The main language spoken in Shanghai is Mandarin Chinese. However, many locals also speak Shanghainese, a regional Chinese language. I've been getting more comfortable hearing Mandarin in everyday situations, especially when ordering food, shopping and getting around the city.
China uses the renminbi (RMB, meaning "people's currency"). The main unit of money is called the yuan. One Chinese yuan is worth about $0.15 in US dollars. It's interesting to see how prices in China compare to prices in the United States.
A regular bottle of water typically costs around 4–6 RMB ($0.60–$0.90 USD) at the places I've visited. It's affordable and convenient to buy water throughout the day, especially after exercising or walking around the city.
My favorite meal this week was soy chicken served over rice with vegetables. The chicken was tasty, and the vegetables made the meal fresh and healthy. I liked that it had protein, rice for energy and vegetables. It was a great meal after a busy day.
