The China Experience

I often want to tell people what my life is like here in China. Sometimes finding the right words can be harder than you'd think. I set off on this trip over a year ago, with my friend Daniel. We were both in Japan at the time. After seeing Tokyo and Kyoto with him, he returned to NYC. I   continued my travels to Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Harbin, Lijiang, and Malaysia. I've bought my tickets for Thailand in February, where I plan to see to Bangkok, Chiang mai, and Phi Phi island. I will hopefully be in Honk Kong with my cousin for the first week of January.

There are days that are hard here. Days that are unreal to even the imagination. Some days are even, boring. I'm still searching for meaning. Searching for the reason. Searching for the validity. It feels like I've been away a while. It feels like I'm loosing touch with home a little bit. The friends I've made over the years in New York have been distant. I wonder what it will be like when I return to the states. What will their reactions be? What will my reaction to them be? Will we still be friends? 

Maybe I've created my own lane by coming to China. Maybe I've run away from one.  As I sit here looking at the pictures on the wall behind my computer, I know my experience has been a unique and challenging one.

Trying to fill this page with words, I feel myself trailing off again. Not quite sure of what I'd like to say, or what I want you to know, but somehow I think you still understand.

recent pics

Street shot of a little of what's left of the "old Shanghai" streets.

nuff said

Jessica and Mingles

Jessica reppin for NYC all day

Hungry?

Yo

Sup everybody..It's been too long since my last post, but I've been pretty busy these last few weeks. I've had some visitors out here and have also been trying to plan a couple of trips. My friend Jessica from high school was out here for about two weeks. It was really great to see her. We had a blast. As much as I've made some good friends out here in Shanghai it was great to see an old face that really knows me. December can be tough with all the holidays and a lot of people traveling back to the states so to have a friend out here with me was really great. I got to show off a little bit of my Chinese which is always kind of fun (even tho it's still really bad).  Work has been okay, the same grind. I haven't been in the gym as much from the visit but that's okay. I hurt my foot a while ago after my half marathon, so I've convinced myself that the couple weeks rest is good for me. I'll be back in there in no time. Speaking of old friends, my buddy Ariel from high school just recently moved to Shanghai. We played ball together at LAG. He's been living in Korea for the last two years and decided to make the move over to Shanghai for this new year. I got him a job with my company and he's all set with his own apartment already.  I also just got news that my cousin Matt is China bound the for the month of January. We're planning to do a week together in Hong Kong and then I think he's going to be off on his own to check out some places in Asia. He'll end up coming back to Shanghai to fly back to the states so I'll see him at the end of January also.  So all in all, things have been pretty good. I've been pretty busy..I'll put up some recent pics so you can see what's going on in Shanghai straight from the streets haha..Happy holiday's everyone

Jessica in Shanghai

My one true friend from NYC, fellow LAG alum, Queens native, Jessica came out to Shanghai this week to pay me a visit. After her time in Shanghai she's headed off to Seoul. She'll return to Shanghai for another week.  I have lots of new info to tell, but I'll save that for another post. Just a quick pic of Jessica and I in my apt. 

Shanghai Thanksgiving

Buddies, lol

Destroying food
Roomies, go red team!
Mmmmm Turkkeeyy
Patrick chopping it up in the kitchen

I had a good Thanksgiving this year out here in Shanghai. I got together with about 15 friends of mine and had some really good food. It was great. There was so much food. I tried not to go to crazy with it but I was feeling nice and full by the end of the night. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! 

A few fresh flics

Corner of my block

The moon peaking
Hair salon lights

Eat up

ugh

RAIN! The weather is so wack right now! It rained non stop today. On top of that it's getting cold out. Weather authorities said that if it stays this cold for another week they are going to declare winter next week. The earliest winter Shanghai has had in 10 years. So wack! Here are some views from my balcony of the nasty weather...This is not making me want to go to the gym, but gotta stay focused man! Race is in two weeks . .