Miss It and You Miss Shanghai

That’s what the advertisement for “Era: Intersection of Time” said.  And it’s true, I am so glad that I was able to go see this Acrobatics Show because it was amazing!  On Friday night, our teachers took us downtown to see “Era”.  It was probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen!  The acts were out of this world.  In one act, there was a giant spinning metal wheel and the acrobats did crazy tricks on as it spun faster and faster.  Another act included performers dancing in the air while hanging from two silk ribbons.  There were also the classic circus acts like how many super-flexible girls can come out of one barrel (they fit four!) and trapeze artists flying through the air.  The best act was the finale, when seven performers on motorcycles did high-speed tricks in an enclosed steel globe (with a dimension of 6.8 meters!).  It was crazy and terrifying at the same time.  Definitely one of the best things I have seen in Shanghai!

On Saturday, Agatha, Richard, Aiden and I got on the metro really early to make it to Yu Garden before it got too hot out.  We met up with Tim and Tafari and walked around and did some bargaining on the street before heading back to Tao Bao City (our favorite fake market).  Afterwards, we went to lunch at a restaurant on the Bund.  In the afternoon we sang some karaoke at a KTV next to the Pearl Tower and in the evening we explored the city at night!  We saw a movie being filmed on the streets, which was really cool.  On Sunday, I went with Ivy and her friend Cassie to what will soon be the biggest mall in China.  It is still under construction but already it is gigantic!  I had some noodles for lunch and then we went a little crazy at Haagan Dazs afterward (see pictures below).

Sunday night my host family and I went out to dinner.  On our way home we stopped off at Paris Baguette to get some bread for breakfast.  As I was picking out a chocolate croissant, a Chinese woman in her early thirties asked me in English if that kind of bread was good.  I said “Yes! Hen hao!” which means “very good!”.  Then as I was waiting in line with Ivy and my host father, the same woman asked me where I’m from.  Her English wasn’t great but we were able to have a conversation and it turned out her husband is currently in New Jersey working.  She asked me if I could teach English and I said sure (I speak the language after all), and then she asked if I could teach her child English.  I said I would love to but I have only one week left in Shanghai.  I wish I had met her earlier because that would have been such a neat experience!  After we left, Ivy asked me if in America people talk to strangers often.  She said that in China you don’t talk to strangers so she was a little surprised that I had talked to the woman in the bakery.  I told her that when you are little you are taught “Stranger Danger!” but as you grow up talking to other people and learning about them can be interesting as long as it’s safe.  I also mentioned that my mom is super friendly and likes to talk to everyone.  Ivy said that I must take after her then and I said that I hope so, since she’s pretty cool!

This is my last week of school, and on Friday I am going to have to give a presentation in Chinese.  On Sunday I’ll say good-bye to my host family and I (along with the other American students) will take the high-speed train to Beijing.  Then next Tuesday I’ll be America-bound!

xoxo

sar

Outside the Acrobatics Theater

The shops at Yu Garden 

Yu Garden! 

Global Harbor Mall 

 Haagan Dazs

Yum!!