Oh yeah, I got an hour long massage for $5

Life here in Shanghai is pretty great.  Work is going really well.  I’m working on my dissertation proposal and another project that my Chinese mentor wants me to work on.  I should be getting in the lab soon and will be working with some masters and PhD students on their manuscripts (mainly as a native English speaker – I’m really good at that!).  I saw my US mentor today; she was at a conference in South Korea so just stopped by.  I’ve been getting more daring with the work lunches – today I even ate the whole fish they put in my box.  And I will start my Chinese class tomorrow (I really need it; my Mandarin is NOT improving at all).

On Friday, I went with some people from SCI to apply for my residency permit.  When we finally arrived at the central police station (the taxi driver did not know where it was so it took forever) it was going to be a two hour wait.  But apparently SCI has some clout or else the guy from work knows someone that works there, but I was able to go right up, give them my paperwork and passport and leave.  It took me a total of maybe 30 minutes while others had probably been waiting for hours.  I guess it really is important to know people!!!!!  Although, now it's a little uncomfortable since I don't actually have my passport at the moment... hopefully I get it back soon.

This weekend I went out to the expat coffee event again (with ShanghaiExpat), and when I showed up, there were small children cooking in the middle of the store we were meeting at… with television cameras EVERYWHERE!!!!  There was also a wrestling or boxing ring set up, but no children fighting in there yet.  I’m still not sure what it was, but some of the expats said it might have been a commercial since they apparently film a lot of commercials in stores… not sure.  But I met some more really cool expats and some of the cool expats from the week before.  One of the new ones had heard about another event close by (with Expat-Blog), so after a few hours at coffee, we met some other people at a bar nearby.  I had such a nice time!  There were people there from China, Thailand, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, Singapore, the US, and probably more that I’m forgetting.  We got along really well.  A jazz band (most likely from the US) came into the bar and started a set and I really just felt completely at home.  Since it got kind of loud, we all headed to another happy hour in this really cute area of town that is essentially all alleyways (Tian Zi Fang area I believe).  We got to know each other more and then headed to a Thai restaurant for dinner. It was just such a great evening, I loved all the people I met there!  It was just so refreshing to spend time with so many people I had so much in common with!  I already have some plans with some of them to meet up again.

And then today, while I was working, I got a call from a student at work about getting a massage with another student.  She found what equates to a Chinese Groupon for a medicinal massage for… you got it, $5.  So after work, we headed to the medicinal massage.  On the way, we ran into a foreigner very much in need of a bathroom.  I’m not sure how she knew we spoke English (oh yeah, I’m a foreigner) but the students helped her find a bathroom (see why it’s important why I learn Chinese?).  We got to the place and we were all able to get a massage at the same time.  The massage was excellent and I felt incredibly relaxed.  After the massage, another person came in and basically cracked all the bones in my neck and back.  It was a little difficult to figure out what he wanted, but eventually, I did everything he asked.  Then, I had three options: cupping, moxibution or a scrape therapy.  I decided that I had to try what I saw in the new Karate Kid movie with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith, so I opted for the cupping.  Basically, they heated a glass cup and suctioned it to my back.  They did this with about 8 or 9 cups and then let them sit.  Apparently, if the areas are VERY red afterwards, it means that you are not very healthy.  Lucky for me, I was just slightly pink.  Guess the gym is already helping out.  So, I got an hour long massage, some bone realignment and cupping… for $5.  I just couldn’t stop thinking about how incredible that is when in the US, I have spent at least $50 for an hour long massage and that was after a huge discount!  When we left, I was old that all of the masseuses had graduated from a Chinese Traditional Therapy school and the guy that was cracking all my bones told her that it was apparent that I have a problem in my middle back… and he was right since I have a herniated disk.  Pretty impressive!

After the massage I had dinner and waited the appropriate 2 hours after cupping to go for a swim (apparently I wasn’t supposed to shower or get wet for 2 hours after the treatment).  I had big plans to swim laps at the gym with my new, extremely expensive goggles I had purchased yesterday but apparently lap swimming is not possible at my gym.  It was some kind of crowded free for all.  People were swimming every which way, running into each other, just stopping in the middle of the pool for a chat, etc.  That's one thing about Shanghai (and I believe the rest of China) is that almost everywhere is crowded.  Even during the most odd hours of the day you essentially have to push and shove your way down the street, in the metro, at the store, etc. So I made the best of my pool time and basically tread water for 45 minutes.  Hopefully that’s still a work out.

I’ve got some fun weekend plans and other events coming up so I’m pretty exciting.  I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m really enjoying my time here in Shanghai!