Moving to China!

Well, the blog has been pushed to the side in the face of a big move…My husband's company offered him another opportunity in Shanghai, China, so over the past few months, we have visited Shanghai, found a new home, packed up our belongings in China and moved to Shanghai!














China presents another part of the world to explore and discover, a new language to learn (Mandarin) and new places to visit…

I thought that living in Thailand was a bit challenging, but compared to China, in many ways it was much easier.  China has a population of nearly 1.4 billion, which is almost 20% of the world's population, and just under 30 million of that population are our neighbors in Shanghai!  You never feel alone in China!  There are always crowds…always a new face to meet!

We needed 3 different visas to move to China - one to visit to choose a new home, one to temporarily move and one permanent visa.  I thought we had red tape back in the States, but you haven't seen red tape until you move to China!  What makes everything a bit more challenging is the language barrier.  Many Chinese don't speak English, or if they do understand, they won't try to speak it because they are afraid of "losing face" or looking bad.  For a foreigner, that makes knowing a bit of Mandarin very useful.  Many of the older Chinese were brought up during a time when any outsider was not welcome in their country, and it is not difficult to understand that they are still wary of outsiders…the younger generation has been brought up in a country that has changed considerably, and they are becoming more open and interested in becoming part of the greater global world…



China is such a world of contrasts, especially in Shanghai.  There is great wealth, standing side by side with great poverty.  Because of the one child policy, there is a great disregard for children who are born with handicaps.  We live in an incredibly modern city but where one cannot drink the water out of the taps because of unsanitary conditions.  Pollution is a huge problem, and one that the Chinese government is trying to deal with.  Much of China still burns coal for heating, and that is a big part of the problem.

I will continue to write about my thoughts and impressions of China and of my travels around the world.

Two Wheels, Three Wheels, Four Wheels and More!

Thailand has some interesting modes of transportation.  Where we live, in Pattaya. it seems that motor scooters outnumber cars, 2-1.  Scooters are everywhere.  In fact, many food carts are connected to a scooter, so the vendor can quickly move location if a more desirable spot can be found.  The portable food carts are darling...it is just like a mini outdoor kitchen that can be moved around anywhere.

Scooters are also seen as a Thai station wagon.  I frequently see a family of four on a scooter - Dad as the driver, with a small child in front of him, and mom as the back passenger, holding another child in her arms.  There are infrequently enforced safety laws which stipulate that the driver and passenger should wear helmets, but it is not unusual to see drivers and or passengers without a helmet.  The traffic police doing safety checks, but the main purpose is to fine the drivers who are without license or helmet, cash is paid on the spot and the driver is free to drive on, still without the items!  The fines range from 100-500 baht, depending on the mood of the traffic police.  There are also scooter taxis - for 50-100 baht, you can ride on the back of scooter taxi.  Scooter taxi drivers wear vests with advertising for the company that sponsors them.

  

 

Tuk tuks are another way to get around.  Tuk tuks are frequently used in Bangkok, but I don't recommend long distance trips - you are breathing a lot of fumes!  They are also very common in Chiang Mai - it basically will cost you 100 baht per ride to go most places in the city of Chiang Mai.  If you ask, the baht bus driver will also wait for you and take you back to your hotel, for another 100 baht (approx 3 USD) Its not comfortable, but its extremely convenient.  

Thailand is the 2nd largest consumer of pick up trucks (2nd only to the USA) - and when one sees the use of pickup trucks, generally as a large group conveyance, it is easy to understand why they are so popular.  Open bed pick up trucks can carry a large group of workers, or children to school and they are used as baht buses driving up and down the busy streets of Pattaya.  You hop on the back, ride down Beach Rd, and press a buzzer to alert the driver when you want to get off.  You then pay the driver 10 baht ( ~31 cents in US currency) for the privilege of riding from one block to several km, it doesn't matter how far, its only 10 baht!


Tourist buses are another interesting phenomenon in Thailand.  We live in a very touristy area, and during the winter, the double decker tourist buses seem to take over the streets.  Many of the streets in Pattaya are called "Soi" which means small street, and small means small!  But the drivers of the tourist buses don't believe there is anywhere they can't drive, so even the smallest street is likely to have a huge bus trying to navigate through. 




The best mode of transportation, however, is for the lucky dogs who have an owner willing to give them a ride on their scooter!  This was a first for me!