Mani Time!

Down at the nail kiosk!  Stephanie, Rachel, and Lisa came with me this time.

Last night I got the girls together for a manicure.  We walked toward Tingling Road, to venture into a hidden  "Nail Market" on the second floor of a department store building.  As you reach the top of the escalator, you see small kiosks stuffed side-by-side, with narrow aisles lined with eye brow waxing, lip plumping, makeup artistry, and of course, nail polish booths.  For a foreigner, it may not be the most comfortable place to be.  The room is not heated, nor air conditioned.  There is not enough room for "personal space" so you expect bumps and nudges from strangers, and in this particular store, you receive stares as though they have never seen a foreigner before.

We sat down at the nail salon I had been to before.  The people were friendly, but knew very little English.

I remember being a little overwhelmed the first time I had my nails done in China.  In our town, most of the locals do not know English.  They don't really need to because they only have a handful of international guests in the city.  How do you order your nails in Chinese?  The task is difficult, even with a translator.

We pulled out our phones from our bags, typing words and phrases, while passing them back and forth.  We were astonished to find out that gel polish (which is over a $60 USD treatment in the US) is only $10 USD here.  A basic manicure is 20 RMB, which figures out to $3.50.  We were in a girl's paradise.

After doing our best attempt at "Chinglish," we finally pulled out our dictionary.  I have begun composing my own dictionary of words and phrases I learn from others.  The workers were very excited to see it, and began to look through my book and sound out the English words.  

We had a lot of fun, learned a little Chinese, taught a little English, and got our nails done.

Until next time...

Our Home: Kunshan, China

Here is a short tour of our apartment.  Rooms in Yong Jing Wan came completely furnished.  We had to provide basic things like sheets, trash cans, and pillows.  Televisions, side tables, and couch were included. It is an expensive place to live in Kunshan, therefore expats mainly live here and very wealthy Chinese residents.

The apartment is very convenient.  At the entrance gate, you can find a dry cleaner, hair salon, small grocery (like CVS), and even a few restaurants.  Many taxis frequent the area, and a bus stop is not more than a block away.  A taxi is usually between $2-4 to take, depending on your destination.  The bus can be from $0.15 - $0.60, also depending upon your destination.  

Master Bedroom

The view from our living room.

View from our living room, looking down.

View from our office, zoomed in.

Guest room.

Dinning Room.

Opposite our dining room is the living room.

Entrance to our apartment in Yong Jing Wan.

View form our office at night.  The city lights up like Vegas.

View from our kitchen at night.  Sometimes you will see grand firework displays.

Tailoring To My Style

Kunshan.  Picking out a blouse.

Along the walls, reams of fabric sit side-by-side full of colorful designs and texture.  I flip through a neatly kept binder given to me by the shopkeeper to browse.  It was filled with pictures from magazines tucked in worn page protectors.    

"Which one have you decided on?"  my husband asked, looking over my shoulder.

"I don't know...there's so many to choose from." I close my eyes, and try to imagine how the outfit in the picture would look on me.  Finally, I point to a low-cut satin blouse .  "Let's try this one." 

While the shopkeeper scribbles foreign characters down on a blank sheet of paper, her assistant showcases different types of fabric: wool, cotten, silk...they have everything.  My eyes focus on a black silk cloth imprinted with a subtle traditional Chinese pattern.  "This one," I say as I point to the material, giving a thumbs up to show her I like it.

The shopkeeper types a few numbers in a calculator and holds it up to us.  It's the price estimate.  Chitrak divides the number by 6.45, the price of the Chinese currency against the US Dollar.  

The shirt is $60 US Dollars.  

My husband, who has mastered the art of bargaining, brings the price down to $50.  My heart skips a beat--$50 is more than I have ever paid for any shirt I've ever bought.  We accept the offer.  Suddenly, the shopkeeper gets on the phone.  She is calling for the tailor who will size me for my shirt.

A gentleman no older than 40 arrives.  He takes down my measurements, cuts a tiny piece of fabric out of the silk I have selected, and staples it to my bill.  He closely examines the shirt I have selected.  Below his measurements, he sketches the blouse.  He does not take the book with him, only his sketch and measurements.  

After 15 days, we returned to pick up the garment.  It was soft and dainty, but I was disappointed.  The silk blouse did not turn out how I had imaged.  From this experience, I have realized two things:  you must be careful on what type of fabric you choose, because it will lay on your body differently; and you must make sure the tailor you select is experienced in that area.  Many tailors are specific on what work they do, whether it is coats, suits, dresses, or collared shirts.  The best way to tell if a tailor is good at a particular look, is to see the sample outfits they hang around their shop.  

I recently took a shopping trip to the infamous Fabric Market in Shanghai.  I was pleased with the variety of fabric as well as modern fashion designs.  I had a collared shirt stitched from a photo I had taken from the internet.  It was prepared in one week, and fit perfectly.

In front of the Shanghai Fabric Market.

Inside the Fabric Market, getting measured.

Science & Technology Museum Fabric Market, Shanghai.

Science & Technology Museum Fabric Market, Shanghai.

Our Travel Photo Gallery

Walking around the market in Kunshan during National Day vacation.

I take a lot of pictures when I travel.  If you are interested in seeing more than what I have posted on my blog, please visit my Picasa albums by clicking on the link below.  I will be writing captions for the photos, but I strongly encourage you to write comments and questions that might arise.  :-)

To visit my Photo Gallery, please click on the link below:

https://picasaweb.google.com/111683278612332480775?feat=email

High Speed Train

The first time you hear high speed train, what comes to mind?  For me, I think of the Simpsons' episode of the Monorail--but much grander, longer, and faster.  Knowing the high speed train can exceed speeds of 216 mi/h, it makes me wonder if the train's velocity will turn my body to mush...  Will everything be a blur?  I also can't help but ponder whether or not Santa takes this route while distributing his Christmas gifts.

As our taxi pulled into the train station, I see a sleek, concrete structure in a modern design.  From a distance, you cannot accurately forecast its size.  The station looks small, as if only 20 people board each train, but it's not until you walk in that you realize how massive it truly is.

High Speed Train, Kunshan Station

Entering the train station.

You walk in at ground level to see that the station is not enclosed:  they have built two open walls to cheaply cool the area.  This room is a waiting area for those that come early to board.  

Waiting for the train while eating breakfast.

A few convenience shops and eateries, including KFC, line the walls, while the center of the room is filled with seating.  You can easily spot the ticket counter where you can speak with an associate to buy a last-minute ticket, or if you feel lucky, you can use the ticket machine.  We do not advise you to buy your ticket the day of; as you may notice in our pictures, the train fills up quickly.  You don't want to have a beautiful trip planned to Shanghai and never reach!  We buy our tickets in advance.  Interestingly enough, you can only purchase the tickets at the station, NOT the internet.  

Our train ticket.. can you read it?

The ticket is the size of a credit card. You can see the number 35.00, that's how much money it was to buy a one-way ticket.  The sign after it tells you the currency, which is RMB.  It was about $6 USD to ride to Shanghai in first class.  This is an incredible price--think about driving from Indianapolis south side, all the way to Lafayette in 13 minutes.  You don't have to worry about the gas expense or parking.  

Your waiting comes to an end when you see your train number flash in green on a large screen that looks like a scoreboard from a baseball game.  A herd of people gather around you as you push your way through the safety check.  You watch again for the name of your train to light up on the screen, then you scan your ticket, and climb aboard an escalator to the track.

Boarding the escalator to see the train come in.

When you make it to the platform, the crowd dissipates as you find the coach you will travel in.  There are many trains in the station.  Some trains pass so fast that you can't make out the shape of it clearly until they are  a distance from you far away.  When we boarded the train, this is what we saw:

The train, in all its glory. (Minor picture stitching problem, sorry! The track really is safe.)

Waiting for the train to come in.  Massive platform.

The numbers on the floor match the location of the coaches.  We were in coach #1.

The train waits about 5 minutes for people to board.  Economy is very busy, but still a comfortable ride.  If you can imagine the seats on an airplane, then you can easily picture economy seating.  There is a little more room per seat, a television is running, reading material is provided, your seat reclines, there is a fold-out table, and a foot rest.  

First class travels a little differently.  We had comfortable and spacious seats, a large window all to ourselves, a private restroom, and a seat behind the engineer.  There were only six seats in first class.  It was quiet and peaceful the entire ride.  Check it out:

Our exclusive seats.

Before you know it, the ride is over.  A trip that would have taken an hour and 45 minutes lasted 13 minutes on the train.  We depart and make our way to the Shanghai Metro.  

We had an amazing hostess!  I look like an Amazon compared to her!  :-)

Hongqiao Station - Shanghai

Disembarking

We had an incredible experience riding the high speed train.  It was far beyond my wildest dreams.  No, my body didn't turn to mush, and yes, I was able to make out objects as we drove past them.  It still is in question whether or not Santa would use the high speed train for his gift giving, but in all, I encourage everyone that comes to China to have an experience on the Bullet Train.  

Settling In

It is a Wednesday morning in Kunshan as I am greeted with loud blasts from outside our window.  I do not flinch, I know exactly what it is.  Fireworks.

Repeated shots explode into the air like a machine gun.  It is shortly paused while a louder shot can be seen visibly as a can reaches the height of the 10th floor before exploding.   A thick smoke covers the ground and slowly fades away.  Bystanders begin to clap and cheer.

Next week marks the beginning of a week-long Chinese holiday:  National Day.  I am certain this explains the firecrackers at random hours of the day... Either that or we have an amazing group of pyromaniacs in our neighborhood.


Putting aside some of the slight nuances in culture, adjusting to the Chinese way of life has not been difficult.

The people I have met are very kind and helpful.  A friendly smile always gives you one in exchange, and although there may be a language barrier, the people of China are excited to communicate and lend a helping hand.  Today we went on a quest to find Walmart.  We approached a rickshaw driver for directions, he was quick to help us find our way.

We made it to Walmart!

The conveniences of living in the city has also eased our transition.  On many corners, you will spot a "KEDI," which is a small convenience store that works much like Walgreens.  You can buy a cold soda, snacks, and even eggs from a local farmer.  

The Chinese version of "Walgreens"

There is always a taxi to grab outside our home, and for an even cheaper fee, you can take the bus service that runs every 10 minutes.  You are always certain you will reach your destination.

Buses frequent the roads, along with obnoxious taxis and rickshaws, making mobility easy.

China has a familiarity about it--its culture has India's mix of old and new, while life everyday life demands a capitalistic mentality and western luxuries for the monied.   The streets are clean and newly paved.  There are 7-story  malls that are walking distance from our apartment.  They carry brand names like Calvin Klein, Ecco, Gucci, and Lancome --brands I couldn't think of buying while living in the US.   The restrooms have a choice of a western toilet and Asian toliet (AKA squatty-potty).  It you feel overwhelmed by the Chinese cuisine, you can find a Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, or KFC nearby.  I'm sure if we searched harder, we'd see a McDonald's, Burger King, and Subway too.  With all the western influences in China, you can see how easy it is to neglect the culture of middle-class China and live in a comfortable "expat bubble."

A mall within 4 blocks of our home.  You can pay upwards of $200 USD for blue jeans here.

Pizza Hut

As I gnaw away at my chicken wings smothered in ranch a Katy Perry song plays in the speakers of La Taverna.  I must remind myself, "Megan, you are living in China!".  Although there are differences between our cultures, I am excited and proud to call China our new home.

Day 1

The view from our living room.

Right now, it is 1:00am China time.  I am wide awake munching on pretzel M&Ms I hadn't eaten on the plane.  We arrived yesterday, US time, on Saturday morning at 2:30am.  We unloaded all 8 suitcases onto the elevator using Chitrak, myself, and our driver as an assembly line to load our items to the 9th floor.

Now, as I look out the window, I see a fantastic view of dark, shadowy sky skrapers, illuminated by dimly lit apartment lights.  All is quiet, except for occasional honking from irritated drivers.  I shut the curtains and head back to the couch, where my husband and I collapsed earlier from exhaustion and jet lag.  He is still sleeping.

The apartment we live in is so much bigger than I had originally thought it to be.  It came furnished with a corner couch that can fit at least 5 people comfortably.  Our television is far bigger than the one we had purchased in the US.  If I had to guess its size, I would have to say that it is a 42" screen.

We have two bedrooms, two baths, office, kitchen, living and dining room.  Each bedroom has a tv and almost ALL rooms have a balcony.  The balconies are small, except the living room and guest bedroom.  One balcony is a storage place and the other is the designated laundry room.  After you wash your clothes, you hang them to dry.  A dryer is a luxury to have in China.  It usually is found in newer apartments because, just like in the US, it takes a special wall plug to use.  Since we live in an older, established apartment, we will be hanging our clothes out to dry!

Our suitcases are strewn across the floor, some opened some not.  There is no time to unpack, though, with so much of the city to explore.  Our apartment lies in the bustling downtown of Kunshan, China where every convenience is just a walk a way.  In the "small" city in which we live, only 1.5 million people reside.  I feel like I am living downtown New York.  The streets and stores are full of people.  Last night, my first chance to see Kunshan life, I had bumped into at least a dozen people trying to make my way through the store aisles.  It doesn't seem to bother anyone here.  The leaders of the world economy proudly show the buying power of the rising middle class.   The recession doesn't even look to have affected the lives of the people I met today.  Every day is like taking a Black Friday shopping trip.  Maybe shopping on a Monday morning will be better...hopefully most of those people will be at work! :-)

The view looking down from our living room.

This is the entry way to our apartment building. 

Farewell RPIA!

I can't believe it is already here, my last day of teaching at RPIA.  It has been my home for almost 2 years now, and I will never forget the memories I have had during my stay there.

It is hard to believe that in two weeks from today, I will be on a plane to China and will not be back for at least one year.  My life will change drastically:   the food, language, and customs will all be foreign to me.  Chitrak and I are very excited for our journey to come, and we invite you to be a part of it!  Please keep in touch with me through this blog,  or email me at banerjeemegan@gmail.com.

Since you are here, you MUST check out my photo gallery!  Find the pictures at the bottom of the website page.  You can click to see the photo enlarged, or click on "View My Gallery" to see my Indian wedding pictures!