Saturday, April 23, 2011
Just checked the forecast for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia… rain… rain… and more rain!!! It is 60% chance of thunderstorms every day we are there. That is going to dampen the exploring… no pun intended! I have laid out at least 5 days of nothing but exploring and sightseeing… I will just do have to do it with an umbrella. Maybe the weather channel site is off at least a little bit.
Let me tell you about yesterday. It was a really good day. Another Dallas TI couple has arrived in Shanghai. Only instead of the wife being the companion on this assignment it is the husband, Dave. Martha, our wonderful coordinator, put us in touch with each other and Dave and I have swapped emails for the last few months. He will not be a full time resident, but here for a month or so and home for a month or so.
Yesterday we met and went to lunch. What a great afternoon! It was really nice to just have someone to hang out with. I walked to the St Regis, the hotel of choice for TI. After our intro’s, we hopped a taxi and were off to Thumb Plaza. I figured I could kill two birds on this outing… lunch and a trip into the Carrefour. Lunch was at one of my favorite place, Ajisen Ramen Restaurant. It is one of those meals that everyone is slurping the noodles so no one notices you are slurping the noodles. We ate and got to know each other. They will be living in the French Concession area over in Puxi. Michael and I have been over there and are comfortable with the Metro so location is not so important where. With the last slurp of the noodles, we were up and on the move.
Next stop… Cold Stone Creamery… yuuuuummmmm!!! Just could not pass that up... chocolate with pecans! We sat outside at one the sidewalk tables, eating our diary treats and continued chatting. It was wonderful having someone to speak English with. It is those little things that make such an impact. I pointed out some of the things in and around this area since he and Bobbie would be at the St Regis for a while waiting on their apartment.
I needed to pick up a few things in Carrefour so we made a quick run through the store. Dave needed to be back at the hotel by 3pm to sign some papers so we hopped a cab. I remember all the forms and signatures that were needed for get everything going… the shipment, the lease, the visas… it was never ending.
Since Dave was anxious to see the area and get an idea of where we lived, I went with to the hotel for the signing, and then we walked back to our apartment to drop off the few things I bought at Carrefour. Having lightened the load, we were off again to the metro. We walked around the Science and Technology building and down into the metro. We got Dave a transportation card and kinda gave him an idea about the subway system.
I was amazed at how much I had learned about the city and getting around in the last two months since we’ve been here. As Dave and I wandered around, I was able to confidently tell him about how things worked or what to watch out for or where to go… it must mean I’m acclimating to Shanghai… or rather Pudong. Or maybe it is just that I am not so intimated anymore. Even though the rest of Shanghai is moving at warp speed, I just move over and let it.
Like in the grocery store… they crowd you through the line and are on top of you. There is no time to think about packing up your groceries properly or hardly even getting your change in your wallet. So now, I do not try to pack my groceries while in line. I just put them back in my basket and pay out, then move to the side out of the way and slowly, at my own pace, think about how to pack them for the walk home so that the heavy is on the bottom and the veggies on top... hopefully making the trip without bruises. Things we simply take for granted back home, when they are bagged by someone else, loaded back in your cart and wheeled to the trunk or the way back of your vehicle.
Dave is still getting over the jet lag so he was ready to head back after a whirlwind afternoon. Since he would be walking back to the hotel passing by Michael’s building, I walked back as far as Michael’s office. I would be able to introduce Michael to Dave and walk home with him. Dave and Michael had a chance to chat for a bit as Dave walked with us for a little while before turning back to the hotel. It was nice that the day had worked out so that they could meet.
We planned to get back together for a dinner when we returned from Malaysia. I am looking forward to meeting Bobbie and forging a new friendship.
We have lots of things to do today in preparation for our trip tomorrow. And we need to be done in time to make Saturday night church since we will be traveling tomorrow.
Stay tuned for pictures and stories from Malaysia…
Happy Easter to all my friends and family… and remember Christ died for us so that we may live eternally… all you have to do for this wonderful salvation is to accept him into your heart and allow him to forgive your sins… Remember God’s promise…
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God --- John 1:12
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