When you’re young, there are some things you just take for granted, you assume are no-brainers. You don’t yet understand the way that life twists and turns and throws your no-brainers off in ways you never could have anticipated. I never, ever, ever could have imagined a world where I would not be present atContinue reading “Midnight in Shanghai: The Paris of the East”
Tag Archives: Shanghai
Shanghai Lockdown 2022
As I assume many of you know if you are reading this blog, I moved to Shanghai in October of 2020. For the past few years, the pandemic has not affected my life TOO greatly. Sure, I haven’t been able to leave China, and we wear masks more frequently than my friends in the StatesContinue reading “Shanghai Lockdown 2022”
Authentically Disney, Uniquely Chinese, and Wonderfully Magical!
As a 90s baby who grew up during the Disney Renaissance and can quote just about any of their movies without hesitation, an exciting part of moving to Shanghai was the promise of being able to visit Shanghai Disneyland. Until now, I’d only ever been to Disney World in Orlando and so I was veryContinue reading “Authentically Disney, Uniquely Chinese, and Wonderfully Magical!”
No Place Like Home (Away From Home) for the Holidays
Growing up in a military family, we moved around a lot – every few years we found ourselves in a new home, in a new state, surrounded by new people. As such, we became very dedicated to our holiday traditions. Because there was no consistency in where we spent the holidays, what we did duringContinue reading “No Place Like Home (Away From Home) for the Holidays”
The Wilderness (and Shanghai) Must Be Explored!
你好 from Shanghai!! Did you miss me?? (I know, I know, I have not been good about regular blog posts. My future as an influencer is RUINED.) Much has happened in the time since I last wrote (…in early October….I am SORRY) so I cannot write in my usual Madison fashion and include every tinyContinue reading “The Wilderness (and Shanghai) Must Be Explored!”
Week I in Shanghai!
Hello from the Shanghai beyond quarantine! (WOW does it feel good to say that!) I’ve now been out of quarantine for a little over a week, and what a week it’s been! I meant to write sooner but A) I’ve hardly spent any time at home and so haven’t had time to write, and B)Continue reading “Week I in Shanghai!”
The M̶a̶n̶ Bunny in the Moon
10 days of quarantine down, 4 to go! (But who’s counting?) I started last week off with 3 days of classes. Though the experience of teaching online while they are all in the classroom is certainly not new to me, the experience of doing so while the sun was out was a wonderfully welcome change!Continue reading “The M̶a̶n̶ Bunny in the Moon”
Bird Tweets and Mystery Meats
Hello, outside world! I’m finishing up Day 3 of 14 in my quarantine here in Shanghai, and am starting to settle into a pattern. Will this pattern change 18 times over the remaining 11 days I am in here? Probably. But for now, in an attempt to settle into some kind of normalcy after theContinue reading “Bird Tweets and Mystery Meats”
Doing the Impossible
You know those big events, good or bad (or both!), that pitch camp in your brain so that they’re all you can think about for weeks/months? And they throw all-night parties with Anxiety (because Anxiety likes to invite itself along to everything, insistent bugger ) so even at night you’re not safe from thinking aboutContinue reading “Doing the Impossible”
The Dive
When I first started my Chinese visa application process (10 months ago, at this point) I had no idea what to expect. The only other time I’d needed a visa to travel was on my trip to Zimbabwe in 2014 – however, unlike this current process, I did not have to apply ahead of time.Continue reading “The Dive”
Adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere 