Here we go

We were never quite sure we would get here, yet we always knew we would. Despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that kept appearing at every turn, the solutions to those never imagined challenges kept leading us closer to Shanghai, in the end giving us more contacts, more information, more possibilities, more encouragement than we began with. This "preparation" time has indeed done that. Laid a foundation for understanding, in part, what this next year may bring. Nothing is as we would expect it to be, even the simplest of details. It is a great opportunity to let go of preconceived notions, any sense of control or inflexibility, any sense of personally turning the east into the ease of the west, and just immerse ourselves in another culture. Another sense of time, another sense of business dealings, of social interactions, of eating - of living! This is our great opportunity. To really learn about and learn from this culture of many millennia.

How do we start this adventure? It has been near impossible to try and learn any Mandarin on our own, so I am hoping that total immersion in Shanghai will have some effect. Reading everything I can find on China, fiction and non-fiction, has been, and continues to be, a great treat. We have made US and Chinese contacts already in Shanghai which brings a certain sense of security and confidence.

The next great challenge is to pack for a year in one roller board and one duffel each. I have bought things I have heard are not as easy to find there: toothpaste (not Chinese made!), deodorant, tights for the girls, etc. I have heard that any shoe size for women over a size 9 will be difficult to find. Do I bring 5 pairs of shoes or 10? These are the big questions looming in front of us now - now that we actually have visas in hand. Amazing. We are where we thought we would be, but could never dream would actually happen.