Sense of time

The first week in Shanghai is coming to an end. One week, it feels like I've been here for a month already. Every day is exciting, exhausting, long....

I finally found an apartment. After another marathon day, I will now stay in the French Concession. A shared flat with 5 people on the 10th floor. The room is small, but very clean and has a balcony overlooking Shanghai. The previous tenant also left an electric scooter :)

My first days at Stepping Stones were very warm and exciting. I am the only intern who stays for 3 months and works 4 days a week, which means responsibility and my own exciting projects. On Thursday, I visited a school project outside of Shanghai. It's called a 'migrant' school, for children who were not born in this place but have moved here. The Chinese system only provides insurance, health care, and education for the place of birth. So as soon as Chinese people move to another city to work, for example, they have hardly any opportunities and securities. The school was very neglected. 50-60 children of different ages in each class. The day there was really exhausting, moving, and incredibly shocking. But Stepping Stones' work is great and it feels good to be part of such a project.

Other than that, I have spent many great nights in incredible locations and made new acquaintances, and I have settled in more and more in Shanghai. There are moments when you just wish to escape this city for a few hours and at the same time it's so moving, so exciting that you don't want to sleep anymore to be part of everything.

I think I have arrived very well by now, I often feel overwhelmed but I am very excited for the time to come....