One year later....

Jeeze, has it really been that long since I wrote? Time sure does fly, especially in China. So much can happen in such a short period of time. I passed my one year mark of living in China three months ago today. Sometimes it still seems so surreal to me to be living here in this faraway land. I find myself walking down the street, trying to imagine the sights and sounds with fresh eyes and ears, as if I'd just arrived. It has become everyday life now, and the element of surprise is becoming less and less. That said, there are awesome sights and I still stop in my tracks sometimes, just to take in what I am seeing. The other day I traveled half way across the city to visit my American friend, Zack. We decided to meet for a walkabout at Shenzhen's 'Shopping Park' metro stop. This is the location of Shenzhen's Ping An Finance Centre, a 115-storey mega skyscraper, currently under construction. Upon completion, it will rank as the world's 4th tallest building. It is truly awesome to stand beneath this towering beacon, and to look up to the top where a crane is stationed and where pieces of building materials fall and drift to the ground. Safety is not taken half as seriously here in China.