Simple Pleasures: Neighbors, PB&J, Fried Egg Sandwiches

It’s helpful at times just to focus on the simple things here in Shanghai. For example:

1. Its not monsoon season
2. I didn’t get hit by a car when playing Frogger to cross the street
3. I actually felt a breeze this morning when walking down the road
4. I can see a patch of blue sky through the haze of pollution

Today I have enjoyed three new simple pleasures.

Simple Pleasure #1:
Immediately when you see another Caucasian individual who may be American or European in Shanghai I feel an urge to talk to them. I relate it for a need for a connection at a minimum someone who understands lines like “a horse apiece.”

I was at the hotel gym earlier this week and saw another expatriate. Immediately I thought “Hmmm could be someone to talk with.” When at the gym though, I hate bothering others when they are working out. So I pushed the thought aside and simply got down to work. The next day I saw the same expatriate. Two days in a row. At this point I had to introduce myself.

The expat’s name is Pat and he is from Detroit. I asked how long he was in Shanghai. I figured his response would be something like “A week or two.” Boy was I wrong.

Like me he is hear on a 6 month assignment. In a small world way our office are located within the same complex (tower A for him and tower B for me), plus we both arrived right at the start of July.

In the US it takes time to make friends. As an adult it becomes even harder to make friends as your circle of connections can sometime be limited just too fellow colleagues. Adults aren't as likely to have extracurriculars - like soccer or debate or fraternities/sorrorities - that makes it easier to meet new people. This is especially true for me as I have moved 5 times in the past 5 years.

It doesn’t work like that here in Shanghai. Things happen quickly. Two workouts later and one trip to Carrefour I knew I had a great neighbor and a friend that would be willing to have a few Shanghai adventures.

Simple Pleasure #2
At Carrefour today I bought many things. However, the highlight of my purchases was a lemon colored toaster. Oh yes, I can now have a decent breakfast. Immediately upon getting home I plugged it in and cracked out my peanut butter and jelly. YUMMY!

Simple Pleasure #3
I had another Chinese lesson today and it went well. We learned all about the words for different foods. I can say things like “I don’t eat fish.” “Is it deep fried or steamed?” “Does it have MSG?”

Sayings like these will be very useful as eating at Chinese restaurants can be challenging; specially, if you are at ALL trying to watch your diet. Which for me is the case as I’d like to take off the lbs I put on when on the road for Bobcat.

All the talk of food made me so hungry. As soon as I was done with my class I hurried through a cardio session at the gym so that I could make dinner. I made fried egg sandwiches (open faced). I not only got to use my toaster again but I tried eggs for the first time in China.

My dinner was good, although the result was not the same as the egg sandwiches my dad makes for me. I swear he has some special technique. If not, I think they just taste better when he makes them because they take me back to childhood and memories of my mom.

Yep, I like simple pleasures – even in China!