life is good

so it looks like me and you blog, are going to have a lot of time together over the next 2 weeks.

it just occured to me that if my internship ends in 2 weeks, that school starts in 2 weeks. mildly upsetting. see also: exciting and intimidating.

So jet lag is great. I got up at 3:45am today. I’m at work now and have been awake for 6 hours. I did some yoga. I took a walk. I talked to locals (luckily a lot of people are up early). I watched the news. I watched a documentary on Thailand that I’ve seen 7 times. I took another walk. I made oatmeal. Read some of the dictionary. etc etc. It’s been a long day.

Really I’d like to: get a cell phone. Change money. Buy a coffee. Buy a tourism book. But they keep telling me that I can do that all in the office building and to wait and that P will help me. But there are communication issues.
For example: yesterday I wrote that ‘lunch’ would be with ‘the other young people’, as this is what I was told. What I didn’t know, was that ‘lunch’ is dinner. I’m not sure what lunch lunch is, but yesterday I ate dinner lunch with ‘the other young people’ after work.

It turns out Chinese ‘fast food’, is a social experience where you get together and share every dish. it also comes with fresh watermelon and miso soup. ‘fast food’ here gets its name literally for being fast. it’s doesn’t seem like the artery-clogging big mac and fries that is my home.

I hate being asked every time if I’m shocked that Chinese food here is soo amazingly different than in the States. I’m not. I’ve been eating the good stuff at E’s house since age 6. Thing is, the Chinese ‘fast food’ main dishes here, are pretty much the same as what’s served in the States. But I go along with things.

Between the awkwardness of first meetings and the langauge barriers on both sides, there have been a few uncomfortable situations. and I’m sure will be many more. The good-for-you kind of uncomfortable though.

I tried again with the ‘yea i have siblings. and you?’ and I got a yes. from a 26-year old. so I don’t understand how this one child policy works. A lot of ppl here have more than one child.. 

i know - SO MUCH less - than i thought i knew.

So. I get up. I get clean and look nice. I come in to the office. and I’m not sure what’s going on. I know I have to wait for the other intern to leave before I get a real desk/computer/etc, but i’m not positive I’ll be getting work then.. I really wish I could do something helpful here, but with such little time I understand it’s hardly worth the effort. Well, whatever it is that I will spend the next 8 hours doing here at the office, I will do it while looking very professional.

Ohhh I’m so excited to eat tonight. btw, I’m never travelling without at least a 2 week supply of Quaker oats. ever again.
other places it saves money. here food costs 25 cents, but at the hours i’m keeping - nothing’s open around me. All you need is hot water. frickin wonder food.

alright. plan: …..go to the restroom. then make some tea. then write characters over and over and read b/c i brought my workbook and a bunch of articles with me today. prepared for some free time.  

I know most internships that ppl get in college are spent on myspace, checking emails, chatting, looking out windows, etc., but if I’m not doing anything on Monday, I’m going to suggest a few jobs that I could do. If there’s still nothing, I’m going to start cleaning things. or something productive.
 
Yesterday I read a magazine - “Synthetic Fiber in China”. Fascinating things this company does. I also read about a project they have here making Ethanol. The slogan is “start with corn, end up with drinking grade ethanol!”. The article makes it sound so exciting. But then I look around the office and nobody looks that excited..

I’m not gonna lie, my last internship was a little bit more exciting. A bit less safe maybe, but i guess that’s a tradeoff.

Okay I’m gonna go now for real.
Shanghai is beautiful.