I woke up at 4:10 this morning to head to the airport. By the time our group arrived in Beijing, it was 5 PM. By the time we finished checking into the dorms, it was 10 PM. We're staying at Tsinghua University, and they've increased security because of the Olympics. We had to fill out extra paperwork and spend lots of time at the residence office making copies of our passports and visas and whatnot. Tsinghua actually almost canceled this portion of our program because China does not want too many foreigners in the country right before the Olympics. Our professor that is in charge can actually be arrested if any of us misbehaves... crazy!
A friend of mine on the program grew up in Beijing, and he was going to take me and a few friends out to a really neat place to eat for my birthday dinner, but it was too late by the time we were all moved in. No worries though, I've got five whole days before classes start to celebrate by visiting Yuan Ming Yuan, Tiannaman Square, the Forbidden City, the Olympic Gardens, and THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA! So excited!
Beijing is interesting so far. I haven't seen much of it, and it's mainly because there is a thick haze blocking visibility. I feel like I'm on the Truman Show or inside a snow globe, just surrounded by this thick fog on all sides. My world feels so small and caged. I can't wait to get off the campus tomorrow and explore. Maybe then I will feel like I'm in China when I see more of it.
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