August 18th - Whooray for the Ayi!

One of the first goals on our list when we arrived was to find an Ayi, the infamous hired “auntie” who spends her day cleaning, washing, ironing, folding, shopping and cooking – all for us and for what is a relatively inexpensive fee. Who would have known there were such simple blessings in this world for a working mom with three children?

By chance we had received a reference from a US expat we met back in May. We arranged an interview shortly after our arrival for her and three others. This all sounds simple but it requires some strategy. You first have to find an interested and experienced Ayi who likes kids, has a solid background, likes dogs and can cook. I must say just about anyone could WOW me with their cooking abilities as I fall slightly (ok – significantly) short in that space. Then you must arrange to have a translator because the Ayi’s native language is typically Chinese. Are you thinking what I am thinking? How I am supposed to communicate a daily need or requirement?

The reference we received and the interview were a success and Zhao was hired and has been simply wonderful. She has this place tackled and manages to get whatever needs fixed accomplished by calling the management office and making her demands – in Chinese. Another luxury of an Ayi. The only thing that frightens us is what we refer to as “underwear burritos”. She carefully folds every pair of underwear into a small burrito shaped rectangle and organizes them in our drawers. AHHHH!!!! Who organizes an underwear drawer? This manages to be the topic of conversation at the dinner table every few nights.

Any pitfalls? One - trying to explain some of your needs and the translator device doesn’t provide a reasonable translation. The grocery list was marked with “water bottles” and we came home to find a sweet little glass pitcher that holds water. Hello!!! Water… Bottle… We take for granted our language and explanations. Even the driver took Jon to a phone store when what he really wanted was a foam topping for those stinken bricks of a mattress!!!


Daily Myth Solver: Everything is cheap in China – for goodness sake it is made here – and sold reasonably cheap in the US. WRONG! The prices are outrageous – unless you want to barter in the black markets which I actually find enjoyable. The question is how well the items you purchase there hold up.

August 16th - Home Sweet Home

On August 15th we packed up our belongings and moved across town to our rental home. Since it happened to be the very last house of many that we saw back in May, we couldn’t remember much about it. Our first reaction was more like – “what were we thinking?”

Not a strand of carpet – hence shoes save our backs (are we old?). Ornate curtains –requiring strategy to remove while here without property owner backlash. And when we were told the home was supplied with only furnishings and no kitchen utensils nor bedding, did we really believe them? Not completely. Therefore several weeks of anticipation for our shipment will require a bit of mastery of survival. But don’t ever doubt campers.

At some point it gets a bit ridiculous to sleep under clean bath towels and the few blankets available. And what is with those Chinese mattresses? A mattress upon definition is not a brick. Or is it? Jon and Megan sleep on separate couches, Chloe sleeps with me and Emily just sleeps with no cares. Is this what 17 years of marriage comes to – when you wake up satisfied simply from quality of sleep?!!

It’ll be a work in process to settle in but we are up for the challenge. Don’t ever doubt a Nicholas.

Daily Myth Solver: Ceiling lights are intact. Or are they? When one comes crashing down from the kitchen ceiling at some random moment, is it a bad omen or poor quality of construction? (absolutely no one was harmed in this particular event and not a shard of glass was dispersed – at least their insert lighting is flexible for impact and rightfully so!)

August 14th - Crowds as defined...

1) a large number of persons gathered closely together; 2) (verb) to gather in large numbers, throng or swarm; 3) (verb) to press forward; advance by pushing…

My curiosity is continually drawn to the masses of people, which shouldn’t be so surprising given that there are approximately 20 million people in this extremely large city where a third of the world’s cranes are in constant use, building up, up, up. Answering the question ‘Where does a mass amount of people live in a city of its size?’ will result in explaining the overwhelming vertical ascent that is happening as we speak.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such mass construction and growth. We all hear and read about China’s emergence as a power-house, but to see it in action is mindboggling. The locals seem to pay no attention, but take some Midlander whose construction exposure has been limited to a new salon or the one house in town being built and you have sensory overload and a bit of head scratching.

And who is to say there should be rules of the road? Why would one be so silly to think commuting can be practical and rules based here in Shanghai. Take 20 million people add cars, pedal bikes and electric bikes and you mathematically get the answer “may the first person win”. At first we were appalled at the lack of pedestrian right-of-way. A car simply bumps and presses forward if a person or cyclist dares to try to cross the street in front of it. Why are these people not screaming, fingering or frowning. Come on! How about the good ole’ American verbal assault better known as road rage!! Why do they look at the driver with no emotion, no care and no discernment? Why? Why not? How else can one move forward in the midst of masses if politeness and rigid rules step in? Does this explain our Midwestern turtle drag?



Daily Myth Solver: Electric bikes are meant for one rider. Not so quick. Try three. Husband, wife and small child – the later two riding English Saddle.

August 12th - City Splendor

Because no vacation is complete without sightseeing and hitting all the major tourist traps, we ventured out and about for several days.

Most notably the Shanghai Aquarium. We’d heard rumors on the difference of what is considered respectable displays of interest at children oriented cultural centers, but rumors are rumors – right? Not always so. And, yes, ducks are much more useful than lake dwelling décor. Apparently they are feeders for alligators and lo and behold for public display! So there we stood for approximately 20 minutes morbidly waiting for the alligators to surface and snack on the mallard out for a casual swim. To make it more curious for such gawkers as us, the two-part visual of underwater and above-water viewing left us in a pitiful horror movie effect with the subconscious beat from the “Jaws” movie playing over and over in our heads. Imagine, alligators lingering on the pond floor, ducks wading and splashing and having a wonderful Sunday afternoon cruise on the water, alligators moving slowly but methodically about, ducks happy with not a care in the world. And then… nothing. It seems the duck feathers floating on the water were from the previous feeding and those alligators only movements the result of indigestion from an unfinished biological process. The biggest question is how long does morbid curiosity compel one to stand and wait? Did you ever watch “Faces of Death” when you were a kid after being told not to? Question answered. (picture to be posted soon)

We visited various places such as Nanjing Road, Yu Yuan gardens and the 100th floor at the world’s tallest observatory located at the Shanghai World Financial Center rounded out some typical hot-spots, quite literally.

And Chloe had her first "celebrity" moment -proving once and for all that blondes do have more fun...in China! It shouldn't be surprising that the Chinese find blondes intriguing given that a majority of the population here is dark-haired. Even I was requested to have my picture taken with a young lady...an awfully skinny young lady. I am suspicious as to the purpose since American women are considered a bit hefty! You couldn't even get away with a size 6 which would admirable from my perspective.


There is so much to see and do over the next couple of years.

Daily Myth Solver: There is shopping in Shanghai. Mind-boggling gobs of it. Some say it’s the fashion capital of the world – if you have some money to spend. Why did I think Birch Run’s Prime Outlet’s was my last stand against nudity? Although sizing is another adventure for Mrs. Bigfoot and all her sasquatches.

August 2nd - The Bird has landed

The hundred goodbyes turned to thousands and we spent several evenings avoiding the eventual and instead enjoying our friends and family. Even if it meant a 3am crawl to our beds. Jon stayed true to our roots and hosted a pellet gun beer can shooting event followed by bottle cap flicking. I’m sure the neighbors were impressed if not insulted – they pay enough in taxes for what is supposedly a quiet bungalow of houses in an extremely conservative city.

I’d say after that we sealed our true heritage (avoiding Redneck terminology) with a temporary kiss goodbye and departed our world for another* But not before we managed to eat our way through the American palate and carry at least an additional 10 lbs with us. Luckily they only weigh the luggage. It is bad enough we were over on two of the ten checked bags – if they had weighed me, they might have threatened a two ticket penalty!

We arrived safe and sound and very wide-eyed on Monday, August 2nd 6:30pm Shanghai time. Our driver, Yao, was ready and waiting and surely flabbergasted at the talented trick of shoving 10 checked and 8 carry-on bags into one 7 seat van along with the 5 of us… and him. Midwestern Americans!

Our 45 minute trip “home” from the airport left us in awe of the city action and beautiful lights. Like nothing we’d ever seen before. Amazing skyscrapers and light strung trees beckoned us along the way and dropped us at doorstep of a service apartment facility of which we will live for two weeks. A ride up 16 floors to our temporary living quarters of fabulous views of the Huangpu river, the Bund and magically lit boats constantly moving up and down the river. We had arrived full-adrenaline and subsequently crashed for a much needed rest.

Tomorrow is a new day and a new beginning…

*Our thanks to the parents for their constant help in preparing for departure, my parents for their bravery at the airport, Libby patiently watching me spend a fool amount to gather food “therapy” at Sams Club and baking us a last reminder of American cinnamon rolls and Libby’s husband Roger and his kids for the airport shuttle service. Thanks to the rest of our friends for gift giving, treating us to goodbye parties, many hugs and kisses and to Rick for his surprise airport last goodbye.

We love you all. Our doors are open here!