Top Ten Things I WILL Miss About Shanghai

1. New friends – Thanks to expat events, hotel parties and mandarin classes, Jerel and I eventually made quite a few new friends Shanghai. Foremost among them was ‘Shanghai Karen’, a fellow ‘trailing spouse’ who I met in the fall and quickly became my partner in crime in exploring Shanghai.


2. Guanxi – The mandarin word, ‘guanxi’ is translated roughly as ‘relationship’. I built ‘guanxi’ with the owner of a small shop across from our hotel where I bought fruit and drinks and was always greeted with an enthusiastic grin. ‘Guanxi boy’ never forgot the 500 RMB phone card we bought in the first week and never gave up hoping that we'd buy another one! I also had guanxi with the woman at the ‘wet market’ where I bought my fresh vegetables nearly daily. She always seemed so genuinely happy to see me, knew my preferences and often threw in bonus green onions or cilantro. The woman next to her also knew me well - one day when her neighbor was out of edamame, she grinned and swiftly unloaded all of hers on me!


3. Speaking mandarin – I loved the thrill of communicating in a language that seemed so overwhelming upon our arrival, and the smile it always seemed to elicit in the locals with whom I dared to utter a few phrases.


4. People watching – All I had to do for entertainment was take a walk – the streets were always buzzing with activity and the parks were full of all sorts of people absorbed in tai-chi or card games. I don't doubt that I provided just as much entertainment in return!


5. Weekly massages – Massages were so inexpensive that Jerel and I developed a habit of indulging in a relaxing Chinese or shiatsu massage after a hard week’s work (for him)…it was fun while it lasted!


6. Fine dining – Shanghai has a remarkable selection of fine international cuisine at reasonable prices…something we definitely took advantage of. Many of the restaurants offered not only great cuisine but a great view as well. Did I mention that Shanghai has amazing Sunday brunches?


7. Cheap goods – From the ‘copymart’ to ‘Dagu Lu’ to the ‘Fabric Market’, the bargains to be had in Shanghai are endless. DVDs, silk, pearls, clothing…all can be found at incredible prices. My favourite value was custom cashmere…I only regret that I didn’t take advantage of this find!


8. Cheap taxis – At one to two dollars a pop, and almost always available (except in the rain) it was easy to get used to taking taxis everywhere, even if the rides could be a tad hair-raising.


9. New food favourites – I didn’t get hooked on traditional Chinese food, but I did adopt a few new favourites - juicy pomelos, freshly steamed and salted edamame and ‘five spice’ mock meat to name a few. I also discovered ‘milk’ oolong tea…deeelicious!


10. Our hotel apartment – I must confess that I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the pampered lifestyle of serviced hotel apartments. The best feature of our cozy 25th floor apartment was the spectacular view of sprawling Shanghai’s mix of skyscrapers and lane houses – a view that was even more impressive from the 40th floor lounge. The best part, however, was the amazing front desk staff led by Kitty, who were always eager to help with everything from translations to cooking tips.