the day we bought a few things around the neighborhood and made sure the appliances worked.
Last night the other students in the program arrived and my program has been having orientation meetings ever since. Today Alex and I had lunch with our Chinese roommate and later we are heading out to the Shanghai acrobat show. Should be fun!
I will keep yall update on more adventures here in China but I am also going to finish my postings on Bhutan, so stay tuned!