Goodbye Shanghai, thinking about Dalian

Cramming for class combined with sleeping on the floor everyday made for an exhausting yet exciting week in Shanghai, or as I say "Shangheezy". It brought me back to the good old days of playing hard that forced all nighters, which led to a day by day accumulation of tiredness since I still needed to wake up early for class. Shanghai was fun because I know already knew a bunch of people coming in, I also reconnected with some friends I wasn't expecting to see, and I met new folks of course. What a contrast to my social life in Dalian! My community in Dalian is quite good right now, but it took about half a year of working at it.

A consistent theme that stood out in Shanghai was my lackluster response every time anyone asked me how Dalian was. One guy noticed this and asked me specifically what I LIKED about Dalian. The truth is that Dalian is one of the best vacation spots for relaxation in China. We're located on a peninsula so there's plenty of sea and beaches. We also have an abundance of hills and greenery which means accessible hiking and outdoor activity. We have wonderful summers..ie today I was walking around without the constant sweatiness I experienced while in Shanghai's hot humidity. Oh, forgot to mention that the President of China has a "Camp David" retreat area he chills at in Dalian.

Anyways, I'm here in Dalian for the time being so I'll make the most of it, positively. Unlike Shanghai, Dalian is on the cusp of blooming,..it just seems like this flower is one of those types that bloom after 100 years of incubation. I need patience, NOW!