Shanghai: Reflections

I downright miss Shanghai.

Initially, I hated it. I hated the weather, the people, the city itself. But then I got used to the humidity, I tolerated the people, I grew to love the city. My heart has warmed up to Shanghai, and Shanghai has warmed up to me (in so many ways).

My first week in Shanghai went by excruciatingly slowly because I was so bitter. Week two was amazing, from 朱家角 water village to 车墩 film park. At the end of that week, we decided to cut back on spending, so the third week wasn't too adventurous, though the three-day class field trip was spectacular enough to make up for the beginning of the week. 横店影视城 (Hengdian World Studios) and 杭州(Hangzhou) composed the hottest weekend I have ever experienced, but the trip was, again, spectacular.

西湖 in Hangzhou (Sunday, 7/24)

Hello Kitty Cafe in Hangzhou (Saturday, 7/23)

横店影视城 (Friday and Saturday, 7/22-23)

徐家汇公园 (Tuesday, 7/19)

Like the last days of anything else enjoyable, the last week of my Shanghai trip was bittersweet. On one hand, I was excited to finally go home, see my home friends, and no longer worry about bed bug and mosquito bites. On the other hand, I simply didn't want to leave because I was having so much fun, and I knew there was so much more to see and so much more of my friends and classmates I could get to know. The last week went by ever the more quickly than any other of the program. We couldn't decide what to do and what adventures to go on because we felt that we had done all that we could (afford to) do the past two weeks. So we just had nicer meals and rested more. When it came time to say and hug goodbye to the first departing person Friday night, I was sad. When I said and hugged goodbye to my roommate on Saturday afternoon, I almost started to tear up. These were my first tear-jerking goodbyes other than the one to my dad at LAX before I departed for China on June 24. As the taxi pulled away from the Jiao Tong University Faculty Club, my heart sank, and I immediately started reminiscing the past four weeks. The reminiscing continued as I sat on the stationary airplane during the flight delay. It continued when I recounted stories to my mother during our late dinner. It's continuing now.

In between all the laughter and adventures, I did attend class. As I told my mother yesterday, while I do not feel that I learned much (or anything) new from the Chinese language class, I do feel that I received a good review of what I did learn during Chinese school. Additionally, I learned to write in simplified characters, so now my Chinese writing and reading abilities have expanded a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed the class, though, because 沈老师 made it enjoyable with her bubbly personality. It also wasn't too stressful because most of the vocabulary was review for me. I cannot say the same about the film and culture class, though. I was asleep for a lot of the lecture as well as film time. A few concepts I did extract from my conscious moments, however, are: There is no one true Shanghai or one true anything else; a fine line exists between theory and practice; ... Okay, I suppose that's all. I can't even check my notes, because I lack them. The final paper is due on August 19, so I should start on that as soon as possible, before I forget anything else...

farewell lunch at 平味，沈老师

Qin Dynasty at Hengdian, 级老师

Outside of but somewhat related to (Chinese) class, I had the opportunity to practice my 汉语, or 普通话 (Mandarin Chinese) everywhere. Actually, it wasn't like I had a choice between Mandarin and any other language. In any case, now I am comfortable ordering from a menu in only Chinese characters, bargaining with pushy store-owners, chatting with manicurists (another story), etc. Not only am I comfortable with the language again, I also thoroughly enjoy speaking it. Aside from the friendships I have formed and developed, I feel that this is the most important aspect I have gained from the four-week program. I guess immersion really works!

On a different note, I will now address the changes and transitions I experienced throughout the program. Firstly, when I initially complained about how rude Shanghainese people were, I sincerely felt that way. But my friends kept disagreeing, and Professor Chi even said that Shanghainese people are some of the nicest and best-mannered people. After taking that into account and returning to the restaurant that I had during week one complained about, I slowly realized that what my friends and professor said was true. Most Shanghainese people aren't that bad. And there are rude people all over the world. Secondly, while I still think drivers (of cars, taxis, motorcycles, as well as bicycles) there are crazy, I have grown to appreciate the traffic/ pedestrian customs in Shanghai. In particular, I have learned to walk when there is no nearby oncoming traffic. Especially when the light is red. Nobody cares! On the other hand, even when the light is green for pedestrians, I know to always expect and therefore to watch out for ignorant/ impatient drivers/ bicyclists who will turn left and right or even go straight as they wish. While I will not deny that all of this is dangerous, I must point out that it is so efficient! It's less time spent on waiting for the light to turn green when you could just go whenever you think it safe. Sometimes, I think the United States should adopt this method. Or just rid of its traffic laws, both of which would have essentially the same effect.

After all of this positive ranting and raving, I will admit that I was disappointed by Shanghai in one important aspect: food. Yes, the 小笼包 (xiaolongbao, or juicy pork dumpling) is wonderful, but I never even liked it that much anywhere, so the only fair thing I can say about it is that I enjoy it. If you don't intend and set out to have a nice--which implies expensive--meal, you can find cheap food anywhere. But as with anywhere else, Shanghai's cheap food doesn't necessarily connote good food. While most of our food adventures were mostly hits, some misses were just unforgivable--to our stomachs, anyway. I don't know. Maybe it's just that we didn't look for anything in particular most of the time, that I'm very picky (which I never truly thought was the case before coming here), or that I've had so many of the same or similar dishes at home (in which case a unique dish to someone else is just another ordinary one to me). Now that I think about it, it must be the latter. This isn't to say that I didn't have some amazing meals, though. The Muslim lamb dinner with the professor was unforgettable. The Indian cuisine lunch also with the professor was delicious. Din Tai Fung both times (one with the professor...) exceeded my expectations based on Arcadia's standards. In short, I'm disappointed that I didn't have more "uniquely Shanghainese dishes" (as the professor would say), but it's okay, because I can try more when I return to Shanghai sometime in the next few years!

exotic donkey meat at a dumpling place on 华山路

Din Tai Fung, round 1

新王 on 南京东路

At last, I am unbelievably glad that I signed up for the Asian Languages and Cultures travel study program in Shanghai. I signed up impulsively, arrived apprehensively, and left happily (aside from the sad goodbyes). Thank you, UCLA and Shanghai, for the best past four weeks!

P.S.

上海，我在想念你。谢谢你给我那么多美好的回忆和经验。

Next time: firsts in Shanghai.

下一次： 我在上海的第一。