From Shanghai, with love

lots of family love
eating hot City God Temple xiao long bao 城隍庙 小笼馒 on the street in the freezing cold
shopping stalls around Ciy God Temple
a big round table banquet
new friends
shopping as a local
World Expo 2010 tour

sneak peek at all the World Expo country pavilions
Shanghai smog
gorgeous view of Nan Pu Bridge and the Bund from my apartment windows
waking up to the national anthem blaring
新世界 Xin Shi Jie dim sum
eating to my heart's content
strolling down Nanjing Lu 南京路
dodging a creepy stalker, playing hide and seek
running away in a taxi to Xin Tian Di 新天地
long coffee talks
rows and rows of bright Christmas and New Year lights down Huaihai Lu 淮海路



little red lanterns hanging like persimmons in trees
eating in every shop down 云南路 Yunnan Lu
chicken blood soup
white soy chicken
congee
pork chop and 粘糕 niangao
grass jelly boba
not finding stinky tofu
walking walking walk til you drop
Songjiang University town
yelling at the dorm window
lying my way into the male dorm
pretending to have a long lost cousin that I'm visiting
inspecting their quad room
daily milk boxes
laundry hanging on every balcony
seeing your classmates' underwear
can't believe they still have 11pm lights out
eating so much hot pot
pretending to be a normal student
seeing the largest group of guys together ever
touring the university grounds
snickering throughout the managerial lecture
still not understanding what the class was about
communist party propaganda
Christmas Eve banquet at Park Hotel


11 course+ meal
too full from hot pot to eat, what a waste of food
raffle prizes
volunteering for the magician's trick
awful dancers
rose champagne prize
having a sister
girl talk
first manicure
Christmas party 521
a 1000 people pillow fight


anger management
stress relief
crazy pillow bashing fun
scary hard violin rock concert
Shanghainese singing band
paper Santa Claus competition
DJ spinning
bashing anyone wearing XX color
screams and giggles
cute boys and girls
欢乐谷 amusement park
scared as hell
why did I even get dragged on here
hyperventilation
tower of sudden drop
cyclone
dizziness
haunted house
and finally, goodbyes and off to Hong Kong

my Tara

Shanghai is my Tara.

That is the best description I can think of. Shanghai is not just my hometown, my birthplace, my family house... my Tara.

What is it about Shanghai? I left when I was one; I didn't grow up there; I've returned only three times since; yet I have an oddly strong sense of attachment to this city. I love Shanghai.

Upon returning to Shanghai this time, I [like to think] I've grown-up more and, consequently, finally understand:

See, in short, Savannah never had family beyond my parents. Shanghai is my Tara because it is filled with love, so much love and acceptance from my extended family and friends, ones I rarely meet or even barely know. They are so overwhelmingly kind, caring for my every possible need, giving so much praise it makes me blush, supportive in everything for me... that is why Shanghai is my Tara, my safe place of strength and refuge. If Atlanta burned, Vesuvius erupted, the Yangtze flooded, I would steal a horse buggy and escape to Shanghai. If I lose my way, lose my Rhett Butler, I would return to Shanghai.

Sitting at the dinner table in Shanghai, looking around, ignites a special happiness unlike any other, a warmth that could thaw the coldest ugliest frost. Being an only child, (my cousins too, we all come to see each other as siblings) this is my closest to understanding the greatness in having a large immediate family. Shanghai always makes my heart sappy and fuzzy feeling, brimming with love bestowed by others. I am touched beyond words.