chaos EXPOSED

For the past few days I have been chillin in Shanghai with some Aussies and it's been wonderful! I went out to play rugby with one of them for the first time and I feel like I've had my ass kicked, because literally, I did.  The weather is so hot here that I have only left their apartment three times in the past three days, once for rugby, once for shopping, and once for bubble tea! Apparently, it will only get hotter as July and August are the hottest months of the year... I don't think Taiwan prepared me for anything.

July 16, 2010
I have arrived at my final destination, Shanghai. I had been anxiously awaiting this moment for 380 days (since the day I left - June 1st, 2009) and I am finally here. Today, I was greeted with rolling thunderstorms and flooded sidewalks, but still made the trek to the world expo. I should've waited until tomorrow when the weather is technically "clearer", but whatever - hindsight 20/20. I walked around the expo site with my shoes completely soaked, not from the direct rain, but from the puddles - more like ponds - forming on the uneven pavement. Aside from the misery in my shoes, I was pretty content with the expo.

USA PAVILION
Before departing for China, I had heard several "complaints" or discontent remarks about the expo, especially about the USA Pavilion. I have heard that it is a "disappointment" and that the government should revoke their law preventing government funding for the pavilion. Here's my two cents... I'm happy with what the USAP has produced. In my honest opinion, the USAP has done well for themselves considering their was no government financial assistance. They also followed the theme of "Better City, Better Life" targeting urban sustainability. Sure many people could consider the short films somewhat corny, in a way I understand, but the underlying message that was broadcasted to the visitors is that with a little compassion for the environment, we can really make a difference. Tis is true.

Also, the concept of breaking the USAP into different "acts" assists with the flow of visitors. They move hundreds of people from one room to another, allowing a new group of visitors into the pavilion every 10 minutes or so. I have a feeling that the only reason why Saudi Arabia's line is on average a 5 hour wait is because one of the rooms plays a 30 minute film, which automatically deters the the flow of traffic. I will post some photos and a video soon about the Saudi Arabia line...it's hilarious- Chinese military is involved in the procession of the visitors.

Perhaps I would not wait 2 hours in line for the USA Pavilion, but fortunately I did not have to. This is what you get when you're VIP, just kidding - well not really. As an SA -student ambassador- we receive fast lane access to all the pavilions (or most) and do not have to wait in line unless the VIP line is long. Today, I called up to USAP office and spoke with the coordinator, who helped get my family into the pavilion without having to wait.

Inside the pavilion I met two ambassadors who really enjoyed their experience thus far, another contradiction to the general assumption. I really do believe this experience is what you make of it. If you go into the ambassadorship banking on someone else's negative opinion, you definitely won't enjoy yourself. Each person can create his/her own adventure, it is your own choice if you want to be miserable or not.

I had also read about foreigners disgruntled with the Chinese people. All i can say to them is to be more patient in trying to understand why people are the way they are. There is nothing you can do to stop them from shoving each other around and making decisions to put their family members at the front of the line. It's a cultural difference that we can only acknowledge and accept. I find Shanghai very similar to New York City. After living in each city for half a year, I have come to realize that the sheer mass of people in a small space (aka heavy density) create a brashness and abrasive behavior in many individuals, including myself. When I lived in Shanghai, I expected the pushing and shoving, but when I moved to NYC I expected more people to be "civilized", oh how I was wrong! So, pre-judgments about types of people and cultures only shows inexperience and naivety - as it did in my case. Patience is truly a virtue. You never know... once you accept the way people are and see past what you consider 'flaws', they will often surprise and fascinate you. Give people a chance!

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After the USAP, we visited Luxembourg, Lithuania, and the Pacific Oceanic pavilion - ones with moving lines. The weather was too unfavorable to have to wait in line for 2+ hours so we just wandered around. Before we knew it, we spent 5 hours just walking around in the rain! I will have to update you readers about each pavilion later- once I am able to get in!

Something that brightened my day:

Summary of today in a picture: Windy, rainy, wet shoes (not pictured). Yes, my face looked like this all day.


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July 12-15
My remaining days in Yunnan were filled with more great food, including 过桥米线 (guo qiao mi xian) or "Over the bridge noodles", a Kunming speciality.



In Lijiang, we visited Snow Mountain (elevation 18,000 ft), Yak fields, a Naxi village, a Zhang Yi Mou production right in front of Snow Mountain.





In Kunming we re-visited the Stone Forest, a huge gorge with deep caves filled with stalagmites and stalactites, Dragon's gate, and "Dynamic Yunnan"- an amazing play depicting the history of Yunnan through certain tribes..




China never fails to impress me. Each time I visit, a city has transformed or evolved - whether for the better, I don't know, but I am still fascinated by this wondrous country full of history and mystery.

I finally received my Chinese visa after visiting the consulate three times! They weren't ready for me on the written date of my receipt, causing me to either struggle waiting for the M42 bus or walking or paying for $10+ cab fares to get me across Manhattan...also I was on a time constraint due to their open hours. But at last - a Chinese business visa in my hands!

I also received my luggage in the mail! I am in love.They look even better than on Amazon and seem much more durable than my fake Samsonite I purchased in Beijing two years ago. Not too sure how I'll travel through Hong Kong and Yunnan with them, but these three suitcases will definitely fit all of my stuff! I hope..

My arrival and departure flights have been confirmed and ticketed. July 5th arrival in Shanghai and departure December 23rd! I'll make it home for Christmas, unlike I had earlier planned! This obviously has made my family happy and I will be able to live in my new home for a few weeks! A funny story about my family's new house - First of all, we're renting so that my brother can go to another school district, but we're keeping our Palo Alto house, but it has been so difficult finding a home to rent since most people want to rent in this dismal economy. My dad texted me last night,

"I was talking to an agent on a house rental.  Somehow we touched on the subject of the World Expo.  She told me that there were so many kids that she knew applied and couldn't get in.  She said 'your daughter must be very special'.  I just wanted to tell you this. After the conversation, she decided to rent the house to us." 

 I replied to his text,

"Wow! So you better appreciate me and pay for my trip now". (in regards to my bangkok to singapore trip)

My dad agreed. He has planned to join me on a backpacking trip from Bangkok to Singapore, just the two of us, and has agreed to pay for the 2 weeks. Of course he knows that I plan budget trips so he's not too worried about the expense. :)

I have 4 days of work and 10 days of play left in Gotham. All of which can be read about at Chaos of Gotham.  I need to start organizing my things as my roommate has already found people to check out the room. Next time you hear from me, I'll probably be in Hong Kong!

Zaij! (Our slang in Shanghai for Zai Jian- "see you again" or "bye")

I have waited so long for this day. The day I could apply for aBusiness visa. It's no longer about the "X","Z", "J" or whatever "letter" visas anymore. It's all about the "F" visa! I received all of my paperwork from the USA Pavilion over the weekend (surprised they're working over the weekend!) and rushed to the Chinese Consulate during my lunch break today.

I did everything the USA Pavilion told me not to do. "Don't go in the afternoon" and "don't go on Monday or Tuesday". Whoops. I went Monday afternoon and paid the price.  I waited in a tiny, hot lobby for two hours.  What a waste of my lunch break. However, I did get to meet some cool strangers.  Just a few Americans wanting to visit the expo, study abroad, etc... Also some crazy asian families that found out I was working at the world expo and couldn't stop spreading the news. "他七月在世博会美国管工作！” Translation : "In July, she's working for the world expo's USA Pavilion!"  They told me that I should go to the "dignitary line". I scoffed. If only I was considered that kind of ambassador! Many of them said they would come visit me. Hah, once they see the non-Asian ambassadors, they'll forget all about me. Hey, it's the truth.

Two "joyous" hours later, I escaped into the smoggy Manhattan air. I will have to repeat the scenario again on Thursday when I pick up my passport. I'm pretty sure the pick up line will go much faster, but another wasted lunch break and $10 cab rides across the island each way. Oh China, what I do for you!

Visa - check!

Onto my flight itinerary. I am confirmed to fly out of LaGuardia on July 4th. Yes, I miss all the die-hard American festivities - like BBQs and fireworks.  I will make sure to bring a bucket of Buffalo wings on my airplane ride(s) and will be flying over the fireworks! Unfortunately, I am not as enthusiastic about my trip to Asia because it consists of 3 flights. Oh yes, three.  In order to receive my free roundtrip flight to Shanghai, I must fly through Chicago - and arrive in Shanghai, duh. But...my destination on July 5th is Hong Kong!  I will arrive in Hong Kong at 9pm on July 5th. I am losing TWO days of my life!! Ahh!


Oh well...see China, this is what I do for you.




I have made a map of my tentative travel plans.


View Cassie's Asia Adventures in a larger map


I will give dates and details once I have solidified the dates and details...
After making this map, and realizing most of my trip is taking a public bus, I think I am going to die. No, seriously. How do the backpackers do this? I'm going to smell like none other- eau de toilette s'il vous plait! I can't even imagine what I will look like in my photos. Be prepared!


Lastly. I have purchased new luggage at my parents expense. Hi dad! :)
Of course they will be thrilled that it's SKY BLUE! Hey, it could be worse for them - "Dusty rose". Haha! I got the 3 piece set for $200! Beats the fake Chinese one I bought last year! It lasted me 3 trips...pretty good for $20. 

This suitcase set is not the most travel friendly for the adventure I am going on. So I am also on the prowl for a great backpacking backpack. Any suggestions?

I hate to be controversial, however, I can't help but feel that us second session ambassadors are being put on the back burner.  We found out this morning that the US-China institute has shaved a week off of our expo experience, for reasons unknown.  We are not being housed in the Expo Village until the first week of August when we begin our positions.  Ergo, we have little or minimal interaction with the first session ambassadors.  It is possible that there just isn't any room for us in the Expo Village, but that being said, disorganization seems to be a key factor in this chaotic mess. Also, we are unable to discuss with the first session ambassadors what their opinion of their experiences are!

Not only have I written an innumerable amount of urgent e-mails to the operations manger in Shanghai for my expense-covered plane ticket to Shanghai, I encountered several e-mails stating I needed to "be more patient".  It's almost June, and my flight is July 4th...I still don't have a Chinese visa.  My parents have had visas to China for 2 months already and are flying out of the US after me. This is wrong! Anyhow, I am sure we will have no problems getting visas because it is signed off by the US government, but I can't help but feel bothered by the disorganization.  Perhaps being an event planner has forced me to realize that things can't be slapped together last minute.

On a side note, the first session ambassadors met Hilary Clinton. Okay, now I'm super jealous.  First, Chinese president Hu Jintao...now, US Secretary of State.  If nobody special comes from August to November, I think I'm going to flip.  Not only have they truncated our expo experience, we don't meet anyone of significance either? Obama, I beg of you to visit end of August!

Really, I have nothing to complain about.  I have been granted an opportunity of which many were denied, but as in life..."if you give a mouse a cookie, he'll ask for a glass of milk".  Too true. All I can be is honest.  This is my honest opinion - I am appreciative, but I want the cookie, a glass of milk and perhaps a straw.
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Bad news is, my Egypt trip has been cancelled, and for good reason. I am going to graduate school and need the $15,000! Yes, you heard that right! I am attending Monterery Institute of International Studies for a Master's in International Management in January 2011.  I will also be participating in a 2 year volunteer stint with the Peace Corps (PC) too as part of the Master's program after my initial 2 semesters. While my aspiration was to return to China, I have found out that PC only sends teacher volunteers to China, so if I want to stay in Asia, it will be either Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia or Mongolia - in Business Development or something of that related aspect.  However, the PC may utilize my French speaking abilities and ship me off to Africa. I have to expect the worst and/or have little to no expectations - life of a Peace Corps volunteer!


While I have my doubts about my near future endeavors, I know to brush them aside.  Even though "if everything works out and life is long", as Rachel Maddow says, my youth is short and I should accomplish as much as my young body can. Graduate early, check. Enjoy the chaotic life of New York City, check check.  Shanghai World Expo, check! Trekking through the back roads of Indochina, check. Ship off to wherever Peace Corps will take me? Chhh...eck.

This post is completely from an American standpoint of the World Expo opening ceremony, literally! Counter to what many of you believe, I am still in New York! The Shanghai Expo started 3 days ago on the riverbank of the Pudong district, and  I sadly watched the grandiose opening ceremony from my work computer, scrambling to find headphones that worked. I could only catch the last hour since I definitely did not wake up early enough, and I had to get ready for work. So, at 9AM (9PM Shanghai time) I watched the last part of the ceremony- gawking at the multitude of fireworks, and apparently the world's largest LED screen, plus the most number of high-powered lasers in one place at the same time. China never fails to impress.

Just to clarify for everyone, I am a second session ambassador, meaning I do not start training until the halfway point of the Expo, which is July 16th. Until then, I will continue interning here in New York going through another crazy conference, but will also have time to vacation with my family in the beginning of July. I will be headed to Hong Kong for the first time, but will also show my parents around Yunnan, southern most province of China.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to suffer from heat exhaustion, as the last time I visited Yunnan was last April, and it was already 90+ degrees. I can only imagine what it will feel like in the middle of summer...

How I wish I were in Shanghai now. I am looking at a lot of the first session student ambassadors' photos and am so jealous that they met President Hu (the president of China), the Consul General at a BBQ at the American Consulate, and had a video conference with Hilary Clinton! I'm not too sure that the second session students ambassadors will have as much exposure to such VIPs, considering that closing ceremonies are rarely as high-status. All I can do is sigh, and appreciate that I am even able to go.

However, I am not sure that the return to Shanghai will be as I expect.  Much of the news has covered stories regarding the downfall of Shanghai nightlife, which is making it even harder for me. I know that by the time that I reach Shanghai, most of what I am used to will be on high-security alert. I already know that the street vendors will not be surrounding my living quarters, Chengdu Lu + Nanjing Xi Lu's market will probably be on lock down, and now clubs are being raided and closed! Shanghai's obsession with face value is causing an unhappy evolution to many of its old visitors. I yearned to go back because of its mesh of culture; I absolutely love street food and the "fake" markets; on the flip-side if I wanted the western culture, I would go to Xintiandi, which was rare for me. Now, everything will be like Xintiandi and the expatriate area. I will probably have to traverse far out of the central districts to find my beloved hole-in-the-wall restaurants.

All of this is assumption, I will have to let you know when I finally arrive back in the homeland. That's it for now. I'm just a sad American longing to be transported back to Shanghai.



Here are some photos: the only view into Shanghai that I currently have.

If you thought I had enough of Shanghai in 2009, you were utterly and completely wrong! I couldn't stand being away from the motherland, so I found a way to return! Alliance (my study abroad program) sent me an e-mail with an application to be a student ambassador at the upcoming 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. I knew my chances of being accepted were slim, 160 students out of all applicants! On a bleak and rainy day in December, while sitting in my Smith College apartment living room, typing my Economics seminar paper about Peru...I received an e-mail from the US-China Institute enlightening me of my acceptance into the USA Pavilion program! Unfortunately, I signed up for "second session" because of my graduation in May, so I am missing out on the opening ceremony. Oh well! Xiao Long Bao and Rou Bao, here I come (don't have Chinese on my work computer, sigh).

If you know me well, you know that I enjoy rambling about my new whereabouts and the latest buzz in whatever city I am in. From Beijing to Shanghai to San Francisco to New York City and now back to Shanghai, I have covered approximately a year and a half of my life (of course opting out of boring you about my last semester at Smith) through blogging. New York City (Chaos of Gotham) has treated me well and kept me entertained, more so than Smith, but I think I'm ready to head back to the constantly evolving, densely populated Shanghai. SHANGHAI ROUND 2!

What will I be doing as an ambassador? That, I cannot inform you of just yet, because I, myself, do not know. What I have heard: speak Chinese, shuffle people around, meet VIPs. I will notify you when I know.

Where will I be living? In EXPO VILLAGE! Just like in the Olympic Village at the Olympics. Apartments, which will be sustained after the Expo, have recently been built for ambassadors and volunteers alike. The following are some CGI photos of my home to be.

I am not too sure this is what it looks like as I have seen one small picture from an ambassador from Session 1.  Photo credit: Heather/Shanghai Shopgirl.



Am I paid? No. I am given a daily food stipend, which I hear is PLENTY as I lived off of $5USD a day easily last year. It is an all expense paid trip to China. Free flight, free living, free access to the Expo, and opportunities to meet VIPs. That's all I needed to hear to get me on board.

I am also in the process of planning my trip around South East Asia (Indochina to be more precise) including the exotic countries of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. If I have time, I would love to include India, Malaysia and Singapore. However, only having 6-8 weeks after the Expo, I'm not too sure I can even complete the initial four countries. Well you will find out with me!

I welcome your comments but rarely critiques. Got suggestions on what to do? Please, write. Got questions? Ask away. Got criticisms? Go away!

Please keep in mind, my personal style of blogging rarely includes edits. It's my "stream of consciousness" and I despise editing my thoughts to please you as this blog is for me to remember my personal journey and for you to ride shotgun.