Introductions

This post marks a lot of firsts. This is my first time blogging and my first blog post. I've never blogged before because I am really bad at keeping diaries so I figured I would be bad at blogging. But before I left Atlanta, I had decided that I would start a blog to update friends from all over the world on my new life in Shanghai. I hope I can keep this blog alive, even when work gets busy.

Tomorrow is the first day of work at my first real job. It is as exciting as it is nerve wrecking. I have been waiting for this day since March. Can't believe six months just flew by! Actually, it didn't feel like time flew during bar study hell but everything else passed so fast. Beach week, grad, first month of bar study when I slacked, and a month of vacation after the bar. Now it is all coming to an end. I shall enter the workforce as a contributing member of society and make $$$. Yah!

First impression of Shanghai is positive overall. The only downside here is everything is handled differently, even from what I'm used to in Beijing. I look pretty idiotic speaking perfect Mandarin but acting completely clueless. Also, Shanghainese sounds like German. People sound like they're fighting when they talk. It is intimidating at first but I realized that most of them are actually normal and helpful.  They sound like they're fighting with you but they really aren't.

The city is cleaner and livelier than Beijing. I like that there are Western restaurants and cafes tucked in little streets with the Chinese shops. The east meets west thing seems more seamless here. In Beijing, you'd only find Western stores in pockets where expats frequent. On my quiet little street I have everything- a brunch place that seems popular, a soon-opening oyster bar, a wine bar, AMAZINGGG famous xiaolongbao (Shanghai buns) place and a takeaway HK bbq place. The last two I have tried and loved. I am excited to try the rest too!

All the food talk is making me hungry, but I really shouldn't eat so it's sleep time! Hoping for a good start tomorrow xx