Top 5 Sights--Shanghai

Once I arrive in China, I'll be in Shanghai for approximately two weeks for training and orientation. I'm super excited about Shanghai because 1. It is arguably the most modern, advanced city in China (hopefully that means the culture shock will be more subtle) , 2. Ashley will be with me for exploring, 3. One of my roommates from France, Jeff, will be there teaching (and he'll know the city because he gets there August 25th!).


 As I've been reading about Shanghai, there are tons of things I want to see. Hopefully I'll have time to really explore while I'm there. Without further ado--here's my top 5:

5. Jade Buddha Temple (玉佛禅寺)--The temple was built in 1882 and gets its name from the two jade buddhas inside. It was closed from 1949-1980 (during the Cultural Revolution). It managed to survive the Revolution by pasting pictures of Mao Zedong on the wall. The Red Guards did not destroy anything that had Mao's picture on it. They were really smart to think of that!

4. Shanghai Museum (上海博物馆)--the museum has 4 floors and over 120,000 exhibits, it's the pride and joy of Shanghai. It houses some of the finest artifacts in China, namely bronzes, ancient calligraphy, ceramics, sculpture, jade, coins, and furniture.

 3. Renmin Square (人民广场)--also known as People's Square, it is located in the heart of Shanghai. It was built in 1862 and was originally a racetrack for horse races. It was the place to see and be seen. It changed hands in 1941 when the Japanese used the square to detain Allied nationals. Then, the Communists ended the racing and instead used it as a propaganda point in starting in 1949. In the 1990s, it underwent reconstruction and many government buildings were relocated to the Square. Today, it is the focal point of the city.

2. Pudong District (浦东)--this is where all the new skyscrapers are, like the Jin Mao Tower and Pearl Oriental TV Tower. The TV tower looks like a space rocket, and you can have lunch or dinner on the very top sphere for about $35 USD. The Jin Mao Tower is currently the 2nd tallest building in China (88 floors! The tallest building in China is located right next door--the Shanghai Financial Center, and the Shanghai Tower is currently under construction and will be the tallest building in the world once it opens in 2014) and one of the highest hotels in the world. For those of you familiar with Chinese culture, 88 floors is no mistake. The number eight is considered a number of wealth and prosperity. The 88th floor is home to an observation deck--sounds like you'll get a great view of the city!

1. The Bund (外滩)--possibly the best area to see! The name originates from India, meaning raised bank. I fin  Every book I've read says that pretty much all the buildings in the Bund have historical significance, but only a few are worth visiting.

• There's a sightseeing tunnel that takes you from one end to the other--it is a glass contraption of sorts that goes through a tunnel under the river. Inside the tunnel is lit with lots of lights.
• The Customs House is the most photographed building on the Bund because of its notable bell tower. The public is prohibited from entering the building, but as you walk past you are able to see some neat mosaics inside the entrance. During the Cultural Revolution, the building's bell (nicknamed Big Qing) was taken down and replaced by loud speakers playing the party's anthem. The bell wasn't replaced until 1986, and it has been up ever since.
• Former Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank--this was originally built by the British and the architects were given one task: to dominate the skyline of the Bund. The building closed in 1949 and was turned into offices for the Communist Party. Most notable inside the building are the Italian mosaics depicting cities around the globe.

Really? Why China?

When I first considered applying for this job in China, the question I often got asked was "Really? Why China?" Honestly, I never in a million years thought I'd be going to China. First off, I definitely do not like Americanized Chinese food (never had authentic Chinese food, so we'll see how that goes). I once got food poisoning from a Chinese restaurant and I did not eat Chinese food for about 8 years. Yes, really. Eight years. Strike two: I don't speak the language... and I can't really even pretend that I do. It's not like French, which is written similarly enough to Spanish that I could decipher signs and such (listening and speaking was a whole different ball game). But there is something strangely fascinating to me about living abroad, and truly experiencing a different culture beyond what you'd get from a week-long vacation. And it's Disney--anyone who knows me well knows I love Disney.
So I guess you could say it was a combination of getting to work for Disney again and my love of a good adventure that got my interested piqued in China. But what did I really know about the country itself?

Not much, to be honest. I mean I always learned a bit about China through history classes (kinda tuned out that part/didn't remember much because I can't pronounce half the words!) but what I knew wasn't enough to make me want to visit there, let alone move for 15 months. The most that I learned about China was my freshman year in high school. For summer reading, we had to read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. Reading during the summer, especially books for school, was a drag for me. So it was more like a skim. But, my English teacher really brought the book and the country to life that fall semester. I was actually in her class during the September 11th attacks. We had just been learning about Tiananmen Square, foot binding, and extracting opium from poppy seeds and giving it to the field workers to make them lethargic so they wouldn't try to escape or revolt. Great images, right? I remember I was in the lucky group that was assigned a project on foot binding. And it grossed me out, and still does. I have a low pain tolerance and a weak stomach, so it was an unsettling project. But, I made it through. It is interesting that from an educational perspective, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of developing countries like China. But as I've read about life and travel in China recently, and what I've heard from talking to those who have been (which surprisingly, everyone seems to know someone who's been to China), there is lots of history and interesting growth/development all over the country and most of the things I have learned have been very positive. It makes me more excited to live the experience.

Check, Check, Check!

Today was the most productive day so far on the road to China. I went to the doctor this morning for my medical check and to make sure I'm not crazy/a danger to public safety and society--luckily I passed! (whew, I was worried about that!) I also got lots of vaccinations today--2 in each arm and blood work done. Then, I went and got some passport photos made at Costco. I needed 8 to send with this first round of paperwork, and luckily the girl working there suggested I just purchase a sheet of 16-wallet size prints for $1.49 and cut them down to size myself. Otherwise I would have paid $20 for 8 pictures that they cut for me. I'm glad she made that suggestion!

I also got both of my reference letters back, and sent them over to China for approval. Once those are approved, I will have everything together to get in the mail by this weekend.

I wonder how much it costs to mail stuff to China--guess I'll find out soon enough!

In the meantime, I went to the library last weekend and I got a few more books about China. One's a travel guide, the other is a man's personal experience in China. One thing I've noticed as I've been looking for information on life there is that everything is outdated--most of the travel guides are from 2006/2008, and those are the recent ones! I'll leave you with this--a picture of downtown Nanjing.