It is not for the faint hearted

As many people know, China is known for the strong economic growth and as one of the most populates country in the world. But it is also know for the bad image as the "fake" or "low quality" items. As the phrase : Made in China  , doesn't seem to  reflect any good image in general.

But as many know ( and also some doesn't ) China also offer the vast luxurious life style. Specially in big cities, and of the most fast growing and expanding city is the one we are living right now Shanghai.
And it is now the host of World Expo 2010. Shanghai has been undergoing many "plastic surgery" and it is at her prime and most beautiful time right now and the transportation system as been improved a lot too.

But it is not for the faint hearted people at all. You need to brace your self and you will need to choose a balance life style and keep your feet on the ground. If you have the cash, the sky is the limit! And thankfully , we do not have the cash , so we have a lot of limit here!The activities are endless so we must be very selective, and with the $$ you can basically have everything you want. And before you know it, you will be pulled down and drown in your own life.
But we came back to China, with open mind and open heart. We didn't come with our of our skeptical thought about China or the people, we 've decided to embrace it the good and the bad. Except that we are living in different city, our family are always the same, we still have the same value, we are still the same people.

The urge to have the branded clothing, bags, and all, to eat in the high end restaurant, joining a elite club or gym, to send the kids to an elite private school, to have a regular saloon visit from head to toes, to hire unlimited help fro chauffeur, personal maid and nanny or even to have a private masseuse  to come to your home.

As with the children it is the same, to keep them on the ground, with friends that going to certain restaurant, shop in certain shop and going with a luxurious car , it can be intimidating for them and the social pressure is big.

But , for us, we are what we are  , and we try to put that in our children's life that we don't have to have or do what others do. So it is important to keep things simple and yet we still be able to have fun. Because some people are funny, they spend the money they don't have, to buy thing they don't even need, to impress people they don't even like.
To live like that it is very exhausting , don't you  agree??

XOXO

S.R