Building a home

In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. – From Return to Tipasa (1952) by Albert Camus

I’ve returned back to Shanghai feeling invigorated. Today I worked until late afternoon, and my wonderful boyfriend brought me some xialongbao (Shanghainese dumplings) for dinner. Now I’m looking up hearty winter soup recipes, and thinking about the months to come.

I’m slowly learning to appreciate the present–my home and community here in Shanghai. There’s something very special about this strange city–the slick urbanscape of China’s seaside metropolis and the hidden nooks in old alleys that still remain.