"Part of projecting your best spirit to the world depends on following good guidelines to create positive experiences for yourself and others."
Applying Myself
Man, my time in Shanghai hasn't gone as planned. It has still been a good trip; I'm just surprised as what I've spent my time doing.
A big part of my time has been eating different food with my girlfriend. Street food, fancy restaurants, and small dumpling shops. We've gone to so many places in such a short time but it makes me realize how much Shanghai has to offer; even though many of the shops are closed.
🍈 Fruit Full of Spirit ~ 非常灵魂
One night, we went to buy fruit. Chinese fruit sellers are some of the most convincing people you'll meet. They come up with such creative ways to describe their fruits. The one on this night described one melon as being "very spirit", meaning that simply eating the fruit is a good experience. It will make you feel good. I smiled, as I thought about how I wrote about the "Spirit of Shanghai" before. Even the fruit carries the spirit of Shanghai!
🧘 Yoga on Floor 23
Originally, I had planned on training BJJ/MMA while I was here. My priorities have changed but we did end up going to a Yoga class this weekend. The tall buildings of Shanghai have a way of hiding many things. You never know what businesses or restaurants are hidden within. So I was surprised when one of the apartment buildings held the Yoga Studio.
☯️ Yin vs Yang
We trained "Yin Yoga", which is a kind of Yoga I had never tried before. The routine was comprised of holding positions for 3 minutes, then slowly changing. For my legs it was painful, but the slight pains in my lower back and shoulders were gone completely!
🎬 Movie Night
On top of Yoga and eating, my girlfriend and I went to see the new "Super Mario Movie". I had forgotten that Chinese movie theaters are multi-floor. You buy the ticket on floor one, buy snacks on floor two, and then go to whatever floor your movie is playing in. Another big difference is, remember to bring your own snacks! Depending on the size of movie theater. They might only have popcorn and soda.
🍿Also, the popcorn in China is always sweet.
"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do"
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Rushed Application
On top of this busy weekend, I even applied for a remote job (and will probably apply for more) over the weekend. Finding a way to keep this adventure going has been the greatest difficulty. If I keep searching, I'll find something that sticks.
The Shanghai that I once knew still lives even after the rough three years of lockdown. Being in China was fun and it has left me with some thoughts on how to continue my adventure. There is still so much to see in China, and now that I'm making content... there is so much to show you guys too!
Hopefully one day, I'll be able to show more pieces of China that I love.
📿Johnny
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