20 + 1

20 + 1 shanghai thoughts:

1. i eat bad food b/c it tastes so good. i simply don't care about the horrible consequences i suffer later. i probably should.
2. i am no longer fearful of crossing streets with a plethora of red crossing lights and zooming cars. i haven't been hit yet.
3. i don't think i will ever get used to the b.o. on the subway trains. i wish they would hand out deodorant bars as a public health promotion.
4. i haven't used a squat pot here yet. i held in my pee for over 2 hrs today and took a taxi home so i get me to a toilet asap.
5. they say when the first child is born, the parents take tons of photos b/c they are so excited. any children after that get no fotos. i think that's the same with taking pictures when u first go somewhere new. i hope i never lose my shutter happiness.
6. i am as pushy as everyone else in the crowd now. i find myself treating children, old people and young people all the same.
7. i can hail a taxi like it's nobody's business.
8. i think my hygiene has slipped since i got here. at least that's what dave says. :)
9. i am paranoid that people know i'm not local. i try to speak chinese fast so they can't tell.
10. i want be local but i also want people to know i'm american.
11. i wish i could understand shanghainese so i know what shanghainese people are saying after i tell them i can speak mandarin.
12. my boss makes me nervous and not just cuz she's my boss.
13. i think swedish men here are emo and sorta effeminate.
14. i find myself developing body image issues b/c the women are so skinny here. i deal with it by drinking tons of redbean green tea. :)
15. i try to take the subway at all costs, except if i'm not feeling well and really need to pee.
16. the expat families i've worked with so far seem a bit entitled and... i'm not sure yet.
17. i eat salad even though i know there's probably pesticide still on the leaves. i've been craving salad since i got here.
18. i like this place alot more than i expected.
19. i never realized how much i liked americans til i got here.
20. i don't feel homesick but i do sorta miss my gramma.

21. i wonder if any of my friends read my blog.