Ryu2.mind

After the international church service today, I joined some folks fordinner and dessert: a management consultant, a professional violinist,a US diplomat, a model/talent coordinator, a cancer researcher, aproducer of TV commercials... and of course, me.  One thing's forsure -- it's certainly slightly more diverse than the typicalGrX/Silicon Valley crowd (where oftentimes "diverse" means you haveboth hardware and software engineers in the mix... ;P ).

Among other things, tonight reminded me of one of the great truthsabout expat life in general and relationship-building amongst thecommunity: No matter what we do, where we come from, and where wediffer in, we naturally have a common thread linking us... beingstrangers in a strange land -- and thus all in a position to belearning, grasping, encouraging, sharing, strengthening, laughing,commiserating, and experiencing life together. We just have to reach out.

But even so, one faces substantial challenges -- forexpats are a transient lot, in few places more than Shanghai. People come, and people go; every week at church during service,bright-eyed folks introduce themselves to the congregation, andveterans say their often-tearful goodbyes.  Before going deep, oneneeds to see just where the deep end is... and if it's going to bethere tomorrow.

For me, my MO for the first few months was to get a feel for thelandscape... both physically and socially.  From Hongqiao toZhangjiang, and from church cell groups to so-called "expat mixers" atbars (not to mention the occasional protest),for the most part, I delibrately chose to dive breadth first into theoften-tumultulous, never-predicatble pool that is Shanghai.  Thankfully now I'm more or less settled in,logistically speaking.  Culture shock and 'TIC' moments have subsided.  My life,professionally and otherwise, has started to have some semblence of aroutine.

Thus, as summer kicks in, I've realized --  it's time for me to shift relationships fromquantity to quality... to seek out like-minded partners and supportersin this ever-evolving journey of mine who are also in it for the longrun even though the destination is unclear... to hold each otheraccountable and encourage each other all the more as we see the Dayapproaching. 

Tonight, I'm thankful for those who are staying for a while, and forthe One who brought us all here through many paths that have for someReason intersected here and now.  Physically and metaphorically,the first season of my Shanghai life is over, and the next season isstarting.

I leave with this quote from a great man, one of the few people in recent history whom  I truly admire in all respects:

Life is one grand, sweet song -- so start the music.
   -- Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1911 - 2004.

You got it, Ronnie.