Nothing is for ever. I did think though that Beijing would be at least the next 2 years for me. It seems not as the winds of change and my very insistant bosses are now moving me to Shanghai.
Be careful what you wish for is the most useful caution I have ever heard. How many times have I been in Shanghai wishing I was one of those very sleek and sophisticated locals, eating French bread and being as far from China in the middle of swanky Xin Tian Di as downtown Manhattan might be. It's happening in 3 weeks. And ungrateful that I am, I dread it.
It is absolutely true that Beijing is at its best in autumn. The air is crisp and clear, the sky ultra-blue and the leaves all colours of the rainbow. It's only been six months but my hutong home is really a home. The old lady next door is a friend and the local restaurant no longer waits for me to order before they bring the food. I am swapping English lessons for Chinese with the kids in Coffee Republic in the office lobby and I just think Beijing is great!
I do not want to leave.
Where else can I have the Forbidden City and Tian An Men as my immediate neighbours, the vast avenues, great parks, the duck and the Heating! Too much taken for granted. Too much as yet to explore. Luckily, - not for our personal life but at least for our exploring one - we will be running a two home household for a while. Our hutong in lovely tree lined, local Nanchizi and whatever I will end up finding in sleek, noisy and emminently expat-run-amock Shanghai.
Seems it only took so little to make me a "real" Beijinger, I already feel entitled to bad-mouth Shanghai
