Also: A real update

So, after about FOUR months this place is finally starting to feel like home. I'm beginning to comfortably establish routines. The main reason why I took this job is to study Chinese, but because I had accepted the position so last minute and was thrown into the whirlwinds of work, Shanghai, living on my own and adulthood, I had really lost focus on what I want.

Earlier I had been quite lonely. Initial friendships are exciting and I love to meet new people, but new friendships never have the same steadfastness loyalty that you have with friendships that have won the test of time. To compensate the complete rush, workload, chaos and overwhelming independence I had found myself neck high in, I began to eat some comfort foods: namely ice cream and chips. This (obviously) affected my body which added to the cycle of not having that much control. In college I was working out a lot- I felt so good afterwards both mentally and physically, and I think it's important to establish healthy habits when you're young so as you get older (and your metabolism slows down) you don't have to worry much about dramatically changing your habits and lifestyle.

But finding a gym in China (and having almost no free time in the beginning of the school year) proved to be difficult. When I finally found a few gyms in the area, compared prices, and finally joined, it was equally difficult motivating myself to actually go.

On top of all of this, it seems that THE THING for foreigners to do here is to go out at night. While I enjoy bars I have always had trouble having one sleeping pattern Monday - Friday (sleeping 10pm-6:30am) and dramatically changing it Saturday and Sunday (sleeping from 1am-10 or 11am) very difficult. In addition, I usually don't feel the best the next day and I find that I waste most of the day after I go out at night. I prefer going out with people I've known for a bit longer, because if I am drinking I feel safer with people I trust. So the fact that most people were using alcohol to bond (and I thought this phase was over in college) startled me a bit. I'm not sure if I alienated myself from some people because of my unwillingness to get completely trashed, but I really dislike peer pressure of any sort. I honestly didn't deal with peer pressure in college, and that was one huge thing I loved about school. I will respect other people's decisions and they should respect mine.

The point of this entry is that I've finally turned a corner. I think it's been a combination of my Dad visiting, me settling into my apartment, starting real routines, and maybe even lighting the menorah makes this strange suburban apartment in the outskirt (almost farmlands) of Shanghai feel like home, but I'm really enjoying myself here.

This is not to say I wasn't happy before, but I know I'm happier now. On Monday I went to the gym and had a great run on the elliptical and lifted weights. I started (finally) seriously studying Chinese on Monday night. I studied 40 new vocab words. Tuesday I had people over and cooked dinner. That same day I also bought a blank notebook and started a Chinese journal. Wednesday I also worked out at the gym (cardio and weights), had a quiet meal at home, and studied Chinese also also wrote in my journal. Yesterday I had two hours of Chinese one-on-one with Stephanie (a Mandarin teacher at my school). We corrected my journal entries and worked on the new vocabulary that I had studied. Wednesday I also worked out and randomly met some friends at the local restaurant I go to where we ate together. I once again wrote in my journal and tried (in Chinese) to explain what Hanukkah is.

Today I have a relatively light day. After school I'll go work out, and this evening my friend Kelly, who also works at the school, organized a bus to see a comedy improv show. So I'll get to see that. Tomorrow night I'll hopefully do some holiday shopping, maybe play field hockey, maybe work out, and hopefully go out with my friend Jade from Wes. Sunday morning (if I get up early enough) will be dedicated to bike riding through the farmland, and I plan to just relax and straighten up later Sunday afternoon. Monday I will have people over for dinner, Tuesday I'll have Chinese class then some dinner plans, Wednesday I'll work out and most likely eat on my own, Thursday is the Winter Concert at school, and Friday is the annual SCIS Holiday Party!

I need to keep busy because that's when I'm the most productive. It may mean I'm a bit tired, but if I have too much spare time to myself I'll begin to pine for my family and friends at home. I do miss you all, but I'm finally realizing what wonderful an opportunity is for me, and the beauty of actually having a real income to spend money on yourself and people you care about.

I hope this optimism lasts for a long, long time.