三个星期

Well, I’ve been living here for over three weeks now (that makes it sound so short) and I think that I’m pretty well adjusted. I can go to school at home again without getting lost or getting on the wrong train. My sleep schedule has finally normalized (even though my class schedule is killing it). And I’ve found a steady routine of things to do and places to be that helps me stay active and having a good time.
I think that the novelty of being in Beijing has worn off， which is a good thing. It means that I’ve become accustomed to the idea that this is what I’m doing and this is where I’m going to be for the next eight months.
Every morning I don’t wake up and say, “O, brave new world with such possibilities in it” like I did on some of my first days. Now it’s more “Waa, I don’t wanna go to school.” Or “Damn, my head hurts” or “Why is there an alarm going off?”
Regardless of the fact that I’m on a proper sleeping schedule, I’m definitely not getting a very high quality rest. This is probably due to the fact that my bed is rock hard and I sleep on a rice pillow. You heard right, a rice pillow. As in, if I was hungry I could cut open my pillow and cook it for lunch. Not the best for my neck. I think I’m gunna go to an acupuncturist.
School has started and I already dislike it, which must mean I’m learning something. After four months of not doing any kind of mental work going to an hour and a half class is like pulling teeth. Plus classes alternating from starting at 9am and 130pm means im always tired (it takes me an hour to get to school by subway).
I was originally put into level Three Chinese. Or equivalent to a 301 college course. It was wicked difficult and what made it worse was a teacher who could not speak English. Although it was quite funny explaining the word “cafeteria” to her. So I dropped down to level two which is easier but not too easy. Its better for me and my brain. Plus the teacher’s really nice.
The great part about this school though is that there are no mandatory classes on Friday (TGIThursday). This gives us the opportunity to go to the clubs on their discount nights and drink for cheep. Everyday at school all the EF kids go to the same restaurant on campus and order usually the same things. The place is a little more expensive then the canteen but the food is way better and I’ve never had to pay more than 25 元.
So, basically, I’m doing pretty good right now. School fine, my host family’s great and I get out and about as much as possible.
Last weekend Aunt Pixie hooked me up with some of her co-workers at GE’s Beijing branch. They took me out to rural north Beijing, by the Great Wall, for a company picnic and cycle ride. GE sponsors Trek’s Marco Polo racing team so they put us all on trusty Trek bikes and I got to take a ride for the first time since I’ve been here. It felt really good being on a bike again. I was riding a 1000 Sport, which I’ve worked on many times at the Downtube, so it felt just like home. On the ride you could see the Great Wall, which was great, and it was a beautiful smog free day, perfect for riding. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures.
This weekend I’m going to an amusement park with the Wu’s then to a Hot Spring resort with Mr. Wu’s well-off entrepreneur friend. All on his dime so I can help his friend’s son practice his English before some exam...or something. Details are kinda sketchy, will inform once I get back.
And the weekend after that, I’m considering taking a trip to Qing Dao (Tsingdao for you beer drinkers) with some of my friends from school. Still working out the plans on that one though. But there’s no way it could be worse than Mongolia.
In other news I got a haircut. Mr. Wu decided that my hair was too long so he took me to one of his friend’s barbershops. “I’m going to make you beautiful” The hairdresser told me. On two separate occasions people have told me I look like David Beckham, but you know what they say. All white people look the same.
me in paris!
Stay up ya’ll
邓雍煌