It's 12:15 a.m. here...

Hey all,

So, it's 12:15 am here, which means it's like 11 am in the US...I think that's right. Either way, I hope to survive jet lag. Today was ALL travel. I mean, our plane left at 4:30 pm on January 3 and landed in Beijing at 6:30 pm on January 4. In US time, that is like, 13 hours on a plane. It was pretty intense. Enough time for three feature length films (although I only watched one - Sex and the City the movie! Yes!).

Since the time difference is so drastic (13 hours ahead in Beijing), our plane meals were bizarre. We had a beaf/rice/veggie platter twice. Which was weird because by the second meal, it felt like it was early morning so I really just wanted breakfast. They also gave out ham and cheese sandwiches cut into thin slices, like they were made for easy handling by kindergartners.

I was in a three-person row in the airplane, but there was noone in the middle seat, so the other guy in the row and I decided to use it as a kind of communal nook. I became kind of fond of our setup. I had my books and some food in the middle seat, my coat draped over me like a blanket, my inflatable neck support, my purse beside me, and my little stuffed animal perched on the side of my tray-table, surveying the scene. I only got a drink spilled on me once! And no, I stand by the fact that I truly believe it wasn't my clumsiness that caused the accident.

We also had a genuine Chinese meal after we landed and settled into our dorms. I wasn't really hungry, but I was desperate for a meal that wasn't prepackaged and microwaved for my convenience. The beds are not soft and the shower is not separate from the rest of the bathroom floor. I guess if I wanted a superhuge shower, I could just omit the use of the curtain and allow the entire bathroom to be my hygiene lair. I have a roommate named Rebecca, and she's really nice with cooler hair than me.

At night, a few of us decided to walk around the block to see some of the different shops and whatnot. Some of the students that have been studying in China on scholarship as representatives of UD, came by to help with our Chinese program. We walked around a bit, but it was absolutely freezing. Unbelievably cold.

Anyways, I'm getting kicked off the computer soon, so I must go. I should probably start thawing my toes anyways. Hope you've enjoyed this slighlty uneventful post! My apologies! More culture, less plane is soon to come!

Love,

Amy