Bienvenue au Beijing!

After a long day in the care of (stubbornly bilingual) Air Canada, I arrived in China yesterday, and quickly shipped out to Beijing University (Beida) where I will be doing my studying this fall. I will have a more detailed report (and some pictures) when my personal computer systems are up and running, but for now, a quick summary:

I'm living in a foreign student dormitory on Beida campus, sharing a hotel-like room with a gentleman from Southern California named Armando. Navigating a world where everything is written and spoken in Chinese has been, as expected, a trial thus far, and won't be getting easier until I get better. That begins next week, as my classes (speaking chinese, reading chinese, listening in chinese) begin. Until then, I'm mired in orientation, along with my fellow American students. I'm about to be booted at the internet bar, so I must sign off here, but expect more news soon.