life in isolation

Being in a new town can always be an isolating thing. When you're in a different country, that isolation is taken to a whole new level. I think many people find comfort in their possessions, but since we sold a bunch of ours and could only bring so many things with us, we really had to focus on the things that mattered most to us and that we figured would be absolutely essential for the 1-2 years that we're supposed to be here. Now, this is not to say that we only packed a suitcase or two and here we are. We actually did bring a lot of stuff--particularly technology--so I don't really feel like I'm missing a whole lot. Thus far, the only thing I've wished I would have packed in my suitcase is a heavier coat. I put my heaviest coat in our air shipment (which we have not yet received, but which is supposed to be delivered Monday morning) thinking that spring would be here soon. That hasn't been the case, so I've been very cold on many occasions. Who would have thought that Minnesota would get spring sooner than Nanjing?

Most people also find comfort in friends and family, but since we don't have many here (no friends, actually, unless you count my colleagues and their spouses, and zero family, of course), that's not an option, either. We are building new friendships, but that always takes time. So, if we don't have all the possessions and all the friends/family that we had in MN, it might seem like we've lost a lot. That actually isn't true. I feel like we've actually gained in many ways, and I'm very happy with how things are going thus far.

One of the best things about where we live now is what's available to us in 20 minutes or less of walking. Our gym is a short elevator ride away, and while it doesn't have all the amenities of the gym I used to use, it does have a pool and a sauna. We haven't had easy access to either of these things since we moved out of our old apartment back in 2005. And actually, I had never tried a sauna before this week, and I like it a lot. I've used both it and the pool several times since we got here, and I intend to keep that up.

There are a few grocery stores and tons of restaurants and shopping in the neighborhood. None of this requires a car, which is nice, because we don't have one and won't have one while we're here (you couldn't pay me enough to get behind the wheel here--it's crazy). Carrying home shopping bags can be a bit of a pain, but that's OK. We're getting exercise in a way we never used to be able to get it in MN, and I like it a lot. This is also true for getting to work. I can walk to both of our offices here in 20-25 minutes, and as long as the weather is agreeable, I intend to do that as much as possible. One of these days, I'm going to do a little photo project so you can see what my commute is like. It's fascinating.

Having restaurants really close to us is great. They're not high-class eating or anything, but the food is good and dirt cheap. For example, the little lady wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I picked up dinner on the way home. My order was 21 potstickers (they're sold in multiples of seven), spicy beef ramen and wonton soup. Total price: $4.90. You can't beat prices like that. If you're willing to eat local, you can eat like a king for pennies compared to American prices.

I think the most important thing is the learning opportunities that we have here, which naturally are on the language and culture fronts. We're way out of our element here, and even with a degree in Chinese language, there is a lot that I don't understand. So, we're encountering new situations, figuring things out, and building up our confidence for doing things on our own along the way. It can be difficult--less educated people, like taxi drivers, speak the worst Mandarin ever--but you muddle through and somehow get done whatever you need to get done, or arrive wherever you needed to go. And if you've got a sense of humor, which I feel we definitely do, you can have a lot of fun laughing about all the inconveniences you encounter.

Yes, we're definitely isolated in many ways, but the aforementioned things that we've gained are, to me, what life is all about. Not going to the trendy new restaurant, buying the latest CD or having the fastest car, but getting out, trying new things and having new experiences. I'm having a blast, and I hope it continues.