Shanghai So Far

I got out!
I was able to meet up with Kassie and actually go around the city! Happy days are here again!
So that was Saturday night. I asked the concierge how to get there, but was helped by this super nice guy who could speak english. I swear, its times like that girls can totally use their being a girl to their advantage. Anyway, I proceeded to stay over at her place (unplanned) because we stayed out so late with her friends and I really didn't want to pay 70rmb for a cab back to the village. So I got up early and commuted from Kassie's to the village with a slight pounding in my head, care of last night's activities. Got to work on time-- I think I win at life for this one. First, though prob not the last outing like this, a success! After the advil I popped, I pretty much felt invincible coming out of that adventure without a scratch.

Monday was my first day off since getting here, so with some of my fellow Monday-offers, Bern (housemate) and Miko, we took to Old Shanghai! I knew it was going to be a foodtrip from the start and I wasn't disappointed! We bumped into Chan on the way out and invited her to come have lunch with us since she had the afternoon shift anyways, so she tagged along! Good thing too because she'd already been there before-- this made us look less like tourist targets. It was full of "ooh, what's that? Let's try it!"s which was an absolute dream! I got to try the famous stinky tofu which was perfectly UNSTINKY! and this red bean waffle-like thing with sugar and peanuts and sesame seeds on top which was SO yummy, we stopped by before we left to buy more for the rest of the girls at home! Then me, Miko and Bern went to Yu Yuan. Yu Yuan is an old Chinese imperial garden that, according to Wiki (God bless Wiki) was supposed to be a retirement home for an important guy's parents. We were totally hesitant to pay the 40rmb entrance fee at first, but it was one of those places you had to go to, so we paid and entered.

It was so worth it! Its absolutely gorgeous in Yu Yuan! We had so much fun wandering around the maze of buildings and roads, not really caring where we went or if we got lost, oohing and aahing at all the pretty things and taking random pictures of everything around us. We sat down in front of the Zhao (?) gate to take a break and were surprised by all the tour groups that passed by us. We were there for about half an hour waiting for an english-speaking tour but none came. We counted 2 french tours, one german one, one russian one and two korean ones. No english ones! What gives? I suppose english speakers are cheap (like us). Too bad.

We eventually found our way out and wandered back into Old Shanghai (YuYuan and OS are right beside each other). We stepped into the snack square and never looked back. It was almost 6pm but we were so ready for dinner! It was a crazy food line, where you kind of just point at things you want and put them on your tray. We got caught up in the food frenzy we kind of died when the cash register rang us the bill... 168rmb.
Oh well.

So the next day, since all our schedules are mixed up with people taking their days off and stuff, I'm stationed at the CITEM portion of the pavilion. And today, David, who's usually at the CITEM area, is back from his day off, kinda kicks me out of CITEM, so I'm homeless again. I mosey on over to the Travel Cafe, where Eli usually is. Eli was born in China and speaks like a local, so I'm pretty nervous about this position. Yknow, big shoes to fill and all. I made sure I borrowed Claire's Eng-Chi dictionary... just in case! Turns out, I didn't need to be THAT nervous! It was actually pretty fun! And the Travel Cafe staff personnel I was with, Ruby, was super nice.

I might be doing the Travel Cafe again tomorrow, since Eli and Clem switched days off (long story, but it involves visiting families). Other than that, I pretty much just lounge around the house. Doing nothing.
I wish China would let me upload pictures on blogger. Gah. I can't even comment. I attempted to open a wordpress account, but its just as pointless.
Much love to my commentors! I'm really sorry I can't reply, with freedom of speech and information being curtailed and all.

Oh, we only have 4 channels in English on our tv: HBO, CNN, CNBC and BBC.

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你好, China!

HI IM IN CHINA! And this is a picture of the inside of the Philippine pavilion. That I didn't take because my phone refuses to work with my computer.

I've only been here five days and I still sort of can't believe it.
There are SO many thing that have happened... not all great, not all awful, but mostly tiring.

House:
I live with four other girls in an apartment in the Expo Village. We had it pretty good, given the boys have to deal with living with 8 of them in one place. Plus my housemates are decently clean. Which is godsend.

Work:
Is tiring. Its far different from what I expected-- what any of us expected-- but its not complete torture. We basically came from being guides to being guides/translators/doormen/babysitters/salespeople/cafeteria folk.
Instead of our one hour break, we kind of deal with a how-fast-can-you-finish-your-food break. I have yet to visit another pavilion, but some of my fellow guides (who I'm going to start calling my friends because that's what they are and fellow pavilion guides is just too long to type up) have. I, however, am determined to visit another pavilion tomorrow before work starts, given ours opens at 10 in the am while most open at 9. We basically stand the entire time too, or run around after people, which could explain why we're exhausted as heck. Plus, I have the morning shift, and we usually wait for the night shifters to come home before going to bed. I get the same number of hours of sleep as I do back home, but it just doesn't seem to be enough.

Food:
From brown rice, whole wheat bread, non-fat cereal and skimmed milk, I go to pizza, deep-fried goodness, processed foods and preservatives. I need to munch on a celery stick. My weary, vitamin-depleted, fibre-needing body desperately calls for something healthy. My conscience isn't helping either.

Internet:
FINALLY got access. Have to pay for it though. And can't access facebook or blogger without a VPN. And even with THIS VPN, I can't comment on posts. Which is why this portion is dedicated to Ada and Pedram... YES, durian! Like the gelato flavor that people love in Mondo, according to Ada. And Adar, feel free to take <3

Philippine Pavilion:
So much to say, so little time. Internet time, that is. Its, uhm, pretty. There are lotsa lights and pretty colors and sounds. But I figure for our space, its not really utilized as well as it could be. There are performances every 30 minutes or so, so people stick around to watch them. They're not as popular as the curator would have hoped for though. There's huge turn over after the crowd does a once-over... which takes about 5 minutes. Anyway, the most common response we get at the door when we open the pavilion doors is "its so cold!" The air conditioning is turned up waaaay high. Its effing freezing in there.

The curator left the day after the first day. The organizing committee doesn't like us (its a long story, but it has a lot to do with money and power), but I'm otherwise doing okay. I've met some other guides from other countries and its really fun talking to them and getting to know them! Plus, they can get us into their pavilions without a real wait time :)

So for now, here's to eating more vegetables, getting more sleep and making new friends.

Excited for more adventures,
Nic

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