First Week in Shanghai

This summer in Shanghai, last summer in Beijing, I seem to be spending a lot of time in China these past few years.

This time around is definitely different though. Last summer I was on a University campus surrounded by nearly all foreign students in Beijing for the same purpose, to study Chinese. This summer, I'm stranded towards the edge of Shanghai in an industrial district full of Pharmaceutical companies, and with fellows who are more comfortable in English than Chinese few and far between. Luckily, I have a Canadian roommate; I just have to suppress my chuckles when he says "eh?" is all.

Last night I went to visit an old friend who moved with his family back to China about seven years ago. He goes to the Shanghai American School and will be at Duke next year. He also has a little sister who's eleven and probably doesn't remember what it's like to live in the States at all. Their place is a really nice high-rise courtyard apartment in the former French Concession Area near Shanxi Nan Lu (陕西南路).

Nearby at the Cathay Theatre, it looks like the Shanghai International Film Festival is starting soon.