So I finally arrive in Beijing after missing two flights. Thanks united airlines. I met my group, yay! I’m so happy to see people I know! What a relief! After having spent way more time on planes than I want in a 24 hour period I am glad to arrive in Xiangtan and shower and relax. But I forgot that China isn’t like home. So much smoking everywhere! In the cabs in the restaurants. No matter what you feel like you’re either choking on cigarette smoke or smog. Then you have the people hacking and spitting snot on the ground right where you are walking. I got laughed at for being offended, talk about culture shock. Seeing children with the crotch area of their pants missing is so common, I was trying not to take photos but it’s just too funny. And then there’s the traffic. Wowza can these people drive. It doesn’t matter if there is a lane divider or not, wrong side of the road? It’s all good. Drive in two lanes at once? No problem. Feel like cutting off a bus while on a mo-ped? Go for it. Nothing seems to be illegal. Most cars don’t have seat belts in the back seat and when there’s this much traffic I doubt you’d need it. But surprisingly there were no accidents during the first couple days, but we were about 4 inches from hitting someone or having them hit us. Great breaks I guess. I do miss home at this point but I am so happy to finally be in China again. Even with the different cultural ideals I know that eventually I will get used to it.
More about China later,
Peace.