Helen's Adventures in Shanghai

Hi, my name is Helen Li and I am a NYU Sophomore studying abroad in Shanghai for Spring 2013! I'm really excited to explore and learn more about Shanghai's cultural and culinary offerings. I'll be updating this blog with pictures and anecdotes of my time in Shanghai for the next 4 months. Thanks for joining me on my journey! I can't wait to share more of my adventures in Shanghai with you all!

[kuuei]

[cuhloe]

我想你

[adventuresofhelen]

In 10 hours, I will board a plane, leaving Shanghai for Hong Kong.

These past 4 months have been surreal; I can safely say that these have been the quickest 4 months of my life. It seemed like only yesterday that I landed in Pudong and saw the huge group of NYU students that landed with me. I've met so many wonderful people, and grown so much as a person. Studying abroad in Shanghai has been a life changing decision, and I will take the memories, as well as lessons with me where ever I go.

I'm feeling more numb than sad to be leaving Shanghai, probably because I am trying to prevent myself from becoming overly emotional about leaving.I'm going to miss so many things about Shanghai and China, especially the people that I've met here. I know that we will see each other again when school starts, but the feeling wouldn't be the same. Being in Shanghai together really brought us together and helped grow a sense of cameraderie. I'm afraid that back in NYC, we will no longer have that feeling; I hope we will continue to make time for each other. But I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.

This parting is bittersweet. I really don't want to leave. I'm not sure when I will come back; when I do, I'm sure Shanghai will be different, and that makes me a little sad. I wish there was a way to preserve all my memories of what I've done and experienced in Shanghai, so I'll never forget it. 

Goodbye, Shanghai. I will miss you, but I will be back .... :')

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TONIGHT I MET FAR EAST MOVEMENT AND TOOK A PICTURE WITH KEV NISH. 

Far East Movement performed at M2 for the launch party of Beats by Dr. Dre. It was totally unexpected; I had no idea they would be at M2. It was a wonderful surprise being able to see them perform and being able to take photos with them! 

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April 13 2013 - F1 Qualifying Race

Thanks to my scholarship, I was able to attend the F1 qualifying race! It was an amazing experience, something I had never experienced before. It was my first time ever witnessing a race car event, and it was a lot more exciting than I had anticipated! I'm really grateful for the chance to see the race. Thank you Banco Santander!

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The view from the 93rd Floor of the Park Hyatt hotel in Shanghai

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Bukchon Hanok Village

During my week in Seoul, I visited the Bukchon Hanok Village with friends. Bukchon Village is a Korean traditional village located between Gyeongbok Palace, Changdeok Palace and Jongmyo Royal Shrine. It's a traditional village composed of many alleys; the majority of the houses in the alley are hanoks,which are traditional Korean houses. I was surprised to learn that this was actually a residential area rather than an enclosed preservation landmark. It must get annoying to the residents whenever tourists run around taking pictures of their homes. However, we did try our best to be quiet, so we wouldn't disturb the people inside their homes.

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Cheonggyecheon

Until it was restored in 2005, Cheonggyecheon Stream existed only as a neglected watercourse hidden by an overpass. Today, it has been transformed into a haven of natural beauty amidst the bustle of city life.

Apparently lots of couples like to come here for dates. It must be true because we saw a ton of couples holding hands and walking along the stream. It was a really interesting experience, walking along the stream in the middle of the city.

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Dog Cafes in Seoul

I visited two dog cafes while in Seoul.

The dogs were super cute and friendly, and the drinks weren't too ridiculously overpriced. We had to order a drink at each cafe in order to stay and be in the company of the doggies, but each drink was only $6-$10USD so it wasn't too bad! 

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Late night noodle cravings in Shanghai

Late a night, street vendors would come out to sell stir-fried noodles or rice on street corners. Each meal option costs around 5RMB - 10 RMB depending on what you order with it. 

This is is the perfect answer to late night study sessions (but maybe not to my diet).

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Meals in Korea

I really miss all the tasty side dishes that came with every meal in Korea! My favorite eating experience was going to traditional Korea restaurants and enjoying unlimited refills of side dishes. 

At the restaurant above, our entire table was filled from side to side, corner to corner with banchan! I feel very blessed to have been able to enjoy so many healthy and delicious dishes. But I do feel very bad for the people who had to wash these dishes afterwards.

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Street Food Stalls in Korea

At night, these food stalls pop up in neighborhoods with popular nightlife, and I was able to enjoy my first food stall experience in Gangnam! These ahjummas sold everything from homemade kimbap to japchae wrapped in seaweed, then deep fried in batter. The price of snacks from these food stalls are very reasonable; no more than 5 WON for a heaping plate of dukbokki. The snacks also came with complimentary odeng soup to keep us warm in the chilly night. I will miss having such delicious food available day or night when I go back to the States!

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Lotte World

The largest indoor theme park in the world! Tickets were discounted since we were college students!

I had a great time at Lotte World. The venue itself was not overly crowded like the ones in the States, and the lines weren't that long (aside from the lines for rides outside). The roller-coasters were not as extreme as the rides at Six Flags, and they weren't as captivating as the themed rides at Universal Studios, but it definitely had its own charm. There are also candy shops, food stalls, and souvenir stands located throughout the indoor section of the park. 

The cost of spending a day at Lotte World is way cheaper than the cost of spending a day at any other theme park I've been to. There are also unlisted discounts; I got a discount for being a college student, and my friends got a discount plus free ice cream as a "couple". 

I'd definitely come back again if I had the chance to!

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Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul Korea

While in Korea, I visited Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was first constructed in 1395, but was later burned and abandoned for almost 3 centuries. It was later reconstructed in 1867, but by the early 20th century, much of it had been destroyed again by the Empire of Japan. Since then, the palace has been gradually restored back to the way it was originally. Only about 40% of the original structures still stand.

Standing in the courtyards felt so surreal. There is a stark feeling of contrast between who I was and what the structures represented. I am a modern day girl standing in the courtyard of palace that a mere 200 years ago was the residence of a King who ruled an entire nation. The different structures were all majestic in their own right. Staring off into the distance, there are mountains in the back and I can almost imagine that I have traveled back in time to when this palace was still being used. But then I turn around and I see tourists posing for pictures and tour guides explaining the history of the palace and I remember that I had gotten off the subway a mere 3 blocks from the entrance of the palace. 

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Zhujiajiao- Watertown

Some pictures from when I went to Watertown on March 1! 

Zhujiajiao was created about 1,700 years ago. There are 36 stone bridges and number rivers that cross Zhujiajiao; many of the ancient buildings still line the riverbanks.

It rained the day that I went to visit Watertown, so we weren't able to do much exploring on our own. What I was able to see was a lot of the ancient buildings; we even got to go inside the house of the previous owners. There was an air of nostalgia around Watertown; the contrast between seeing the skyscrapers in central Shanghai and the old, two-story buildings in Zhujiajiao was quite interesting. I've seen buildings like these before, in the dramas my parents used to watch when I was younger. I had always imagined myself walking down houses like those and now I have! 

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Spring Break

For Spring Break, I decided to go to South Korea for a week with my friends. I've never been to Korea, but it's always been a place I've wanted to go to. I still haven't packed yet (why do I always leave things to the last moment....?) but I've gone to the bank already to exchange currencies. 

I'm getting more and more excited to go to Korea as the day passes. I can't wait to try all the street foods and visit the ancient palaces! When possible, I will update with pictures on what I am doing in Seoul. 

Happy Spring Everyone!

[adventuresofhelen]

More Than Toilet

My friends and I went to a toilet themed restaurant last night. I went mainly for the novelty of eating while sitting at a toilet with other toilet themed accessories around me, but the food turned out to be surprisingly good. The desserts were delicious as well, especially the Kiwi flavored "Close Stool", which is basically just Kiwi flavored shaved ice with lots of fruit, ice cream, and pudding on top. It was an interesting meal to say the least!

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Visiting Lu Xun Park & Memorial Hall

Lu Xun Park was originally known as Hongkou Park, but was renamed after China's best-known 20th-century writer, Lu Xun (1881-1936). He was widely considered the leading figure of modern Chinese literature. He wrote in baihua (白話) (Chinese vernacular) as well as classical Chinese. Lu Xun's work had a substantial influence on the May Fourth Movement, and Mao Zedong himself was a lifelong admirer of Lu Xun's work.