So getting access to the internet from my computer took me all this past week. Then getting access to this blog took another two days. It’s a long convoluted process that involves me learning how to say things like “my ethernet port is broken” and “no, I still can’t get on the internet.” I am very sorry I haven’t emailed or facebooked this information to people, I know you’re curious etc. but I just haven’t had very much time to spend at the internet café, and even now that I have my own access, I won’t have a ton of time. I’m going to try Still: I am in China! It is crazy. And so on.
Right now I’m sitting in my one room double in Xinsonggongyu, at Beijing Normal University. My roommate is having a (I have dubbed it “sick”) birthday party in Sanlitun tonight, at this place called Vics, and I’m going to be leaving soon. I’ve already been to Vics once before and based on my time in Japan and here I can in good faith describe it as ‘one of those foreigner clubs in Asia,’ though it is not a bad one.
I will endeavor now to paint a very brief picture of my first week (or so), with broad strokes:
- Today I went to the Great Wall, at Jinshanling (金山岭长城). Pictures are forthcoming, either here or on facebook.
- On I think it was Tuesday, my roommate’s cousin gave us a box of dog meat, and another box of beer.
- I have eaten: duck tongue, duck feet, pigs feet, octopus, prawns, bamboo, and this one thing that somebody told me was cow vagina, but they were joking.
Quick aside: I have just spoken with Max, whose name I will use later if he doesn’t mind. He is a friend who graduated last year, and who I will be going out to the party with. He has informed me that he has some Beijing nightlife secrets to reveal, or something. 成功as it were.
- I’ve bought a cell phone (which was an interesting affair to conduct all in Chinese) but the best way to reach me and talk is by Skype or iChat.
Now my room is a preparty, so I’m going to have to go.
