Week Fifteen & Sixteen: Saying Goodbye

I never thought snow would come to Shanghai, but it did! Christmas is kind of in the air here in Shanghai. Two weeks before my departure date was when I really began feeling excited to return home. But I also had this longing to stay too. After all, I did create a home and a close-knit group friends here. Words cannot begin to describe everything that I’ve been feeling. However, before we get into the final goodbyes, I should update you on my last weeks here. (Check out the bottom of this post for a gallery of photos)

There were still a few things on my to-do list that I wanted to check-off. Firstly, I wanted to buy myself a special pair of chopsticks, but I haven’t been able to find the right pair. So, I grabbed some friends, our umbrellas, and headed to the Pudong area. Alas, I found a beautiful, well-made pair all made of sturdy brown wood and a silver detailing etched with a pretty design. On December 3rd, I had completed one of three finals. I had my last Entrepreneurship class where we all presented our business pitch and turned in our business reports. It was a success!  

On Tuesday, I finally went rooftopping with a group of friends. We took the metro and walked to this hotel. From a distance, the outside was made of this almost muted emerald green glass. On top, four large red pipe-looking columns were attached to the corners of the hotel and met each other in the middle to create a large spike at the top (sort of like the Space Needle). I was getting nervous because we were about to be on top of that building. We did have to be subtle walking into the hotel because a bunch of foreigners in activewear doesn’t seem like we were there for tea! But after successfully reaching the top floor, we found a door leading to some stairs. Feeling like spies, we quickly tiptoed up several flights of stairs in hushed whispers. Once at the top, we entered a dark room with a red ladder. I grasped onto the handles, took in a big breath and climbed. When I emerged, my heart felt so happy, some tears almost crept out of my eyes. The darkness of the room below us turned into an overwhelming beautiful cityscape view. Once my eye adjusted, I already knew this was one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen. The wind was howling, and the city was alive. It was weird being above all the buildings for a change. We stayed up here for a long time, taking photos, soaking in the view. It was especially cold and windy, so we often retreated back into the warmth of the sheltered rooftop building. We played a round of Werewolf to pass the time until the day grew to night. When the clock turned 6:00 PM, the city began to illuminate, sprinkling lights across the city. It was just amazing. You had to be there to really feel what I felt 🙂 

For my last weekend, I headed to a Buddhist temple with the girls on Friday. My friend Elizabeth taught about some of the Buddhist practices and history as we explored the many rooms inside the temple. We even got to see a special room of a thousand Buddhas. It was a neat experience. On the other hand, it was also one of the coldest days I’ve experienced. So after we completed the tour, we ran to a cozy cafe to grab some pasta and hot chocolate and we just chatted. I’m definitely going to miss those kinds of days where we didn’t have to do much, but it still felt like a fulfilling day.

On Saturday, I studied hard at Zoo Cafe, a large and comfy study cafe. On my last Sunday, I went out for hot pot with three other friends. To pass the time, we took turns boxing each other in a boxing ring that the owner so kindly let us play around in for free lol. Nevertheless, the two-hour wait was worth it. The interior was fancy, with neon lights and a little water pond. The ambiance and service were top-notch. How it worked was we picked two broths (we chose a mushroom and a spicy one) and then we got to pick our choice of meats and veggies. Once we ordered, our servers filled the tins with broth and set it inside a stove located inside a gap on our table. As the stew began to boil, our raw meats and veggies came out. After we grabbed some final sauces and topping, the feasting began. It was delicious!!   

My last week was filled with many study sessions, at the cafe, at the cafeteria table, and in my own dorm room! Most nights ended with some dinner and a new episode of the Haunting of Hill House with my roomie! I was most worried about my Chinese oral exam, so I spent most of my last days hunkering down and mastering the material. Practicing out-loud with friends was the best way to study. When I wasn’t studying, I made the time to say goodbye to my favorite parts of Shanghai, like walking down to the Bund and getting one last glance at the Pearl Tower, the view that never gets old. With all the confidence and preparation I had in me, I successfully finished my finals. I’m still feeling pretty proud of myself! When I look back on the amount of Chinese I knew on day one, I can confidently say I’ve learned so much. I can finally start understanding and speaking to locals.

Friday was my last full day. In the morning, I took my last part of the Chinese exam, the written portion. After a couple anxious hours and ferocious pen scribbles on paper, we had completed our exams!! To celebrate, some friends and I took the metro to a cute contemporary art district called M50. We wandered around and took some artsy photos. Once I returned back to campus, I finalized all my packing and re-joined all my friends that evening for the farewell dinner. Some tears were definitely shed, and all I could do was smile at my friends, hug them, and feel blessed for this opportunity.

I thought I would outline some of the things about China that I will miss the most:

– Amazing and yummy meals almost every day for $8 or less

– Always having something do to with someone whether it was a walk around Yanchang or a trip to the markets

– My wonderful trip to Guilin paradise with Monica and Elizabeth

– WeChat pay, being able to pay for everything with my phone was super cool and convenient 

– The metro station!! I could get anywhere 

– Having really great talks with my friends, for example, discussion language, different cultures, some of our childhood stories, and just laughing together

– Feeling like a celebrity as people randomly take photos of us or ask us to take pictures with them haha

– Spending time my with my language partner, Deng Sheng who I will miss dearly 

And, now we have arrived to Saturday, my very last day in Shanghai. As I publish this post, my stuff is all packed. I wanted to spend my last day grabbing my favorite meal (beef noodle soup) at my favorite spot, say goodbye to the owner who knows me. 

Alas, as the taxi doors shut, and I take my last glance at Shanghai University, the red brick walls smile at me as if to say “We’ll always have a place here for you.” And my heart feels nothing but love for the experience I have had. But it is time to fly home and be with my family and friends now. Goodbye Shanghai! You’ve been good to me <3 

Love always,

Jenna