Finding My Way on the Subway

3/29/14

Well, I made it to the school and back today, from downtown Shanghai to the suburb of Songjiang, and only got lost once.  I walked at least a couple miles today, the first time I think I walked in a circle looking for the subway station.  But I understand the map of Shanghai a little better now, at least around the area where the hotel is located.  I left the hotel at 8:30 am and got back at 8:30 pm, so I am tired.  I used a lot of hand motions and a map of Shanghai, and the manager at the school helped translate with the rental agent.  

A lot of people helped me along the way.  Thank God for the kindness of strangers!  On the second subway ride I was standing looking at the automatic ticket vender which is in all Chinese characters, of course, hoping I was pushing the right buttons.  Several young women came up and asked me if they could help me.  The shepherded me through getting the ticket and getting on the right train.  So nice!

I signed a lease for an apartment next to the school, which is in an indoor/outdoor mall.  The apartment is in a high rise building, and the 5th floor roof has a garden.  My apartment is on the 6th floor, so I have a nice view of the garden.  From what I understand there is no foot access to it, but maybe I will find out later that there is, because information is not always accurate.  And I got a temporary residency permit, which the school will help me file to get a permanent one.

I bought a new phone.  I had read that phones are cheaper here, but in the end I was told that the better quality ones are the ones made for export and I was better buying one of them.  So it was fairly expensive and I had to pay cash.  It has quite a bit of the prompts in Chinese characters, so I it is more difficult to understand.  The translated Chinese is not always clear either.  I can use it for phone calls and text, but the internet service doesn’t start until the 1^st of April.  I will be glad when I have that.  It is a smart phone and I need to down load a translation app so I can use it to communicate better here.  I took some pictures, but I will have to download them when I have internet access.

I got to talk to a couple of the English teachers at the school.  There seem to be two types of English teachers-those that spend a lot of emotional energy being angry that China isn't like the US, and those that accept and get along here.  I am always surprised that people expect China to be like the US, but I grew up for part of my childhood in an "underdeveloped nation," and the inconveniences here don't seem too bad so far.

I just took the whole day as a leisurely walk in wonderland, and I got through it okay.  The weather is lows in the 50S and highs in the 70’s.  It is humid, so it feels warmer in the day and colder in the night. I stopped by a small restaurant  on the way back to the hotel and asked for a “vegetables only” plate with words the man next to me on the airplane gave me.  They served me a huge plate of greens that tasted similar to spinach greens.  They were good.

I have the address of an English speaking church here in Shanghai.  I am going to try to take the subway there tomorrow (I hope).  I am looking forward to being in church.