Shangbye

And just like that, 75% of us are waiting to depart Shanghai. The other 25% is due to arrive in 10 days. 580 kilograms packed on our air shipment, 5 suitcases, 2 strollers, 1 pack n play for the plane I pray for patience and know the flight will end, eventually. 

This is my 7th time flying with both kids by myself Internationally. I don't know how I do it. Patience, low expectations and a new iPad to replace the one we lost I think are the 3 keys. 

What a year. Feeling grateful and sad to say goodbye to our life here. It was an unexpected adventure and I feel so so lucky to have gone on the ride. 

An especially sad goodbye to our Ayi who was a tremendous help this year my had such love for our children. Her name family is very lucky to have her. 

Our send off. 

Bonsai, Bamboo and Bandas

We returned from a whirlwind visit to Chengdu,  3 hour flight east of Shanghai.  We left Saturday night and returned to Shanghai Monday night.  We saw parks, playgrounds, temples, bonsai, bamboo and best all and the reason we went there PANDAS.  As the country's native animal and has be known to be around as long as dinosaurs, we were very excited to see a research breeding reserve. Apparently Panda's are gifted to country's from China.  What a gift.  Below are some of our highlights.

Baby panda's can cohabit together until they turn 3 years old when then they have to be separated and are considered adults.  Most Panda's live until about 10-12 years old but these live much longer because of their lush living conditions.  Panda's are white with black patches and their tails are white.  They are most active in the morning where their bamboo feast (99% of their diet) is served and they are picky about what type of bamboo they eat.  There are about 2,000 pandas' living in the wild and about 200 in captivity for breeding and research in China.  We learned at another location one can pay $300 for 5 minutes of sitting next to a panda.

We also ended up at the Global Mall which they told us is the largest mall in the world.  Having been to the Mall of America myself I am not so sure this mall is the largest. Inside though there was a water park they turned into a giant ball bit with trampolines we had endless hours of fun for us too.

Panda-razzi

It was the Best of Times....

As things are winding down here, or winding back up, our balls are up in the air. Managing tickets, packers, movers, apartment changes, saying goodbyes, last minute shopping, traveling, etc.  I am reminding myself it will all work out and it will all come together. That is how I think I can remain calm, most of the time.

I am, as I think I have been for the past 13 months, making the most of this adventure.  The ups, the downs, the distance from family, the distance from family. It has certainly had it's pros and cons.

People have asked me if I am so excited to be coming back to NY a year earlier than planned. Or if I am really sad to be leaving.  

We are sad to leave Shanghai.  It has been really great here.  The interesting people, the changes, the adjustment, the learning, the travel. Never did I ever think I'd be seeing Shanghai, Beijing, Xi'an, Hong Kong, and Thailand, at least until after we finished paying off college tuition.  We are capping our stay with a visit this weekend to Chengdu to visit the Panda's.  I feel I am lucky to have come on this adventure and to have the time and support to understand what it means to experience it all.

I will miss contemplating my experiences and sharing them on this blog. I have a feeling my experiences will be much more common back home.  It is very bitter sweet to say Shangbye.

There is no life quiet like Shanghai, China.  

A Bar Mitzvah, a Wedding and a Bris

An exciting week in Shanghai and it's not even Friday yet! The Shanghai Jewish Center hosted a Bar Mitzvah Sunday, a wedding Tuesday night and a bris Wednesday evening.  What could be better?

While I did not attend the bar mitzvah I am sure they were as exciting as the wedding and the bris.

The wedding was for an 80 year old couple visiting from Florida.  They set sail on a cruise from Fort Lauderdale in early January and arrived in Hong Kong last week.  Nearly two months of cruising! They flew to Shanghai to have an very VERY low key and spontaneous wedding.  No family, just us locals in Shanghai.  At first there seemed to excitement that this couple is on such an adventure and to elope in China! But it was truly amazing how the Rabbi and the Rebbitzan helped create a truly special chuppa.  We didn't know anything about this couple but we all came together and shared in their happiness, it was so random, so fun, so Shanghai!

Pro Con Pro

In college I was in a sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma.  During rush when we would discuss the pledges we always had to start with a positive, something constructive and end with a positive hence Pro-Con-Pro.  It's a nice way talk positively about someone.  So below is a list of pros, cons and more pros about our upcoming move.

-I will miss living in an apartment nearly double the size of our apartment in NYC

-I will not miss having to rinse all my fruits and vegetables in vinegar and bottled water to clean them

-I will miss having a washer and dryer in my apartment unit
-I will miss the friends I've met here but greatly for technology to maintain the friendships

-I will not miss buying box milk

-I will not miss the pollution and hazy skies

-I will not miss the time difference between China and Israel

-I will not miss traffic and the crazy drivers in China

-I will miss our Ayi

-I will miss $25 massages 

-I will not miss the spitting 

-I will not miss the smoking 

-I will miss the Greenbergs and the Kuty's

-I will miss the express service when traveling with kids around China (no lines, no waiting)

-I will not miss the slow internet

-I will miss meeting such interesting travelers on Shabbat from far and near

-I will miss MySalon

-I will not miss the shower pressure

-I will be able to drink tap water
-I am excited have my kitchen back
-I am excited to be reunited with our couch
-I am excited to take my kids to playground lots of them with swings

-I am excited to be back in a country that has seat belt, car seat and helmet safety laws

-I am excited for Target and Costco

-I am excited for the options of kosher products that I used to take for granted

-I am excited to be back in a community with an eruv so we can go to Shul together