Here's a long one...

Hey There! So I don't know if anyone still reads this, but it is interesting to me how my perception and opinions have changed since I got here. I am actually very happy now because I can tell you the things I don't like about being here! That makes me feel good because it means I'm becoming less of a tourist and more of a civilian! First of all, every time you call someone, instead of hearing the phone ring it plays the same, horrible, sappy, classical violin tune! The first time I heard it I thought, "Oh this is nice," But now I know better! They follow rules to a T here! To an almost absurd degree! I walked into the grocery store and saw the one product I needed directly in front of me but behind a uniformed security guard. I went to reach for the item (I could practically touch it) and was informed I had to walk the other direction, around the produce, through the aisles, through the pharmacy to come around to get it form the other side! I was trying to show him, 'it's right here, I got it, no problem,' but he wasn't having it! Then yesterday, the gate keeper, who is very chatty and loves to talk to me (I have no idea what he's saying of course, but it's cool...) Made me move my bike 3 inches over for no apparent reason...another funny story about him is...I guess Norman left his lock on his bike but unlocked by accident, and the next morning I came out and he proceeds to show me how he picked the bike up and kept it over in front of his office and looked after it for us, but I mean, he could've just locked it! I know he meant well though! The roles of men and women here are fascinating to me. This is the first generation of teenage girls here really, who now have opportunities, don't have to just get married, and are a lot more urban and worldly, etc. And because there are so many more men than women here, they are put on a pedestal in some ways. You can see this very much in the 'little princesses' who throw temper tantrums in the super market, dressed by their mothers in designer clothes, and the response by the adults around them is just to fawn over them, give them what they want, and you can sense there is very little behavioral discipline happening there. (But again, this is the newly rich Chinese, truly a class of their own!). For me it is funny because the Chinese girls I meet at parties and am friends with and such fit into a few different categories...One type is the girls in their 30's and 40's (Who look like they are in their 20's) who have broken tradition by working, not marrying, dating 'lou whia's" and tend to be very territorial and guarded...almost smarmy, like you know whatever they are saying is not what they are thinking. (Read: Not very friendly to me, but very interested and nice to Norman!) Then there are the girls who fawn over me, telling me how pretty I am, touching my hair, asking politely "May I touch your boobs?" And then...oh my gosh....I went to a house-warming party last night and had a really great time! So funny though, when you got to the party you 'had' to do a tequila shot with my friend Ukachi (you know, to sterilize everyone so we weren't spreading germs! haha!) and it was hilarious watching him try to explain to these girls how to take a shot (lick your hand, salt, shot, lime). They were not into it, following it, or getting it! A lot of the girls come across So naive here and up for anything. Then there are the cool ones, who are well eduacated, have traveled, good people. You also see the other side...That it is very much a man's world here, like in the gym the man's room has a steam room, private jacuzzis' and lounge, when the woman's room doesn't (WHy not? I'm starting a petition!) So the party last night...so funny! There were a ton of people there, but Norm and I and 2 of our guy friends were settled in around the couch with tons of Chinese girls in (unbelievably) short skirts sitting all around on laps of obnoxious fratboy-types, and we were talking and joking (making fun of) some of the guys right there, but in urban slang and code so it went right over everyone else heads! It was so funny! (We weren't being cruel, just one person in particular just gave us a lot to work with and we were just having a good laugh!)....We left when the threat of body shots really looked like it might happen! A few Americans, a few English, and group of French, and lots of Chinese! It was very much a Shanghai party (one girl kept trying to get me to taste her Whisky and redbull, while another one I think really wanted to kiss me). I can see why all my guy friends love it here so much! haha! This week I made a 1920's outfit out of 2 tank tops and 2 scarves, I am so proud of it! But we ended up not even going to that party! I'll have to take some pictures anyways! I started Chinese class, I have a tutor coming twice a week now. I can play my first song on the guitar! I am really loving playing, and I'm playing all the time. I've been going to the gym everyday and swimming. Today I took my first Tai CHi class, which I love so much! I pick it up very fast and my ballet training comes out a bit....I really would like to master while I'm here. I painted a picture, which I'm not even sure I've ever really done before! I am in love with my bike too! It is so nice to ride around, especially now this the leaves just beginning to fall and the air is very crisp and fresh. The landlord is here right now installing our cable! I can watch the news now! Yea! Tomorrow we are playing poker for the first time since we left NY! Friday we went to a 'fashion' show with friends and then to a Japanese restaurant for dinner with 10 people. Norm and I closed if off at Logo, where Norm's going to start deejaying there from his Rock-Steady-Dub collection, probably doing a complete Version set with him shouting in his best Jamaican accent on the mic of course! He is working on a very exciting art project right now that I suspect will be a big success! His 'turrets' is growing by the day! The other day he was loading something onto his bike and pretty soon there was a crowd of 18 people standing around, offering advice, 'helping' etc, with Norm singing and dancing and shouting curses and rude phrases, pointing at people, getting them to dance! To the point that I am grabbing my tummy with laughter because I can understand what he's saying, and he's so bad!! But they don't understand and they all just laugh and get into it! It's really cool actually! I'm a little more shy myself! Oh...here's a story for you! I have flash-cards of the Chinese I'm working on this week, and in Shanghai everyone rides in the front seat of a cab when it's just themselves, so I was up there practicing my Chinese with the cab driver (Like I have done before). They usually get a big kick out of me, but help me to hear the pronunciation, teach me new words etc. Anyways, I pay this guy and go to get out and all of a sudden his hand comes around and he quickly squeezes my right breast! Ahhh!! I got out after slapping his hands and shouting at him, but I'm a little traumatized now! (Actually, after the initial trauma, I really can see the humor in the whole thing!) My Chinese guy friend told me that he probably had never seen anything like them and thought this might be his only opportunity in his life and I probably made his dream come true! That made me feel a little better, but I think I'm back to riding in the back seat for awhile! At least till my Chinese gets better!!!! That is So not typical of men in Shanghai...they are mostly very respectful. There is a lot of misconceptions though about Americans all being promiscuous and over-sexed. The boys were telling me everything the Chinese know about us is from American movies, and everything they remember about the movies are the sex scenes. I went to an art gallery opening yesterday..."Mu Yu Ming's World" Very cool stuff, I'm sure there is a website out there. Also met a photographer, who has a banned website here but it is www.robertvanderhilst.com, he has been taking pictures all over China. For the last 2 weeks he was with the "Yi" (Pronounced yee) people in the mountains in Central China (Botou I think). They are a very small group of people who have rejected change and the modern world. They only eat potatoes, they live in huts that have nothing in them except a fire, sleep on the floor, and he says they are very dangerous people and will do anything. There is no security in their life, they don't bathe at all either. The children all smoke cigarettes and drink liquor. He says they have a bad heroin problem and AIDS as well. They speak their own language too and don't communicate outside of their 'tribe'. It was neat to talk to someone who had seen it up close and was obviously very affected by it. Well, this turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would, I guess I have a lot to say! Oh! We are going to Hanoi for a week in about 2 weeks! Neither Norm or myself have ever been there so that is very exciting! We have to leave the country every 3 months because of our Visas, like a forced vacation! The top, most expensive hotel thee is only $30 a night! I have also booked my trip to come back home for a visit January 14-28, which I am very excited about! Well, that is enough about me! I'll put up some new pictures now too! Hope you are well! Love, Amelia