Apartment

So it appears we have found an apartment -- a lovely 3 bedroom in Huaqing Jiayuan, the closest apartment complex to Tsinghua's campus. Indeed, the mere thought of having a place to live makes living a year in Beijing seem altogether less threatening. And, as they say -- three's company, too.

See pictures!!

Latest Adventure

Posts below are remnants of my first adventure to China in the summer of 2008. The trip, undoubtedly, was difficult. Having never really been away from home, the summer in Beijing presented what at times seemed unsurmountable challenges. It was then that I realized how dependent I really was on the comforts and conveniences of home, and how little I knew about the way of life outside the American Northeast. My skies had never been darkened by thick clouds of industrial smoke, nor my lungs seiged by soot and exhaust. My water had always been potable right out of the tap, and I didn't have to peel (or even wash) my fruit before eating it. Since then, though, I have seen many ways of life, and have grown not only to appreciate the beauty of where I am from, but also have learned that my way, our way, is not the only way, and there is much to be learned from our friends abroad. Many asked why in G-d's name would I ever return to a place that I hated so much. My response is two-fold. First, I say, just because I complained about it doesn't mean I hated it. Looking back, it was a trying but rewarding experience, and the knowledge and wisdom I gained from it proved invaluable. Second, that was then, and this is now. Indeed, I am a much different person that I was three years ago, and the experience will be just as different. I have no illusions about how difficult at times this journey will be. But I am comforted by the fact that I have made it through before, and I will do so again, and that my friends will be by my side.