Days 2 & 3 in Shanghai

Sunday was busy with an all day orientation.  This included both class room orientation, and a walk around campus to learn a little more about the different buildings and facilities.  Learned that Shanghai is divided into two sections, Pudong - which is eastern Shanghai, and is on the eastern side of the Hangpu River, and Puxi - which is western Shanghai, and is the original part of the city.  Puxi contains all the older original sections of the city, including most of the shopping, Peoples Square, the major parks, the Bund, and the original French and British concessions.  Pudong was developed at the direction of the Chinese government, and it includes the Pearl Tower and the new financial center of the city, including offices of the major banks, and the stock and commodity exchanges.  I may update this section after we go there this coming Saturday, which is when we get our orientation of the city.

I have been going to the Zhabei park early every morning (6:30 to 7:30) and it is amazing all the people there doing exercises, Tai Chi, playing badmitton, dancing and singing.  Yes, they are mostly older people.  I guess most of the young ones are either sound asleep, or getting ready for work.  There is this one group of older women that are there every morning singing away.

Monday afternoon I went to a class entitled "The Chinese Phenomenon."  Covered too much to include in this blog, but the history of the country and people is amazing.  For example, the main division of China is between the North and the South, similar to the eastern portion in the US.  The dividing line is the Yangtzee river.  The people are different physically and culturally, accents, education, jobs, interests, etc.

Monday evening I went to a Toastmaster's meeting on campus.  Members were very friendly, welcomed me, I spoke, and one of the members is even going shopping with me tonight, to help me buy a cell phone.

On Tuesday I had my first class on the "Introduction to Chinese Language" and then later had my class in Tai Chi.

What follows are some pictures of these two days.  The first four are pictures in Zhabei park

One of the many Tai Chi groups in Zhabei Park



Another gentleman in the park practicing with a spear.  They also practiced with swords



Here is the group in the park practicing with their swords.



This worker is cleaning up grasses growing in the pond.  Notice his tools are like chopsticks





This is Education Buidling 1 on Shanghai campus




This is the group of Toastmasters at the Monday night club meeting in Building 1



Typical Street scene near campus.  Note the McDonalds on the corner, and right next to it is the bank, Construction bank of China, which is allied with Bank of America, so there were no charges to cash there.