So I just moved across the river in Shanghai, from Yangpu to the edge of Zhangjiang in Pudong.

Leaving the compound & apartment with our stuff in the van was a big relief — to leave behind this place where we spend the 60-day Shanghai lockdown. Every time I entered the apartment I still got those memories; the walls, the windows, the cupboards with rations & antigen tests.

Some neighbors heard I was leaving and came to say goodbye, plus the baoan helped move boxes into the van (货拉拉). The downstairs neighbor with the husband who fought in the Korean war: “Ah, you’re going to Zhangjiang Hi-tech park (张江高科技园区), smart people there.”

The new living area is much smaller so the risk of being locked down is also decreased, but it’s kinda sick that I took this into consideration when picking a new place to live.