MENINGITIS MENINGITIS MENINGITIS!!!!! (and some pictures)

Care to take a guess at what is on my mind at the moment???? Ha. Anyways, I am now in Shanghai and completely defenseless against Meningitis. Why? Because once upon a time I was deathly afraid of needles (a few months ago) and decided to not get the Meningitis vaccine even though it was "required" by NYU to be enrolled. I signed a thing and waived it. Oops. So here I am on the other side of the world and in need of a Meningitis vaccine. Thankfully, NYU got us "top notch" international insurance (coverage excludes abortions, plastic surgery, and flat feet) and I just gave them a call, talked to a "lovely" English woman on the telly (phone?), and it should be sorted out soon. Once they tell me I'm covered (cross your fingers) I can have an international clinic here order it for me from the UK and VOILA! No more Meningitis! This would not even have been on my mind if NYU hadn't had a doctor come talk to us about health and diseases in China. From what I gathered from the presentation, I should be safe from pretty much most of the evil stuff out there when I am in Shanghai, but once I step out of my pretty little bubble, all hell breaks loose. Also, I am thinking of going with a group of NYU students to Sichuan during one of our two week long "study breaks" to visit the areas worst hit by the earthquake a few months ago. From what I'm told, these areas are extremely rural and just plain dirty. But I kinda really want to go! We'll see how that pans out...

So today was the internship fair and a whole bunch of local and international companies had booths up. It was pretty well done and also nice that so many companies came just to recruit us NYU students for just a semester. Last night they e-mailed us a list of the companies that would be recruiting and I highlighted all the ones that I wanted to talk to and believe it or not I was able to talk to all of them. (I steered clear of the one and only finance related internship. that booth was SWAMPED) Usually events like this at Stern are usually finance focused but this time it was mostly marketing and media related internships. YAY! Now to the good news...

I got a job/internship! Or at least I think I did. It is with a Chinese film company in Shanghai called "She & Jul Films." The executive producer/director graduated from NYU Tisch. I talked to them for a while and they are looking for someone who has a business "background" and is also creative. I would be helping them secure rights for screenplays, financing new projects, product placement planning, and preparing presentations for clients. They asked me to meet with them sometime next week. I'm not sure if that means if I'm actually hired or not... :( They should be more definite. A nice big ol' "HIRED" stamp wouldn't hurt anyone. Basically, I REALLY REALLY HOPE I GOT IT! Keep your fingers crossed! Knock on wood! Cross your heart and hope to die! (carlos)

So this past week of classes have been crazy. We were told that we could "shop around" for classes and sit in on classes that we weren't really registered for. Classes in Shanghai are on a "block scheduling" so that each class only meets once a week but for THREE (3) hours. I was originally signed up for an advertising class and a photography class. However the advertising class is too much like the marketing class I took last semester and the photography class wants us to buy a $50o camera that I will most likely never use again. So "shop around" I did. I was on campus everyday from 10am to 8pm and sat in on basically any class that sounded remotely interesting. Good thing I did that too because I think I finally have a schedule that I am pleased with. I dropped advertising and photography for a "Shanghai and Globalization" class and a "Cultural Currencies" class. The currencies class is about the different ideologies of the West and China and how its changed over the years. The teacher is also kind of hilarious. She's a Jew from New York who doesn't mess. She also says "shit" a lot. That makes me happy. 

On a completely different note, I was jogging on a treadmill at my gym here a few nights ago when the song "Back In Your Head" by Tegan and Sarah started playing on my iPod. I bring this up because the same song started playing last year when I was writing the final paper for my "Writing the Essay" class. The lyrics of the song helped me get over the NASty case of writer's block I was having at the time and I actually also quoted the song in my final paper. Anyways, when this song started playing it reminded me of how far I am from home and also how much has changed since then. Not just me but also everything and everyone around me. I was overlooking Washington Square Park the first time and now I'm overlooking Zhong Shang Park in Shanghai. Oi Vey! 

Speaking of my gym, its pretty cool. The equipment is nice and its decent sized and in a really great location. Its on the twelfth floor of this awesome building thats 100+ floors and has these blindingly bright blue neon lights that run up and down its sides at night. The first ten(ish) floors is a mall. Its got H&M, Starbucks, Cold Stone, Calvin Klein, the usual. But it also has some stores that I think are either Chinese or maybe European that has some neat stuff. Prices are the same as America though. The couple of floors underground is Carrefour (where I buy just about anything and everything. its where that GIANT wall of Pocky was). The floors above the mall is a really nice hotel called "Renaissance." It's where I will be living when I when the lottery. 

On to the pictures! First are the ones I promised of my apartment and the rest are just from going out...

"OPEN SESAME!!!!" (Because they are obsessed with them here)

This is our door. We use a card to get in instead of a key. You wave it in front of the handle and it unlocks. Magic!

Laundry. Chinese style. 

Dining table. Also where I am writing this blog. The jeans on the chair are Carlos'. I folded them for him and he yelled at me. Unappreciative. 

This is our living room. Carlos' room is to the right and my bathroom is the door with the window. 

THIS IS THE BIG RED BUTTON THAT IS NEXT TO THE PHONE THAT HAS NO BUTTONS. I HAVE TO RESTRAIN  MYSELF FROM PRESSING IT EVERY TIME I AM NEAR IT. Me thinks its a direct line to Mao. You press the big red button (red for communism) and Mao picks up. Maybe I will press it on my last day here. 

This is our kitchen. Its cavernous. 

Chock full with all-American staples. OH except the bread is sweet, the milk is OVERPRICED, the American cheese is not in English and thus NOT american, and the yogurt is like water. oh China. 

At least the peanut butter tastes the same. Salmonella anyone?

Mah cabinet. I got the ramen from the RAMEN AISLE at Carrefour. There was actually an endless aisle FULL of ramen. Top to bottom. 

My bed. Good thing I don't know how to count. Those pictures on the wall were extras from the frame that I brought. I overprinted. In the end it turned out perfectly. I was two short so I put in postcards from Arizona instead. 

Part of my HUGE closet. Even with all of my clothes hung up it is only a third full. Guess I just have to buy more clothes. 

My desk. For some reason everyone in the building seemed to get a different desk. Mines one of the bigger ones I think. (that thing hanging to the left is the frame I brought from home)

Chinese Pepsi! and some sort of tea. they are crazy about tea here. Who knew?

The stone that Trina from my internship over winter break gave me. It is supposed to protect me from all sorts of evil if placed facing the door. Hopefully it works. (Hi Trina!)

Cucumber Lays. Chicken Cheetos. Tomato Lays. Blueberry Lays. Only in China. 

This is now my gym bag. 

More laundry. 

My bathroom. I havn't quite figured out the water here yet. It is either BOILING hot or ICY cold. 

Sink. 

These are the switches in the bathroom. Like my shower, I have no idea what any of these buttons do. I still switch them back and forth everyday though. Maybe one day something will happen. 

Can't be in China if you don't wear slippers! (Bought at Carrefour where they sell everything)

Best thing about China: the school supplies. More specifically, the English written on them. The left one says "Kevin is a cute boy who has an active heart. Peggy is a sweet girl, she looks forward with a joyous heart. Come on! Let's go to the sky. We would play with you together. Enjoy the happiness." The right one says "Everyone needs friendship. no one can sail the ocean of life single handed. The term, friend, covers a wide range of raeanings (i think they meant MEAnings). it can be a nodding acquaintance, a comrade (nod to Communism), a confident, a partner, a playmate, a brother, an intimate etc." 

Nanjing Road. A famous shopping street. 

Wendy, Vicki, Tiffany, and Carlos. 

We were all missing American food so we went to Hooters. Yes, there is a Hooters in China. Several actually. Burgers were delicious!

Tiff with the boys. 

Our waitress. Carlos thinks she looks like an Asian Blair Waldorf. 

It was Karthick's Bday. Too bad they can't make the "th" sound. They ended up just singing "Happy BirSSSday CarSSSick" Hehe

Instead of apple pies at McDonalds they have Taro Pies! So Good! 

My American meal made with not so American ingredients. I do what I can. 

Hope that didn't put anyone to sleep. Cheers! 

p.s. we are making pasta tonight! Hopefully it doesn't give me Meningitis!