Old China, New China, and What I've been doing this week

I've been traveling!  About a week ago I left Qufu for good, after the flurry of finals and goodbyes.  I took the new fast train (wow!) to Shanghai, dropped off my luggage, and headed further south to visit my friend/student at her home in Jiangxi Province.

Now I am back in Shanghai for a two-day stopover before flying to America.  I have lots to tell you about my visit to Jiangxi, but for now I'll just share some photos of small-town southern China (my student's hometown: Wanzai) and my wanderings today in Shanghai.

Streets of Wanzai

Streets of Shanghai

Church in Wanzai

Church in Shanghai

Night lights in Wanzai

Night lights in Shanghai

Wanzai refreshment: Iced bean porridge

Shanghai refreshment: Caramel chocolate chip frappuccino

Outside Wanzai:  The real China

View from the Shanghai Bund:  The real China

What I love about this week is that I've gone from down-home hospitality to a fast, impersonal city... from green mountains to European architecture... from pedicabs to subways... from pig's ears to Dunkin Donuts... from four days without seeing a non-Chinese to seeing foreigners everywhere I look.

And both places are China!