hello beijing

monday evening, i was battling the jam at jalan surian near the curve after a mad dash to the mall to get a pair of shoes.

monday night, i was stuck in KLIA trying to hold the tears in, while being secretly glad that the flight was delayed by an hour.

tuesday morning, i was sitting in a cab listening to the driver's slurred beijing mandarin, and mentally noting it sounded arabic.

tuesday afternoon, i was walking around the wu dao kou area for a relaxing form of sightseeing.

i liked what i saw..

the weather is splendid. cold, but pleasant. the sun warms you during the day, and a trench keeps you snug at night.

the people here.. well, i just need to learn up my mandarin. fast. then they'll stop asking me where i come from once i open my mouth.

the food is cheap. you can get a 4-dish chinese meal for about RMB12 per person. there are cafes that are cozier than your cat's basket just a stone's throw away. restaurants are aplenty, and a good meal is guaranteed if you know where to go. iv yet to try the bland beijing food that many speak of. the waiters at the muslim restaurant are the friendliest bunch, so far!

Despite its name, Beijing Language and Culture University campus feels more like a village, in a good way. You get pushed around from one dormitary to another (pulling a 25g luggage on the left hand, a 12kg hand luggage on the right, a handbag on the left shoulder, and a labtop on the right) because the reservation that you made twice, was somehow not recorded. You also get sent across the campus to make fee payments and registration. funny, how every building in the university operates separately from one another. Sole Proprietor Building No. 1, Sole Proprietor Building No. 2... i kid you not, the buildings are called as such, minus the Sole Proprietor bit. the less-than-typical library houses students looking for a quiet communal place to study.. there are no books to read save for purchases made from the bookstore.

however, i've gotten used to stepping over gaping holes in the ground, walking over half-cemented, half stoned walkways, dodging angry bicycles and cars alike, and have come to see the beautiful side of it. there are little parks situated between the dorms, places you can sit down and have a quiet chat while watching blue-tailed birds hop across the roots of the trees. a woodpecker joined the family tree today. there is a quaint little 'friendship store' one block away, which sells everything from handphones to stationery to toilet paper. there are soldier-lookalike security guards that look swell in their uniforms, because they stand so upright and smug you think they love their job. the sports arena entertains the likes of basketballers and volleyballers while showcasing the beauty of taichi and wushu enthusiasts. trees line the walkways in their autumn glory. the campus, and its surrounding areas, are heavy with the bustle of students, workers and teachers.

Dorm Building No. 6

Security guards doing their rounds at dawn

wandering out, there are huge shopping complexes lining the street.. but some entrances are somewhat obstructed by a construction site. it's perfectly normal to dodge around metal sticks, loose rocks and stern faces, just to get somewhere. the nearby cinema is showing 'the golden compass', but i wouldnt have known it was open for public until I saw the poster plastered on the wall outside. a friend here likens china to a big factory. i think he is pretty close to the truth.

i took my placement today. it was difficult=[ no way i could give the han yu pin yins to the 100 chinese characters on paper. classes start tomorrow itself. it will be hard work!

p.s. i cant view my blog, but i can blog. so Blogger is somewhat blocked in China. hmm..

edited 29th march
things i can do:
- blog
- read comments (as i get notifications)
- modify template

things i cant do:
- use pkblogs (as per isaac's recommendation, somehow it doesnt work for me)
- use proxy.pac in advanced network settings
- view chatbox