Hi guys!

So I know it has been awhile since I wrote last and the truth is....I'm a little speechless! Believe it or not, I will do my best to describe this incredible and strange experience I am having. Well, first of all, I have no idea where I left off! It has been confirmed that the internet here lives under fierce supervision inwhich blogs are not allowed to be viewed and websites like Wikepedia are just plain blocked. Therefore, I can't read my own blog! So excuse me if I repeat myself a bit. When we first arrived there was a typhoon! They expected it to be a lot worst, but really it just blew over. It rained very hard and the streets were all flooded. I just stayed inside for the most part. Not the best intro to this city. So funny though, we left NYC in a horrific, scary torrential downpour, when we got to London we experienced that same diabolical storm, so it just seemed fitting we should have this here! So on Friday of last week we met up with 2 really cool, sweet Aussie hispsters who've been here 5 and 4 years, through a friend through a friend through a friend. We went to some of the trendiest Shanghai clubs and it was great to get out and see the whole scene. At the first place, a new place called Collection, I was almost overwhelmed with all the good looking 20's 30's expat crowd! Then we went to what we labeled "The Plumm" of Shanghai. Standing outside some guy said Virginia and I said, "I'm from Virginia!" Turns out he went to Fairfax high school, asked me if I knew some people from Chantilly, etc! What a small world! Talking to Todd and Nathan (our Aussie friends) was really interesting and I am learning a lot about the Chinese culture. A big thing they were quick to point out is the other thing besides money that is important to the culture is 'showing face." We went to the Glamour bar after that, and the night was truly a refreshing relief! Made me feel like I could get used to this place and was so happy to meet such cool people. I've gone back and forth a lot this week from saying, "I love it here," to "I hate it here!" The hate part is mostly just coming out because I realize how important my friends are to me and how lucky I am to have so many, and I just miss being able to be as social as I want whenever I please. Things are very cheap here for the most part, but there is a bunch of stuff you can't get here, like brown rice, books, Ice, decaf coffee etc. My brow has been in a constant inward twitch! Lat night we went for dinner and stepped out on the street behind our hotel. Lots of street resturants with big pans cooking over coal. We try to go to places that have pictures of the food and you just hope the one you point to isn't duck necks or duck tongue or pigs knucles, or cow tail....Walking that back street was very interesting. A lot of people hanging around, drinking outside of homes left open. Lots of people on bikes, the smell of sewerage from outhouses, the many massage parlors with girls sitting in the windows. So many funny names for things that obviously don't translate well to English, like "Sincere Sewerage," and a resturant advervising "Benevolence" Hipster girls wearing shirts that say stuff like, "Rear Your Fair." I wonder what that means to them....I wonder what that means to me?! I almost bought a shirt that said "NEW YORK 5 COOL-COOL SHIRT" In fact, I might go back and buy it! So They found my lost suitcase! YEa!!!! I don't know if I said this before but Citibank (ie Shitibank) for no apparent reason decided to issue me a new banking card even though mine didn't expire for 3 months. They sent it to I'm guessing, my parents house in VA and DEACTIVATED my card!!! And I'm in China, and ALL my money is linked to that card....So I called and was VERY Disgruntled...that was a week ago. Yesterday I picked up my new banking card. What a nightmare! Looking for a house or apartment this week. There are incredible 2 bedroom, 2 bath houses with gardens, fireplaces etc for about $800 US dollars a month! As far as our business goes the ball is finally in motion. Bob's surgery went well and he is expected to be here next week sometime. We have a lot of interest in the project and the proposal looks exquisite! Once we are settled into a place we will most likely go backpacking for awhile around West China. Must go and do some of that work now! Signing off, Amelia