Dumplings and Steamed Buns

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Eating at Haagen Dazs with my buddy! :) Our dessert was on fire.... Literally. I guess this isn't a budget meal, but I wanted to try it at least once.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Yang's Fry Dumplings on West Nanjing Road, Line 2 Exit 4. ¥8 ( ~ $1.25) Delicious. It's a fried ball of dough stuffed with pork, vegetables, and broth then dusted with chives and sesame seeds. Imagine a 小笼包 (xiaolongbao) crossed with a 生煎 (shengjian). The vinegar based sauce is a perfect complement to the rich, fatty taste. Of all the Shanghainese dumplings I've had, I would say these were the best. 5/5 stars!

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Living on a Budget

Hello~

I’ve been living on a tight budget while in Shanghai. Thankfully, Shanghai is a cheap city to live in compared to cities in the U.S. despite being the most expensive city to live in in China. I try to keep my budget somewhere between 100 -150RMB per week which is roughly $16 - $24. 

Oh woe is me, all of the fun activities are usually way beyond my budget! How could I possibly feed myself AND enjoy myself with such a pittance!

I will tell you exactly how!

Maybe it’s slightly cheating, but every two or three weeks I add 100 RMB to my metrocard and I don’t include that in my budget. Why? Simply because it makes me feel better about myself thinking I spent less money than I actually did.... 

Three weeks ago I spent 68 RMB at the supermarket on fresh, about 12 USD. I’ve been using these ingredients until now.

For food:

breakfast: 

-1/3 of a giant pomelo (cross between a grapefruit and an orange) 3 RMB (0.5 USD)

- 2 veggie jiaozi (dumplings) 0.9 RMB (0.15 USD)

lunch:

- usually something in the dining hall, at most 12 RMB (2 USD), but usually around 6 RMB

dinner:

- either I cook something using my ingredients from the fridge 0 RMB

- something by the school, the most expensive thing I buy is about 18 RMB (3 USD)

Options around school include dumpling soup which is very filling! It only costs 10 RMB, (about 1.60 USD)

Or maybe beef, cucumbers and rice for 12 RMB ( 2 USD)

Or rice, egg, and veggies, and a teeeny bit of beef from various restaurants for 12 RMB

Or a robust veggie, fish, and noodle soup, my favorite, for only 10 RMB

On average I spend about 20-25 RMB per day on food. If I’m having an off day, I might treat myself to something a little extra. This comes out to about 100 RMB.

But WAIT. How do I have fun?

Well, luckily CET will pay for activities that meet the following criteria:

1. Has a Chinese cultural aspect 

2. Is not an overnight activity

3. No alcohol is consumed during the activity.

There are tons of things to do here! Jade Buddha temple, for example! Or Biofarm, an organic Shanghainese farm! Or Happy Valley, an amusement park! Walking along the French Concession, a posh Western neighborhood, is completely free (although food there will cost an arm and a leg)...

Sometimes I will treat myself to a slightly more expensive activity such as shopping for clothes on Qipu Lu, a shopping district where factories send their clothes and are sold for dirt cheap. Although some haggling is required to get good deals, it’s a fun experience and takes up plenty of time. I also like eating and doing at a Mexican Restaurant/Bar in the French Concession. Although it is pricey, about 60 RMB a dish, there are free drinks and it’s a great and quiet-ish environment before 9 PM, perfect for doing a bit of homework and people watching.

That being said, it’s possible to have a great time abroad without breaking the bank. It’s important to look out for deals, especially deals for foreigners. In an effort to appear cool, Chinese businesses often give discounts and free products to foreigners to attract trendy Chinese consumers.

My time here is coming to an end soon, but I’ve definitely experienced many fun things despite keeping a budget. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to travel much around China, but I was able to visit Thailand for about a week for less than 500 USD, plane tickets, hotels, and food all included!

My decision to not travel in China was not a financial one, however. Traveling in China is very affordable, tickets out of Shanghai can cost as little as 30 RMB (5 USD).

My goal is to travel to a water town, Wuzhen! 

A ticket there is very affordable and it’s relatively close to Shanghai. I can’t wait to make it there! 

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Food I’ve eaten in China Part 2

[xiaolongbao-yum]

A compilation of foods I’ve eaten in China Part 1

[xiaolongbao-yum]

First National Congress of the Communist Party of China I went to the museum for my history class. It was very informative. It's interesting to see how the Chinese view Mao Zedong and the Communist movement. Many city dwellers really appreciate the movement saying that it's the reason feudalistic China could move forward and become the world power it is today. Mao's platform was based on equality for the common folk and the eradication of the bourgeoise. Unfortunately his method cost the lives of innocent doctors, professors, scholars, bankers, and anyone else not considered a proletariat. Many people suffered cruel and public deaths in order to "avenge" the peasants who suffered because of the previous feudalistic Chiang regime. Additionally, many of the rural parts of China are still suffering from crippling poverty, so this communist movement has not brought significant positive change to them.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Tianshan Tea Mall I went to a mall dedicated exclusively to tea and tea wares. I was so overwhelmed by the options that I only purchased a tumbler. It might be a good gift to bring home! Something about Shanghai that thoroughly impresses me is how specialized some shops are. For example, a mall dedicated to just tea, how do they have enough tea buyers everyday? Or there is a wheel store. How many people need wheels per day? Enough to keep you in business? Fan stores, paintbrush stores: it's pretty amazing. Especially because I'm used to superstores like Walmart and Target being king!

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Homesickness

It's odd. I am homesick. And I don't mean homesick for my mom or family, but homesick for understanding menus and knowing that it's safe to cross the street because pedestrians in the US have the right of way, unlike Shanghai. I have been feeling less motivated to do anything despite having so much to do. Next week is Tongji design week so the work I have been doing for my internship will be on display (the idea of it). Just as a reminder, my project is to design a rooftop garden with biomimetic components. We decided to model heliotropes and have a moving bed to give the plants adequate sun exposure in this foggy climate. Additionally, I was asked to present for a BA class on Biomimetic Design and how I began with my biomimicry research on hexactinellids (glass sponges). Such great opportunities! My motivation and excitement is at an all time low, however. It's hard to even pull myself out of bed, and not for a lack of sleep either. I hope to get over this stump by going to work off campus tomorrow, resuming my exercise regimen, and just being more conscious of my space and self. That being said, I have been doing many wonderful things in Shanghai and I have met some of the kindest people right here. Everyone is so eager to share their culture that it's hard not to want to engage and pick up some things you wouldn't in a typical classroom setting. I especially love chatting with Taxi drivers! I hope others will realize how fun and easy it is to learn the language when you're practicing on real people in real scenarios.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Acupuncture stones

[xiaolongbao-yum]

[xiaolongbao-yum]

We had Chinese BBQ today. It was amazing.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Some of the stuff I've been eating. Squid chips, green tea soda, and duck with bok choy and rice. Yummmm.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

My walk to Yúnnán Food People love to eat family style in China. It encourages bonding and strong relationships. Food is extremely social here and one should never rush. The food is on a spinning plate so when you want a dish, just spin the glass and pick what you want using your chopsticks. Using chopsticks really helps you slow down when you eat!

[xiaolongbao-yum]

[xiaolongbao-yum]

tianshan park

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Healthcare

I don't speak any Mandarin so the first couple of days have been tough. I try to scribble everything I hear. If I can't do that, I'll chant the sounds in my head until I can write it down. I hope I learn the language soon... Regardless, people have been very kind and patient and appreciative when I do try to speak the few broken phrases that I do know. Anyways, since I have an internship here I need to get a residence permit. This residence permit requires that I get a health check up. The cost was 500 RMB so about 78 USD. I thought it would just be one of those haphazard physicals where they ask you questions and maybe record your heart rate. I assumed the 500 RMB was mostly just a processing fee for show. I was so wrong. They made the most of that 500 RMB for sure. I was put in an x-ray machine, an EKG, an ultrasound, blood pressure tests, and of course a blood test which includes STD, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, TB, typhoid, and tetanus testing. Wow. I had never had such a thorough physical before. It was very quick too. I went through all the stations in about 25 minutes. To put it into perspective there were 32 of us that needed testing. We finished the entire group in a little less than 2 hours. The chinese government really cares about the health of its citizens if it's requiring all foreigners who stay for a long time to get such an in depth physical examination. I'm very impressed. The U.S. should learn some things from China.

[xiaolongbao-yum]

Food, places, stationary!