Fuyuan!!!

That's my Chinese word for the week. I finally have learn how to flag down a server at Chinese restaurants. Fuyuan apparently is the Chinese equivalent of " Miss" and the server will come to you. Yay! Oh, not to mention "mifan" which is chinese word for rice...very important.

Anyhow, it's official that I have finished my first week of work....boring boring and boring, nothing too exciting in the work area, outside however, is another story. I can't remember if I wrote to you guys about meeting up with my friend Theresa or not, I think I did. If not, let me know and I will write about that. Well tonight, while Josh went to the climbing place...for the 3rd time this week since the last 2 times were unsucessful, I went home, instead of going to Carrefour to grocery shop, I was too tired and hungry so I went home, had some of my old pasta...DELICIOUS, then Theresa called me. She is having a drink with her coworkers right across the street from her work and since during the day, we have exchange a gizzilion facebook messages about hanging out tonight, I should come to meet her and then we can go to get a cell phone for her. I makes myself look pretty, went out, find a cab and hop to the location. I actually got the cab driver to drop me off right outside of the place, pretty proud of myself. Went inside, nice wine bar, with plenty of westerners in there, met up with Theresa and her boss, who happened to be gay and have an asian partner... ( cut to Trinh imagining this would be him someday, british boyfriend, living the good life of a young professional in a fabulous city)... Anyhow, Theresa makes me finish up her wine, then Nick, whom I know from the last time we hung out, ask if we would mind him joining us...of course not. I enjoy his company. He's my gorgeous british fix currently. We went back to the office since Theresa need to get her money and Nick needs to check his email, then we off to go to this cybershop that Theresa's boss's partner has suggested. Took a taxi there, but atlas it was closed. Huaihai street was crazy around 8 at night. Think Times Square with tons of Chinese. Since Theresa and Nick was super hungry, we just went blindly into one restaurant and it turns out to be an amazing cantonese restaurant. We had the usual, one dish of beef, one chicken, one fish, and one duck. Nick was quite a fan of the beef dish, it was definitely good and spicy. We tried to call Howard to see if he wanted to join us, but he's at somewhere and was going to the Bund later and so we told him to just call us after he's done with is stuffs. Then we head out, and I suggested that we all go to the Fragrant Camphor Garden in the French Concession. I read that it's a nice teahouse/dessert area so off we go to search for a taxi...which we failed...miserably. Even when we sent Nick out as a white man to flag a taxi down, you can't find an empty taxi anywhere in this area at night. So I took them to the subway line and give them their first subway ride.
Riding the subway in Shanghai is definitely one of a memorable experience that everyone should do. I'm surprise that Nick, who have been in Shanghai for 6 weeks have not done that. And at this time at night, it is RIDICULOUSLY PACKED. NYC subway has nothing on Shanghai subway. People were pressed against each other, hot and sweaty, Theresa was freaking out because she was literally being jammed between 2 bodies. Nick and I were slightly luckier because we were close to the door and in a corner. Luckily we only have to take 2 stops to get to where we need to be. I think Nick and Theresa were appreciative of me showing them an experience in Shanghai that they will never soon forget, or do ever again. Me personally, I kinda like the subway, not so much during peak hour, but the rest is very nice. Anyhow, we arrived at The Fragrant Camphor Garden, met up with JOsh and went in. Nick and Theresa were shock that this place looks so posh, yet affordable dessert. Granted that it's fancy dessert, and things were around 40 yuan here, but for the atmosphere and location, can't be beat. The place has these giant floor to ceiling glass wall that let you watch people stroll by in the street. Very romantic place for a date if you asked me. We each order something different and then tried each other's stuffs. No one seems to like my dessert because it was a tastebud overload. I think it has kiwi and mango with coconut milk and then tapioca balls and then a bunch of other things in it. Nick ordered this amazing peanut smoothie thing....it's like eating an entire jar of peanut butter...but cold. We built phallic/sexual shapes with our dessert and then takes turn eating off of it. It was quite nice. We all chatted about stuffs, and I have learned a few new British words. Like "a pull" is when you hook up with someone, although for Theresa, the definition of a pull is just snogging ( making out). After that, Theresa wanted to get a massage and so does Josh, but I'm not a fan of being touch so I decided to go home instead. Nick left too, we all say goodbye and I took a taxi home. I'm so glad that I have found new friends in Shanghai who are quite cool and fun. We're all relatively new in Shanghai so it makes going out an adventure. I should go to bed soon for I have to go and meet up with Theresa tomorrow at her apartment so we can go apartment hunting together. I do want to stop by Starbucks tomorrow and get a Red Bean Frappuccino....i think you can only get it in Starbucks China and I'm curious. Theresa doesn't have a phone yet so I have to just meet her in the lobby of La Residence or as Nick called it " Le Shithole". lol.

Well all, I think Shanghai is slowly growing on me like a cancerous growth. But who knows, it has only been approximately a week and half that I've step foot in Shanghai...you never know. I could end up hating this place with all my heart. lol. But cheers to good friends, good food, and amazingly smoggy weather.

Love all. Write to me. I'll try to take more pictures next time. I'm so horrible about putting my camera in my " Say No to Plastic" tote bag that Rachel got for me. LOL. Bye.