All of a Sudden

It became February.  Home, the Christmas holidays, the month of January are things of the past.  January's generally a fickle mistress but I somehow looked up, blinked and it was gone. With two weeks to go until Chinese New Year and a subsequent two-week holiday, I reckon February is going to follow suit.

In minor news, Paul arrived! In one piece and only minimally shell shocked.  His luggage on the other hand, did not.  Stuck in Helsinki, of all places.  Would you believe it?

His adjustment to this crazy Chinese life has been remarkably underwhelming.  Despite puppy dog eyes when I stuck him in a cab on his first day, he's taking it all in stride.  And by 'it' I mean: armpits in the face on the rush hour metro; finding ayi Sunny (our cleaner!) wearing my slippers whilst doing the dusting; navigating the unsavory Carrefour crowd with his urbane London attitude: 'basically Jen, you've got to put your head down, look for the gap that doesn't exist and then hit anyone in your way who doesn't move.'  Ironically, he hates cab drivers who employ the exact same principles.

With the arrival of my directionally challenged half, we've taken to wandering the streets of Shanghai.  From Xintiandi to Dongtai Road Antiques Market to our local wet market,  I think i've seen more of Shanghai in January than I did in my first five months:

 The bright lights of Nanjing Road East

 

Dongtai Road Market is a glorified street of other peoples' junk.  In London, the merchandise would cost four times the price and be full of pretentious antique hunters donning posh accents.  Here, sadly, the city has the Market on the demolition chopping block.  The price of urban progress is almost always gentrification and Shanghai has a quick, fierce way of employing these tactics--one week a street, homes, markets are there.  The next, you return, and they're gone.  

Word on the street (literally) is that the market's time has come, that it's going to be relocated to an indoor venue.  Somehow it's not quite the same.  

 

 Because buying a tuba off the side of the road has its charms:

 It's also been a cultural month here in Shangers.  The beauty of working at a school where people want to do things is that people want to plan things.  On these coattails I've snagged tickets to Riverdance, an eat-way-too-much Sunday brunch and a VIP experience to see Michael Buble, the man, the myth, the Canadian legend.  Paul swooned.  I am grateful for lovely students and their lovely parents who manage arenas and give free tickets:

This place is growing on me.