Nostalgia

So for those of you who don't know me that well, almost 20 years ago my father was transferred to work in Shanghai. So we moved there, all four of us. And we lived there for 4 years.

When I first got there I was 12, going on 13, which means I lived there until I was 16 (almost 17).
If you remember those years of your life, you'll probably remember how crucial they were in influencing your personality, way of seeing life, forming opinions, morals and so forth.
So those years in Shanghai were a pretty big deal for me!!!

Since we left in 1997, I never had the chance to go back... Until now.
As I sit here on this rainy afternoon in Hong Kong looking for a hotel to stay in Shanghai when I arrive tomorrow I feel a bit overwhelmed... And with many mixed feelings.

I'm extremely excited to go back and see the city. But at the same time I'm a little apprehensive as I'm not sure what I'm going to encounter when I get there.

As you probably know, China, and Shanghai in particular, has been changing at a phenomenally fast pace over the past 25 years. Which means that the Shanghai I lived in doesn't exist anymore.
And even though I can't wait to see it with my own eyes what the transformation resulted in, I can't help it but to be all nostalgic about my favourite places and other little things about the city which I'm sure don't exist anymore.

I'm probably being a little unfair though. Because much like Shanghai, I have also changed a lot since then.
And for the better! Which I would think it's probably the case for Shanghai as well.
But nostalgia is a funny thing.
Even though you know things are better now, it makes you miss and idealise the old. So much, that sometimes you convince yourself that things are changing for the worse.

We need to watch out for the nostalgic side of us... To not let it take over and keep us stuck in the past, stopping us from moving on and embracing our futures.

So Pudong, new area... Here I come!!! :)

You know you're getting old when...

... You actually enjoy having dinner in a restaurant with a live band singing Sting songs.

... You refuse to drink a vodka because you never heard about that particular brand.

... You would rather go back to the hotel and watch National Geographic instead of hanging out in a bar full of drunk youngsters and listening to crap commercial music.

... You wake up and turn the tv on to CNN or BBC.

... You read a newspaper as you're eating breakfast - and it's not the cartoon or horoscope section.

... You own at least one anti-wrinkle cream.

... You own a pair of earplugs and an eyepatch.

... You post about political issues on your Facebook page.

... You actually bother to write a post like this!!!
;-)