A month spent in Shanghai has come
to a close, and it felt both agonizing slow yet fleeting in retrospect. Twenty
years and a month is the longest I’ve ever spent here. I may be Shanghainese
through and through, yet this place has never truly been my home. Though
temporarily, I feel as if I had a glimpse into the culture of my parents and
what it is like to live and grow up here. It makes me feel extremely lucky and
grateful for my life back in Sydney, and all the opportunities I’ve been given
to grow up in such a beautiful place.
Weekends spent exploring the city
and its highlights with a newfound friend. The culture of the city engrained in
the mouthwatering wafting scents of the street food carts, the small street markets
where you take care to not get splashed by the live fish in styrofoam boxes and
in the friendly banter and bargaining leaving both parties outwardly grumbling
but inwardly satisfied that they got the upper hand. Easily making friends and
connecting through climbing despite the language barrier and even participating
in their games. Shopping, so much shopping, each buy done with a calculation to
Australian dollars and exclamation of how cheap it is. I’ll miss the food, even
the lowliest little dingy street store offering more authentic chinese food
then the best that Sydney offers for a fraction of the price. It’s not just the
taste but the surrounding, the setting, the people and their livelihood. But
most of all, I’ll miss the precious time I got to spend with my mum, in the
country that will forever be her home.
Work experience has been daunting,
difficult, and at times mind numbingly boring but an undeniable growing
experience. Daunting as it’s a first in a professional setting, in a different
country with people I’ve never met. Working on a large real project and filled
with doubts that because of my involvement and minor errors, that a building
could be built and fall down. Difficult in the sense that I can barely speak mandarin
at an adequate conversation level, let alone in a work setting with all its
technical language and complexities. Boring since I know so little, and can
barely be of any help so often I sit watching the minutes creep by, eager to be
of help but not wanting to interrupt.
Nonetheless, a learning experience
because I received a glimpse into how an architectural company functions and the
actual development of the conceptual phase of a design and all the
considerations required. And though I still seem to know so little, I
participated and attempted, and presented at informal meetings and even had
involvement in a couple of slides in the final presentation to the clients. It
went pretty well, if you were curious. I feel grateful and happy to my
coworkers who tried hard to understand my disconnected mandarin, and brought me
along to lunch with them every day, and helping as best they could.
Though I’m happy and thankful, it’s
not one second too soon to be heading home because day by day I find myself
missing more, my friends, the other half of my family and just Sydney life. But
for once, I feel eager for the start of a new semester. A chance to prove
myself, to grow and learn and really put in the hard work where it’s required.
