China!

I'm here and have been for a week now. I have internet now, so that's fabulous as well. I have spent the past week exploring my area of the city and meeting lots of people. I have also been meeting with my Drake group which is comforting.

I first arrived in Beijing in an airport currently under partial construction. They are building a subway for next year's Olympics.

This airport is massive and modern as it is and they are building onto it. I was impressed by the bathroom which had a hand dryer that blew cool air so it didn't chap your hands and it had an ultraviolet looking light which just looked cool. China is mind-boggling at times. One sees lit up hotels next to empty skyscrapers. I am enjoying exploring this place. I have so far enjoyed many meals in restaurants and am fond of one restaurant next to a small store. There are always people outside eating at the little tables and the owner of the store is always hanging out with the restauranteurs. They're nice to us meiguoren even though they laugh at us too. The first time there we ordered food, we ended up with maybe 6 plates and there were 3 of us. It was hilarious. They were laughing as they handed us our food. We had no idea what we were doing.

This is my washer. It's cute and little and yellow. I push its buttons and it makes sounds like an ice cream truck, I kid you not. It's also mighty powerful. The first time I used it, I thought it was going to explode my clothes out of it Jackie Chan style. There is one characteristic in the washer I find in common with Chinese people in general. Look at the smile on my washer! It's as friendly as the Chinese.