Very soon I’ll be moving to Shanghai. While I am really very excited at the opportunity to live in one of the most vibrant cities in Asia, I’m also sad about what I’m leaving behind. Since I arrived here a few years ago, I’ve established a great life here – with a beautiful home, great friends, fun activities and of course a wonderful husband.
I’ve been trying to rationalise some of my conflicted feelings. Here’s where I’ve got to so far on the list:
Things I’ll miss
- Friends old and new – I didn’t know anyone when I got here and now am proud to call a great group of people here friends. I’m going to miss you guys!
- Our house – It’s almost exactly how we want it. Typical that we just finish a renovation then leave
- Being able to read roadsigns
- Driving, particularly the Lotus ;-( but also the bikes. I am not looking forward to not being able to drive when and where I want
- Being able to get clothes in approximately my size. There is no part of me that fits a Chinese XXS
- The structure of a normal full time job
- Being able to read cooking instructions on food
- Having a garden
- Aerials classes – hopefully I’ll be able to find somewhere in China – although I have a sneaking suspicion that anyone over the age of 6 is past it….
- Skymall. It’s just awesome.
Things I will NOT miss
- All those awful stone animals people have prowling around their Pennsylvania gardens – everything from geese to lions (yes lions)
- The horrible bread. Come to think of it –I won’t miss the food generally which is mostly not great in PA outside Philly
- The insane licensing laws in PA. State shops for booze? What century are you guys in?
- Pennsylvania wine. Seriously – it’s grim. Somehow the folk just a couple of miles away in New Jersey manage to produce some quite nice stuff. What’s with the vineyards in PA?
- The ridiculously complex health system.
- The completely insane amounts of junk mail that we receive on a daily basis
- The quite frankly appalling US TV spread across a bazillion channels
- US politics – it’s completely ridiculous, and that’s before you start on the Wiener issues and pretty much anything that Sarah Palin does. They are all so far right it is scary.
- The fact that everyone is so litigious and the fall out from that.
- The horrible loos with the gap all round the door. URgh.