Like every other United Nations Meeting...

Except with a potluck.

So Friday we had an assembly to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Peace, which was on September 21st.  Before school started for the year, they had asked me to teach the kids a song to sing at it.  I was all, "Yeah, sure, I got this!" thinking that it's a small school, how big could it be?

It was pretty big.

This was before it started...  All the kids in the school came out and had to split up into countries.  Minor chaos reigned for a good 15 minutes.  I was actually impressed it was that quick! :o)

Oh, Canada...

This pumpkin stole my hat. I had to give her "The Eye."

I don't think she cared much. :)

Japan got the award for the cutest marshmallow.  

I mean, "younger brother."

She loves that my Grandma was born Catherine Murphy because her name is Murphy Katherine.

I love her commitment to representing her country. :o)

The reason I bring this all up is because after the assembly, we had the best potluck I ever had.  

Ever.

I'm guessing a good 40 tables were set up with delicious, delicious goodies.  

This portion of the afternoon also turned into a bit of a mad house, but only because everyone wanted to try everything.  You can't blame them/us/me!

Among other tables not pictured: The France table with the crepes.  I was too busy eating them all!

Why, yes. Yes, you do see Ikea catalogs on the Sweden table.

This day really reinforced my desire in world peace!
(Maybe there is something to that whole "food reinforcement" after all...)

*burp*

:o)

Wanda Plaza, Gourment Street

Really, Gourment Street is a great little safe zone of eating.  You walk down the street and look for places that are full.  We've had some pretty good Korean BBQ and noodles.  Specifically, we keep going back to what we call "the Muslim Noodle Shop."  

The first time we went to the Muslim Noodle Shop, there were 12 of us crazy foreigners.  The menu has no English or pictures, but it turned out fine.  We've been back several times, mostly because you can get a giant bowl of delicious noodles for 6 or 7 RMB.  Also known as a "dollar" or $1.14.  

Last time we went, we noticed a new restaurant open, so new that it still had shreds of fireworks in front of it.  (Yes, fireworks go off for all occasions around here.)  

It looks promising, but I'm not so sure about a noodie place...  What do you think?

Girls Night

So Anja ("Ahn-ya"), Rachelle (pronounced "Rachel"), Cherry, and I decided to leave school on time for some girl time.

We ended up getting foot massages (like 40 minutes of back and neck while your feet soak and then 40 minutes of feet massaging) since this place just opened and had a sale. I know what you're thinking: "Feet??? Ewww!"  Don't forget that reflexology is big here. Rachelle and I were especially interested in this place because it's block away from home.

It was very nice! We had a room for four and had tea and watermelon. Definitely relaxing and didn't break the bank. $10.50 for 80 minutes. Hm... Me thinks I'll be back!

We floated out the doors and landed next door at this Sichuan restaurant. They had these garlic green beans that were sooo good, Kung pao shrimp that was a little too spicy for me, a really good tofu dish, and this pumpkin thing. Imagine a steamed pumpkin filled with mix of grains and cranberries, all covered with this orange sauce.  Almost like Thanksgiving!  I weirdly liked it. :o)

Here's Cherry and Anja with the tofu!


We stayed chatting for quite some time and left to our separate homes.

The kicker: Mark was at jazz rehearsal (going so well!) and carpooled with a teacher at the lower school. He had to ride home in a torrential downpour while I was in La La Land.

Maybe next time he'll hang with the girls!

Lovin' the Bund

Since Thursday was a holiday, most Chinese got off Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. (It was the Mid-Autumn Festival.) This weirdly meant that our bank was open on Sunday. Since we had to set up a few different accounts each, we split a cab with our friends to Lujiazui (Loo-jah-zway) right near the Bund. 

The banking was relatively painless for once, and we left to meet more people at the Shanghai World Fincancial Center for lunch. (That's the one that looks like the bottle opener.) I didn't get a picture of the whole elevator map, but I did want to show you that you are "her."

If you come to Shanghai, you will be taken to Din Tai Fung. Shanghai is known for their soup dumplings: little packages filled with meat and broth. Things of beauty. This place is one of the more famous restaurants. Picture nine of us at a normal round table for 6, 11 steamers of dumplings, and side dishes to spare.  What a feast!

Afterwards, we went to the top to take pictures of the view, but we were literally in the clouds. Nothing to see!

Like so:

You can't even see the bottle opener in the clouds.  Also in the smudge of my picture.  

Really, I'm fascinated by this city. I haven't gotten over the view, that's for sure. 

I'm feeling really good about this transition so far. I'm picking up words here and there. We're finding interesting things to do on the weekends. And weekdays even!  Who knew that was even an option??  We haven't gotten totally lost or had any completely mortifying experiences.  We've been definitely having an adventure, so that's a successful life choice I think.  

I miss parts of my "old" normal.  I miss friends and family, of course. I miss playing in the orchestra. I miss going to my exercise class. I miss running down the hall to gab with coworkers.  I miss having a chocolate drawer at school!  I miss Mexican food. Oh, el Taco de Mexico....

But! 

I'm loving how much free time I have to explore my world. I'm loving all the "problem solving opportunities" I have on a consistent basis: how do I order food at the restaurant when there aren't pictures in the menu?? I'm excited to be meeting all of these different cultures and having kids excited about that folk dance from Sweden simply because they just moved from Sweden a few months ago. 

I'm feeling my world expand out of the bubble it had been in, and I'm excited to see everything.

Let's just hope the feeling lasts when the weather turns cold and dreary!

JZ Jazz Festival: Mark's First Field Trip

So Mark had his first field trip on Friday afternoon.  He got to take 60 kids out of school 30 minutes early to go to a very large festival at the Shanghai Expo Park.  We're talking Large: 9 stages going non-stop for 3 days.

Since I signed up to chaperone, the buses stopped by the lower school to pick me up.  How cute is that!

We get to the place about twenty minutes later, and the students file in while the ayis (ah-yeez) stay behind to move the equipment to our storage room for the day.

Here's what it all looked like:


Hello river!


This is before the place got packed.  Yay for grass! And trees!


This was the main stage, called the "Green Note."
See those kids in navy?  I was trying to keep them in some sort of group.  Almost successful!


Behind us at the Green Note stage.


A smaller stage in the background. More crazy kids in foreground.


Mom!! What does this say??


Riverfront.


Without kids...


Ah! The middle school principal!!! Hide!


Ahh!! Kids!! Hide again!!


The stage.


The jazz band getting ready to play. Microphones and lights and everything!
They thought it was so cool.


Concert band!
They all did great!

After they play, the kids pack up, and we walk them out to the buses. The fun part is figuring out the rides home. See, you can't have them bus back to the upper school. Normally, kids would just take a van to their normal drop off somewhere in the city, sometimes an hour away. Way too long for those hungry musicians.

Here's how it went:
1) Figure out which buses are ours in the big line of buses.
2) Find them in totally separate parts of the line.
3) Find a Mandarin-speaking student and drag them to bus one to help you talk to the driver.
4) Through the student, find out which stops the bus is going to.
5) Go back to the main group and gather the kids that need to go on that bus. (Not listed in the bus list given by the office. Boo.)
6) Put the kids on the bus and send it away.
Repeat steps 3 - 6 for four more buses.

Yes. You are correct. No chaperones are on the buses.

Kinda weird, right?  The drivers just drop the kids off at their compounds or designated drop off spots.

Us chaperones got to wave them off and go back in to the festival. Whee!


Bye-bye work clothes! Hello, hot-weather outfit!
Another stage playing awesome salsa music.


Back to the main stage...




Heck yeah, key-tar!


That rockin' band was funk-R&B-jazz fusion. The R&B/hip-hop came from Mos Def.
Right there.
Yep.
Very cool stuff.



Awesome night!

It's not all about us

We actually think about all y'all back home quite often.

Sometimes just wondering what you're up to. Otherwise, because we see something that reminds us of you.

As an "over 21-year-old Coloradan"...

I feel like I need to report back on the beer situation in Shanghai.

You have very few options: TsingTao, Tiger... Corona and Guinness.

But!

Check out this gem from the grocery store:

How much more hipster can you get???

And guess what it tastes like.

No, really.

Ok, fine.

Like PBR's take on Guinness: not as creamy or with the depth of flavor, but you definitely notice the similarities.

Crazy what they decide to import, right?

I'm Walking on Sunshine!

Whoa-oh!

My friend, Sara, called on Sunday to ask if I wanted to go for a picture walk in the neighborhood next to our complex. Seeing as I had yet to leave the couch, I figured that I should probably go for it.

Here's what I came up with:

Houses and some of their gardens.  

Down a few alleys.  Say hi to Sara!

These cutie boys wanted their picture taken and then ran away giggling.  

A super friendly little kitty with tiger stripes.  

Construction in China looks a bit different.  I'm digging all of the bamboo. 

By the way, when you come visit, make sure you fit in by using an umbrella.  You don't want the sun to touch you!  Also, be on the look out for scooters with 3 kids on it, plus the driver.  The kids are usually sleeping.  

Interesting building materials.

Those silvery, crown bits are the tops of a few buildings in my apartment complex.  

Speaking of tops of buildings, they always seem to have interesting bits.

A kitchen-cycle up close!

The more modern part of the neighborhood. 

Sara asked...?  

Walking back home!  Look both ways before you cross the street...  Left, 

Right, 

Back home! Let me in!  

(**It's the back entrance, I swear.  Yes, there are guards at the entrances, but the front is a lot nicer.)