End of Quarantine and First Night and Day in Shenzhen

I had some nervous energy on Monday night before leaving quarantine in Shanghai on Tuesday morning. What would have been a good night of sleep was disturbed by a sharp pain in my abdomen around 3am. I wasn't sick, although I tried to shit out the pain for a full hour there was nothing to shit and eventually the pain just subsided. It must have been nerves. I went back to sleep for another three hours and woke at 7am, which was an hour before I was scheduled to leave. With my packing already done from the night prior I scarfed down some noodles, did my morning routine, and was ready to leave by 7:45am. They came to my room at 7:50am to take me downstairs. I left my cell and after going out the door was provided with a release letter. The fresh air was nice, although it was a bit smoggy, and the sun and humidity was intense. I was sweating within a few seconds as I lugged my luggage to the gate. After a few minutes of waiting my ride arrived and took me to the airport.

Once at the airport I had some difficulty getting in. Despite having my documents in order the staff insisted I use an app called wechat to scan a QR code and fill out a form. After about 10 minutes and multiple attempts at the app I communicated to them that it would not work because I was a foreigner and asked them if there was another way. We then proceeded to fill out a form, which we could have done in the first place, and I was cleared to enter the airport. Then I darted back and forth trying to find the check-in counter for China Eastern Airlines. Although all the signs were in both Mandarin and English they were too far away, and my vision is apparently fucking terrible even with glasses, so the signs were difficult to read without getting into line. I was not about to wait in the wrong line so I asked directions and got pointed the wrong way repeatedly. When I finally checked my three bags and passed through security with my carry-on I had to run to the gate to make my flight in time. I made it.

The flight was uneventful. Not worth writing any more about it.

Once off the plane in Shenzhen I took a PCR test and retrieved my bags on the carousel. The school driver was waiting for me at the exit. He escorted me to his car, but in my haste to get home I forgot to exchange my USD for RMB.

I enjoyed seeing the city that would be my home for the next three years on the way to my apartment. I chatted with the driver, Mr. Pan, a bit in Chinese and English but quickly realized that even studying for two months and getting to unit 2 on Duolingo was not enough to be able to say much in an actual conversation.

I was elated once I got to my new apartment. As excited as I was to check out the city I could not go exploring just yet. One needs a test every 24 hours here and results take up to 12 hours to process. So the results from my test on the way out of the airport (at 1:30pm) would not be available until 1:30am at the latest. If I left my apartment I would not be let back in. Fortunately the driver had provided me with some basic supplies to last me the night into the next morning. I checked in at the front desk and spent the rest of my evening unpacking and getting settled.

I had difficulty sleeping last night. It was my first night in Shenzhen. My bed was far more comfortable than the one in quarantine but I still only had two pillows and one was a travel pillow. I am used to sleeping with at least four pillows. The city is under constant construction so a combination of nerves, mild discomfort, and the faint noise of a jackhammer twelve floors below and three blocks away was keeping me awake.

When I finally got to sleep my dreams were so vivid and realistic that I could barely distinguish them from reality. This is rare for me because usually I am a lucid dreamer and can quickly ascertain that I am in a dream. I should have realized I was dreaming when my friends (whom I met in Sweden and who currently live in Turkey) showed up and started teaching yoga and drumming classes at the end of the dream. Hell, I should have realized I was dreaming when I bought drugs and got laid at the start of the dream. Craziest thing is that I spent the whole dream trying to stay awake and party with strangers in the lobby, while avoiding the woman I bedded who was trying to drag me back to bed every few minutes. I am surprised that I did not realize that I was asleep and dreaming all along. I didn't wake up until some delinquent teenagers on scooters showed up and peppered the lobby window with paintballs, which prompted me to go to bed in the dream. I woke up a second later very confused, somewhat disappointed, but also mildly relieved that I had not made so many bad decisions on my first night here. I hadn't partied like that in over five years, it probably would have killed me, so of course it was dream. What a mindfuck. I slept soundly for the rest of the night.

Today was OK. It was my first full day in this new city and I have already walked about 10km. I started my day trying to find a place to exchange currency. The first place I stopped was not far from my apartment and right outside SeaWorld. It was closed that early so I kept walking hoping to find another spot. Long story short I didn't. All the other currency exchange shops closed during the pandemic. Without tourists to cater to they went out of business, but that did not stop them from being on maps for some fucking reason. So I walked an 8km loop looking for non-existent currency exchanges only to end up back at SeaWorld, where had I waited about an hour and a half, I would have been able to get it done when they opened at 10am. All things considered I needed the exercise after ten days in quarantine but damn do my legs hurt. It got especially hard when a light rain, which was NOT the forecast, soaked the stone sidewalk and made it as slippery as wet ice. I was walking in flip flops, which have no grip, and nearly wiped out multiple times. I exchanged about 350USD for around 2400RMB. The first thing I bought was a lemonade iced tea.

When I went to get tested I found out the test site was closed between noon and six. Somehow, by using a translation app (and appearing confused, stupid, and distressed), I was able to convince one of the medical staff leaving the test site to swab my throat before she left. So it all worked out.

I stopped at the convenience store outside my apartment and grabbed some snacks, but needed to go shopping to find more substantial food. I also realized I was provided with the wrong type of pan for the induction cooktop in my kitchen. So I backtracked passed the test site to the supermarket where I got some fresh fruit, vegetables, household supplies, and frozen dumplings. This added another few km to my step count. Although the market did not have the pan I needed I was able to source two pans and some kosher salt from some colleagues in the building so I could cook dinner.

I am very happy with my apartment. It is a major upgrade from the shitty apartment where I lived for four years in Philly. This one has a front desk during the day and support line at night with helpful staff 24/7, a fitness center (which is small but hey it is something), a garden, and multiple working elevators. I am on the twelfth floor with a glorious view both night and day. I can see the mountains, the city, and the sea. I have AC and Shenzhen is tropical so I won't need heat. There is a washing machine on my balcony and I can hang my clothes to dry. While I do not have an oven I at least have a microwave, an electric kettle, and an induction stove. My bathroom has warmed tile floors and a ceiling mounted heater/hair dryer. It is fully furnished and wifi was set up prior to my arrival. All of this is covered by my employer. So it is definitely an upgrade.

There is no good way to end a blog post. I have attached some photos of my apartment and view and one from my walk earlier today where I found a nice little path along the river. Tomorrow I will take a walk to my workplace to get my bearings before the holiday is over. I hope my dreams are more peaceful tonight. I will post again Saturday or Sunday with more pictures of the city.