Before you scroll down to view the pictures I wanted everyone to know that yesterday and today have been almost the same weather-wise:  80 degrees, not particularly cloudy, and no rain.  Whether or not I can see the mountains in the distance is a good indicator of what the air will be like for the…

I’ve seen more KFC’s in China than I’ve seen McDonalds.  Now I don’t know the exact numbers but there are a ridiculous number of KFC’s in Beijing. It’s absurd! Most Beijingers take public transportation, walk, bike, or ride scooters to get from place to place.  People in Beijing are completely silent when they walk, bike,…

I was an explorer today! My roommate, Rafannah, and I went to a section of Beijing called 前门 (Qianmen). It is directly across from Tienanmen Square and it’s a neat little shopping district. One of the people in the program suggested we go because they have high end shops but the facade of the buildings look…

The last post was too short so this is a follow up piece.  I met my 语伴儿 （language partner) for dinner at the dining hall. I’ll start with the dining hall…it’s awesome! There are five floors. The first two floors are cheaper and faster (think buffet style) than the top three floors which are more…

你好大家！ Nihao everybody! I am stuck here, glued to my desk.  Studying away like a maniac! Although I am not in an intensive Chinese program, we are learning a chapter a day in our book which means I need to focus, focus, focus. 40 new vocab words, 2 dialogues, and lots of grammar points need…

Now that I am living in Beijing, I must do what the Beijingers do! (And yes, that is what people from Beijing are called.) I bought my first toothpaste in Chinese but I’m not stopping there.  Tomorrow I’m going to pick up some shampoo, conditioner, and snacks! I also bought a permanent subway pass.  Beijing…

I woke up yesterday morning both dreading and awaiting the day.  I had to complete a grueling placement exam which wasn’t too grueling for me because I know nothing.  Really!  The exam is written so that if a student can answer every single question correctly that means they are a fluent Chinese speaker.  Since I…

It’s funny how little we know.  We think we know a lot but we don’t.  I’ve come to accept since coming to China.  I’m not fooling myself that I have no idea how to get around campus or how to communicate well with native speakers.  However, you get that little instance of self-assurance–a little light…