It took me a second to realize that she was saying "arrivals"; three iterations later, the Australians next to me got the joke too and made a big fuss about it.
Since then, it's been three days, and it feels like at least two weeks. I've met our little 9-person program, with its assorted local affiliates - teachers, roommates, the program director, and (I think) a tutor. I've seen Mao laid out in his waxy glory, stolen wifi in the hallway, and dipped an oily dough-twist in burned soy milk. The fireworks have never stopped (literally! Except they sound like car-bombs now). Class starts tomorrow, but here's a pictorial recap of my time so far.
Breakfast; Sean with the oily twist (you tiao) and burned soymilk.
Our dorm - ShaoYuan 5.
Stealing wifi in the hallway.
We also steal it in Sean's room (like right now).
Our lunch restaurant yesterday, in a hutong near Tiananmen.
Our lunch. 23 kuai; $3.50, for two people.
Lunch: 1 shared tofu dish, 2 egg-tomato-noodle bowls, 2 beers.
Sean's leftover birthday cake on the Great Wall.
Roommates!
The Wall at MuTianYu.
Yasi on the forbidden part of the Wall.
Breaking laws. (uh-REBELS!)
Tomorrow is the last day for fireworks!
Today is the day of loud, booming, scary ones.
Yesterday was pretty, colorful ones.
Tomorrow it's SPARKLERS.
Class starts at 8am tomorrow. Ahhhh!
