We are under attack! Large cannons boom in the distance, smaller detonations crackle in rapid fire nearby; explosions rock the night, and startle us incessantly.
Aaah, Chinese New Year approaches… From what Tiffany and I have been told, January 29th will be a day to behold. As the Chinese welcome in the Year of the Dog, it is important to scare away all the ghosts. And the one thing we all know about ghosts is that they hate LOUD NOISES! Here in Shanghai, it appears they will attempt to recreate World War II all in one day, just to make sure the ghosts really are gone. Actually, it is supposed to be a riotous celebration, and despite the fact that our other alternative was a beach in Malaysia (plane tickets were sold out), I think Tiffany and I will actually enjoy experiencing our first, full-fledged Chinese New Year’s right here in Shanghai. And by the sounds of things, if practice makes perfect, Shanghai’s cacophonous symphony will be a masterpiece!
Tiffany received a wonderful New Year's present for the 'Year of the Dog', a very cute stuffed dog from Rachel, her Chinese ex-coworker, along with a very comfy pair of slippers that I think I will be frequently “borrowing”. One of our favorite Chinese cultural practices is taking off one’s shoes upon entering the home. Most visitors will actually remove their shoes at the doorstep and maybe even leave their shoes outside the door, so as to make sure they don’t track any dirt/spit/noodles into your home. If you’ve ever seen the streets here in Shanghai, you’ll understand why we’re so grateful for this habit!
As for the calendar New Year’s, Tiffany and I were still enjoying Cali’s company. As well, three of Cali’s classmates from his Harvard MBA class were in Shanghai, in the middle of a 3-week trip through Asia. We were more than happy to chaperone them for New Year’s Eve, since they didn’t speak a lick of Chinese, and “three nice Jewish boys from Harvard” apparently doesn’t carry as much weight in China as it does in Manhattan. Besides, as Tiffany says, it’s refreshing and comforting to find someone even more helpless in China than us! So we relished our relative cultural superiority for the evening, going to a party at our friend Tara’s.
Tara and Cali, as 
it t
urns out, both attended Bowdoin College in Maine, and immediately bonded as fellow Polar Bears. After that, it was on to GuanDii, a fun dance club in Fuxing Park, which is pretty near our house. We danced ourselves silly with all the fervor and abandon that the last day of the 
year deserves, and bid 2005 adieu in proper fashion! 
Up next - 2006! A brand-spanking new, clean slate of 365 days with which to fill with more adventures in China. Plans for the year include a weekend trip to Hong Kong in late January, the aforementioned Chinese New Year celebration, a few trips outside of China (or at least to other parts of China), and our first return trip to the U.S. (probably this summer). On our list of resolutions aka wish list: a new apartment (our lease ends in February), new inspirations for clothing at the fabric market, and a new, full-time job for me (I’m currently an intern, a title that ranks me slightly below the office cleaning ladies and slightly above dog poo.)
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