Yesterday, I was unable to get to Blogspot, so I wrote this email. Here is it for those of you who missed it, and for the sake of having everything in one place. And for the one link that I hope works, since I can't actually get to the page myself.
Hey everyone,
As luck would have it, my internet worked without a problem, but Blogspot isn't loading. Sooo you get an email instead, which you are welcome to read, delete, forward, memorize...whatever you choose. Also, I need to go buy an adapter for my power cord, but since I knew this would happen I didn't use up my battery power on the plane and I have enough left to write this to all of you. Aren't I smart?
So. I left Minneapolis on time at 3:05 on Wednesday. The guy checking boarding passes looked at me and asked, "Your passport is from where? United States?" Unfortunately, that was the last time anyone was confused. :) On the flight, I had no one sitting next to me or behind me, which was lovely, and had a good time sleeping, eating some vaguely "eastern" meals, and watching "Music and Lyrics," which is the perfect example of a movie that would disappoint you anywhere but on a plane, where it is just the best thing ever. Unfortunately, by around 9 hours through the 12-hour flight, I was feeling fairly dizzy and ill, unable to lift my head or even keep it high enough to lean back in my seat. Spent the rest of that flight and the one from Narita to Shanghai with my head on my knees. I'm still not sure how I got through the Narita airport standing up...it was really scary being alone in Japan feeling so unwell, but I knew there was nothing I could do but try to make it to Shanghai. Luckily, the last 20-minute segment of sleep I got on the last flight seemed to do me a lot of good, and I arrived in Shanghai almost as good as new.
Customs was easy, and I watched a woman take my suitcase off the carousel thinking it was hers, so I didn't even have to lift it. :) Met Damin in the reception area and started speaking Mandarin to him, which he had apparently forgotten I could do. I think my Chinese might be better than his English, although I'm not sure. It seems like we will be mostly speaking Chinese, although I have to have him try to translate more than I'd like. Regardless, he's very nice and a very good host. He's young...like 25 or 30 maybe? And things get awkward frequently with the language barrier and the fact that I have yet to figure out how things work around here, but it helps to know that I will be around long enough to get comfortable in time.
Anyway, we took a bus straight from the airport to our neighborhood, which is right near Fudan University. Stopped to eat, but I still didn't have much appetite, so headed back to get settled in. My room is super cute, with, like, every adorable Chinese decoration and stuffed animal imaginable, including a 4-foot stuffed animal bear. I will have to take pictures so you can see. Went to bed pretty quickly after getting here, and woke up at like 6:30. Love the jet lag. Showered and unpacked, ate breakfast (Damin made fried eggs) and got the internet working. Pretty much brings us to now. I will write more about the neighborhood, and the city itself, once I've had a chance to explore a bit. Right now it is raining.
Hope all is well with all of you!
Love,
Ali
Hey everyone,
As luck would have it, my internet worked without a problem, but Blogspot isn't loading. Sooo you get an email instead, which you are welcome to read, delete, forward, memorize...whatever you choose. Also, I need to go buy an adapter for my power cord, but since I knew this would happen I didn't use up my battery power on the plane and I have enough left to write this to all of you. Aren't I smart?
So. I left Minneapolis on time at 3:05 on Wednesday. The guy checking boarding passes looked at me and asked, "Your passport is from where? United States?" Unfortunately, that was the last time anyone was confused. :) On the flight, I had no one sitting next to me or behind me, which was lovely, and had a good time sleeping, eating some vaguely "eastern" meals, and watching "Music and Lyrics," which is the perfect example of a movie that would disappoint you anywhere but on a plane, where it is just the best thing ever. Unfortunately, by around 9 hours through the 12-hour flight, I was feeling fairly dizzy and ill, unable to lift my head or even keep it high enough to lean back in my seat. Spent the rest of that flight and the one from Narita to Shanghai with my head on my knees. I'm still not sure how I got through the Narita airport standing up...it was really scary being alone in Japan feeling so unwell, but I knew there was nothing I could do but try to make it to Shanghai. Luckily, the last 20-minute segment of sleep I got on the last flight seemed to do me a lot of good, and I arrived in Shanghai almost as good as new.
Customs was easy, and I watched a woman take my suitcase off the carousel thinking it was hers, so I didn't even have to lift it. :) Met Damin in the reception area and started speaking Mandarin to him, which he had apparently forgotten I could do. I think my Chinese might be better than his English, although I'm not sure. It seems like we will be mostly speaking Chinese, although I have to have him try to translate more than I'd like. Regardless, he's very nice and a very good host. He's young...like 25 or 30 maybe? And things get awkward frequently with the language barrier and the fact that I have yet to figure out how things work around here, but it helps to know that I will be around long enough to get comfortable in time.
Anyway, we took a bus straight from the airport to our neighborhood, which is right near Fudan University. Stopped to eat, but I still didn't have much appetite, so headed back to get settled in. My room is super cute, with, like, every adorable Chinese decoration and stuffed animal imaginable, including a 4-foot stuffed animal bear. I will have to take pictures so you can see. Went to bed pretty quickly after getting here, and woke up at like 6:30. Love the jet lag. Showered and unpacked, ate breakfast (Damin made fried eggs) and got the internet working. Pretty much brings us to now. I will write more about the neighborhood, and the city itself, once I've had a chance to explore a bit. Right now it is raining.
Hope all is well with all of you!
Love,
No comments:
Post a Comment