Once I find a toaster

Arrived in Beijing:  Sept. 2nd, 2009.  9:55am

Realised things would get difficult:  Sept. 2nd, 2009.  10:30am

I've been in Beijing for 11 days.  11 days of awe, excitement, anger, frustration, and epic confusion.

The first couple of days were spent exploring and trying to organise things with the uni, as well as getting food poisoning and projectile vomiting.  Not so fun.  I miss bread.  I miss cheese.  And dear LORD do I ever miss toasters.

The issue I did find myself having was the lack of organisation.  I really, really don't want to piss on anyone's parade, but DEAR JESUS.  No emails telling us what to expect when we arrived.  No notification that we would need all the original documents from the doctors (except you can't even get the origional copies of blood work without the doctors getting really, really awkward in Switzerland).  No notification that we would need passport pictures.  No frikkin information given to me about what the medical test would be ONCE I got here.

Speaking of medical tests...can we say unhygenic?  The woman would not wear gloves until I shouted at her to wear them.  And she was taking blood.  Just EW.  And, and, and, we were all just in a BIG MASSIVE QUEUE WAITING FOR THEM TO TAKE OUR BLOOD!  *phew*  Sorry, I know I sound so bitchy...but seriously, this is the country that is so paranoid about the Swine Flu...and yet...NO GLOVES!

Experiencing a little culture shock at the moment, as you can probably tell.  The staring is getting to me, the laughing at my accent is getting to me, and the constant frustration of not being able to have a decent conversation with people in shops is getting to me.  I do love the food, I love the experience of culture, and I love the Reggae bar we found where the owner is willing to teach us Beijing slang and put up with our mistakes.  I love the shoe shop assistant (this little old man) who said I have good taste but my feet are just too big for China...but come back tomorrow when they have more stock, he might find me something in a size 40.

So I guess it's good and bad.  I miss everyone so terribly, and there have been instances when I have thought maybe I should have stayed home.  But then I think...Jesus, how can I be so selfish?   I have an oppertunity like nothing else.  I get to experience China as a student.  It's relatively safe, I'm not going to run out of money, and I have a support system.

Everything will be fine...once I find a toaster.