NICK FORRISTALL (audio arts and acoustics major) writes:
The city of Shanghai is so mixed up. Before we left, I was under the impression that the people living in the city would be, well, mostly Chinese people. Upon arrival, and frolicking around in the city, I have come to discover that the city is filled with a very mixed culture. Not only are there Asians (big surprise), there is a large mix of Europeans, Americans, Russians, and some from Iraq and surrounding nations.
The whole event of seeing all these people mixed together in a place where I didn't expect it was really fascinating. With China being a communist (and somewhat capitalist, ironically) country, I had also expected very uniform buildings and dwellings. This was of course expected outside of the main skyline.
But Shanghai doesn't really stop there. Like some other cities we know of (cough cough, Chicago), it keeps moving. I am very unaware of exactly where we are in the city at any given point in time. But no matter where we may be, there is always at least one lone standing building, probably a building which nobody in our group has seen yet.
Not only are the architecture and human population of Shanghai very mixed and matched, the neighborhoods are as well. We can walk down 10 streets in an area of, say, 10 by 10 blocks, and each street may feel different. Some are trademark China, the China I've read about in books and seen pictures of. The next second, we're seemingly strolling toward the Champs Elysées in Paris. Ten minutes later, we're located in Times Square. And then boom, back to China (but this time it's older, or worn a bit more). The cycle continues.
Long story short, if you want an American-style mix of people, a New York skyline, a beautiful Chinese garden, a long walk in Grant Park, or the art of San Francisco, it's all in one city. Go to Shanghai.
Nick Forristall is a junior audio arts and acoustics major.
