I will often find myself in these situations while traveling. The waiter was rude, I was overcharged or the hostel is a mess. I have to step back and remember the beauty of the journey I'm on, the city I'm so fortunate to discover and the wonderful people waiting to share their stories with me.
My moment of clarity in Shanghai was much needed and one of the most rewarding during my travels thus far.
In May of this year, a few friends and I decided to go to China. After the nightmare of applying, paying and finally receiving a visa, I was somewhat dismayed. Doing an embarrassingly small amount of research on what to do in the city and realizing it too late was another entirely frustrating situation.
On our last day in Shanghai we wanted to visit a water village on the outskirts of the city. It was one of the few things we found online, though we didn't know much about it, how to get there, or how to spell, pronounce or act out the name of this mystery location. After an unsuccessful trip to the bus station and what seemed an entire day wasted, my friend and I decided we would try to go to a water village that was much closer. It was smaller and more touristy, yes, but what other option did we have?
We headed for Qi Bao and after a little more confusion we found our way inside. We strolled through the crowded streets, took pictures of the canals and browsed through a few shops. We finally came upon a small cafe with a cute pink mail box and decided to stop for a coffee.
I can only describe the experience as clarity in a cup. We saw several postcards but didn't think much of it, so I picked up a few to send to friends from home and ordered a coffee. When I sat down at a small booth, a young woman studying next to me took the time to introduce herself and we chatted for a while. She told us that the cafe was somewhat famous for its postcards. You choose a postcard and you write it to your future self, then the two women who own the cafe will send it to you whenever you like, whether it's in one year or up to ten.
What a simple yet amazing concept. We didn't hesitate to buy two more postcards to send to our future selves; I will receive mine in two years, my friend in one. It was so therapeutic to write down what I was thinking, how I was feeling, and how fortunate I was to be in Shanghai at that time, despite the frustrations, as miniscule as they were.
From that moment on, our trip changed. We were more optimistic and had a renewed spring in our step. It was, quite literally, what we needed to remind us that although we may not always know what we're doing in a new and foreign place, we're lucky to be there with strangers who will become good friends and good friends who will become like family.
If you're ever in Shanghai and would like to check out this unique cafe yourself, take the subway to Qi Bao on the light blue line #9. It's a small village once you go inside but save yourself some time and ask for help if you can't find the entrance. Walk around the alleys and you'll find the pink mail box. It's easy to overlook since it's quite small, but a treasure worth searching for. The cafe, named Postcard Coffee, is owned by two young women who make an incredible iced latte. Take time out from the chaos of Shanghai and clear your mind on a 4x6 piece of paper. You might discover your own cup of clarity.
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