Shanghai, wo xiang ni...

It’s been over a month since my I returned from my very own journey to the East and I’ve definitely started to notice several things:

1.     I miss the daily challenge of trying to be understood.  I know. It really shouldn’t be something that I miss as communication is an important aspect of daily life, but I just can’t help it. The daily game of charades. The need to think outside the box just to ask for some tissues. The awkward laugh and forceful smile when you realise that the person you are trying to communicate in Mandarin to has no idea of what you’re trying to say as you’ve got your tones wrong. I miss all of it. Even the frustration.

2.      I need to keep reminding myself that EVERYONE can understand me now. No muttering to myself whilst waiting for a bus. No talking to my friend about the person next to me on the tube. I can’t get away with it here. Stop it.

3.     I must stop pushing. Even on the crowded tube. Trust me. For two months I got used to the rough and tumble of the Shanghai metro where it was a free for all and if you didn’t fight to get on it was your loss. Those old ladies might look fragile and innocent, oh yes, but trust me it’s just a front.  From my experience they can be the worst. Here, when the tube is full, it’s full. It’s not like Shanghai where everyone’s favourite game is “how many people can we fill in a tiny space?” (yes even in lifts). I can’t do that here. No. Londoners don’t shove like that.  It’s subtler here.

4.     I miss people taking pictures of me with their children. Not in a sort of arrogant way, and definitely not in THAT way. It’s just back in China, we seemed to be the attraction. It was fun and made us feel special. They wanted us to hold their babies as if we had some sort of special powers that could be transmitted to their little ones. Here if I even look at a child I’m frowned upon.

5.     I’m sad to say it but Chinese food here will never be the same now. Don’t get me wrong; it used to be my favourite! Sweet and sour chicken balls? Chow mien? Please!  I miss the 30p fried jiaozi dumplings and the xjiaolongbao soup dumplings a stone’s throw away from our flat, the delicious sticky and oh-so-not-good-for-you sweets next to my office, the weird yet wonderful street food… oh I could go on… hmmmm hen hao chi!

It’s weird. Maybe it’s because for the past week I’ve been staring at my laptop from morning ‘til night frantically applying for any jobs that might be of interest for me. Maybe it’s because I’ve got itchy feet and am dreaming of my next adventure. Or maybe, just maybe it’s because Shanghai, in fact China in general has wiggled it’s way in and has stolen a piece of my heart… 

Marie xox