Two Weeks in Pudong

We arrived in Shanghai 2 weeks ago today and I think I am finally adjusted to the time zone.  I feel more alert, which is a huge plus, especially since I started Mandarin class this week.  The first day of class, which meets for 2 hours, twice a week, was more than overwhelming.  In Mandarin, there are 24 vowels, in addition to 23 consonants, whereas our alphabet is only 26 letters, total.  Plus, each of the 47 letters can make 5 different sounds depending on which of the 4 tones it has, or if there is no tone at all.  The only good news is that they don't conjugate their verbs, but in the grand scheme of things, that's little enough of a bonus.  I'm going to have a tough time learning to say anything.

I think learning to use the tones correctly will be very difficult.  It's a little like singing in class, starting low, going high, etc.  The 4th tone, in particular, is intimidating because it's what makes the Chinese speakers sound so angry all of the time.  You start high and drop low quickly, like you're shouting.  I'm very self-conscious making those sounds - I guess there will be days that comes easier than others.  

I did learn that bei is north, dong is east, nan is south, and xi is west.  This is why the area we live in is called Pudong and the other side of the Huangpu River is called Puxi, because we are east of the river and they are west of it.  It's not much, but it feels like an accomplishment.

This was also a big week because I got my new Chinese iPhone today - a 4S again.  I'm glad to be able to use data in China, for looking up places, translating words, etc., as well as checking my email when I'm away from home and uploading pictures to Facebook.  Also, Peter and other people I meet in Shanghai couldn't call the refillable cell phone Chris had given me, because it was a Ningbo phone number, not a Shanghai one.  

Peter and I went to China Unicom to get my phone because Chris had spoken with his colleague about a great plan they have in which we pay for the phone up front and then get a credit every month of the service contract toward the cost of coverage that equals the cost of the phone over the life of the service contract.  That way, at the end of the service contract, we'll own the phone and basically have gotten it for free, as the cost was credited to my usage fees.  We first went to the China Unicom store closest to us in "Green City," (where a lot of Western expats live) and the clerk didn't speak any English.  I called Chris's secretary, who is Chinese but has spectacular English, who talked at length with the clerk and reported that there were no 4S phones available and even if the clerk could find one, there were no service plans available for it.  She wanted me to buy the iPhone 5, which was much more expensive.  Peter and I decided to try a different China Unicom store and when we said thank you and goodbye, the clerk got out her own phone and used a translation app to ask if we wanted to buy today.  When we said that we wanted the 4S and she didn't have any, she asked if I wanted white or black.  When we got to the other China Unicom store, they had the 4S phones and plans on display, got a customer service rep on the phone for me who spoke perfect English and I bought my phone.  I'm happy to have it and can start giving out my number to people I meet through classes, tours, and the American Women's Club - plus, Peter can call me now!

We continue to have maintenance issues that boggle the mind, but appear to be SOP for China.  The washer flooded the back porch again the day after the maintenance guy "fixed" it, so he came back yesterday with another "interpreter" who really doesn't speak English.  He stuck the washer hose into the hole in the floor and caulked it in place, which is supposed to fix the problem, although I can't use the washer for 24 hours.  I strongly suspect that next time I do, the blockage or whatever has caused it to back up and flood the floor will cause the caulk to come up and flood again.  We'll see.  He also "fixed" the caulk around one of the sinks in the master bath by covering up the broken and moldy caulk with new caulk - we wouldn't want to remove the old stuff now, would we?  They are quite surprised that I am insisting the moldy portions of the walls be replaced altogether, instead of just taking off the wallpaper and putting up new on top of the mold.  He did measure the walls that need replacing, so that work is supposed to be starting "soon."  Again, we'll have to wait and see.

Peter had a visit from one of his best friends from Watkins Glen.  For those who aren't familiar with it, our hometown is a very small village in Upstate New York.  There are approximately 1,800 people living in Watkins Glen, which is the county seat, in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes area, which is about 5-6 hours northwest of  New York City.  The part I find amazing is not only did Peter and I both end up living in Shanghai at the same time, but now Peter's friend is going to be moving to Shanghai soon.  And, Peter heard from another guy from Watkins Glen who is moving here very soon - in fact, they are looking at houses here next week.  What are the odds that 4 people who were raised in Watkins Glen would be living in Shanghai at the same time?  It seems incredible to me - the world just keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Well, I'm off to my second Mandarin lesson - hopefully I won't walk out even more confused than I was after the first class!