Day 1

You can’t change China. China changes you. Those were the first words of advice from one of my new colleagues. I met him just hours after getting of the plane. So far, his advice has proven true. For one, this short experience has made me stronger.

Let me start at the beginning with a look back at my airport experience. Anyone

who knows me, knows I don’t travel light. I had two large suitcases weighing a combined 140 pounds. I also packed, or should I say stuffed, a large backpack and had my computer case and a purse. I had to plan for a year long trip with the knowledge that I couldn’t buy deodorant, razors, shoes and pants in my size, as well as other personal items. I checked United Airlines baggage policy, weighed my luggage beforehand and headed to . After going to the wrong terminal and not fitting into an elevator with my bags (how bad is that?), I prepared to say goodbye. I set my set everything on the scale knowing I would have to pay an oversized luggage fee. I wasn’t prepared for the agent to tell me my bags wouldn’t be accepted at all. Apparently, the website failed to mention the criteria for international luggage which must weigh considerable less or cost you considerable much more. At the ticket booth, I ended up rearranging what had been tediously packed only to leave several books at the airport as well as tears. Of course to top it all off, my seat was next to a stinky-breathed man on his way to take pictures for the Paralympics which he insisted on telling me all about. I held off breathing and feigned interest.

13 hours later, I landed in Beijing. Because it is the start of the Paralympic games here, we were given an official welcome as we got off the plane. The airport was lined with representatives as well as a mascot dancing around. After walking through a SARS scanner (it reads your body temperature) and going through customs (they only scan your luggage on a conveyer belt- don’t actually look through it by hand) I was greeted with my name on a sign. 2 Xinhua representatives were there to pick me. We loaded everything in a van and headed downtown. The cleanliness along the roads is amazing, as is the neatly groomed hedges and flowerbeds. I asked if the highway was new and was told it wasn’t. Fooled me. Talk about going all out to impress the international community.

Once in town, I couldn’t look out the windows at all. Several times we were almost hit by vehicles or almost hit people riding bikes. I just buckled in and held on. Drivers here really love to honk their horns and aren’t afraid to drive in one if not several lines simultaneously. Instead of going to my hotel, the van pulled over so I could meet my boss in front of an apartment building. It was bright pink and I knew from the get-go very old as well. Mr. Bossman had been helping look for places and he found this one. He thought it was so good for me in fact that he went ahead and paid a deposit on the place without me actually seeing it or giving him permission to do so. I thought it wise not to complain, so I went inside with him, as well as a real estate agent and the 2 ladies from work. All of us crowded into a small one bedroom. The mattress was stained, the kitchen had a one-burner “stove” and there was a bucket to help me “flush” the toilet. Having seen other places online, I knew there could be much better so I had to risk offending my boss and tell him I would rather keep looking. At this, everyone went in to a fluster in Chinese. I had no idea what was being said but the agent got on the phone and we soon were being taken to another apartment blocks away. The landlord turned out not to be there so we started walking and got a chance to see a third place…which I would eventually end up renting.

Past an office of sorts and metal mailboxes we made our way to the elevator. To get the lights on you have to stamp on the cement ground. We made our way up to the 10 floor. The apartment was inhabited by a young Chinese couple. You walk in through a metal door and then a wooden door behind it, into a living room. There is a pleather couch, glass table and a TV. There were also wooden floors. I got a good feeling about it. The kitchen has a refrigerator as well as a two gas burning stove on a stone butcher’s block. The bedroom furniture is new and includes a wardrobe for me to put my clothes. The bathroom is the truly interesting part. There is a sink area separate from the Western style toilet (yeah, I can sit down!). The shower is in the same closet sized room above the toilet. Ugh. I have to turn on an overhead heater 30 minutes before I plan on taking a shower if I want warm water. The same pipe that is in my kitchen sink runs to my bathroom sink, to my toilet and then yes, my shower. Yummy. After much conversation, again all in Chinese, Mr. Bossman worked out an agreement for the landlord to buy me a washing machine (no drier) and a microwave which I think, they think, I will need to make bread. Either way, I can survive in this place will tell you much more about it in another post.

It was then off to the hotel. After dropping my bags off, which made the desk clerks say wow (in Chinese), Mr. Bossman took me to dinner at my work’s cafeteria. It was a buffet style and I had no idea what any of the food was. I just grabbed what he grabbed which included a bowl of rice, a bowl of porridge, and some meat/vegetable combination in brown sauce. I successfully ate with chopsticks, to Mr. Bossman’s surprise. I noticed that no one had anything to drink to which I was told that that is what the porridge is for. People just pick up their bowls of soup and wash down their food that way. Meal complete it was off to see my workspace. Yes, this is still the same day, just hours I got off the plane.

My work's offices are very modern and very nice as are the people I will be working with. I will tell you all about them later. By this time, I was exhausted and looking forward to a good night’s sleep as I would have to be up at 8 AM for my medical exam. Sleep just wasn’t in the cards for me, however, as the AC was controlled by a remote, all in Chinese, and I was either sweating or freezing cold all night. I just had to laugh and get through it as day two would prove just as interesting…

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