My first month in Shanghai

I have to say that my first month overall has been rather easy. I think my cultural training course was a huge help. Thanks Brant. Especially preparing me for sensory overload, that was huge. Knowing what it was when it hit was important. I am learning that my keen sense of smell is not a plus here. I am in a big city and big cities just smell and the Chinese also cook some interesting things and they smell too. I have been told in time this gets better, until then I carry perfume and use often.
I have learned the chinese people do not like waiting in lines either. They tend to crowd you at the registers and want you to move quickly, if you don't I swear they hover and swarm so close it becomes almost life threatening.
I too have learned so much from my Chinese friends. We recently just celebrated National Chinese Holiday and was a guest for dinner with Mr. Wu. I ate hairy crab which is in season (yum), dumplings, and glazed pears. I also had this amazing fish that is very rare which you cannot have in many parts of Asia. Another guest at the table was from Hong Kong and she was sharing with me how rare it is to have this fish and why. Later I noticed that Mr. Wu got up and insisted that she have the head of the fish. This is usually reserved for the head of the table in this case Mr. Wu. After some quiet disagreement, she accepted, Mr. Wu took what was left of the fish and finished that. They later exchanged smiles. They are very close friends with mutual respect.
I have come to know Mr. Wu after many dinners, in his own quiet and subtle way, he is a very kind and generous man.
I have also learned from my visit to Hangzhou that there is a China rhythm, a pace one falls into. The amount of people here can be overwhelming and especially when on holiday. Imagine yourself at Disney during spring break add a half million people all walking the streets of the park. You find a rhythm and join the crowd. It becomes more peaceful somehow. Mike and I managed our second day.

Don't worry friends..I have my stories.
This is my first blog. Trying to look good.