So I've been up since about 3 and couldn't fall back asleep so I decided to come up to the computer room. Funny, as I got up here, I heard all of these clicking sounds coming from the room. Apparently I'm not the only one who is up at this time of night (morning).
The first two days were OK. We landed without issues, everyone on my flight - there were like 20 of us from IES - got their baggage then went out to the receiving area and IES was already there. Loaded up, took the bus to Beiwai (abt a 40 min drive) and we passed the birds next and water cube. Pretty impressive. Apparently the water cube will be open after the Para-Olympics end for general swim. (I wonder If I'll get a UTI...). We had a dinner/mixer thing at night, where we got sandwiches. (What??? I'm in China and you give me sandwiches?!?! They tasted horrific, too).
Yesterday was harder. I woke up really early and just couldn't go back to sleep. I ended up taking a walk and finding another girl from IES so we watched some old ladies finish up their tai-chi excersices, which involved them doing all these kung-fu moves with a ball and racket. As in, the ball was balanced on the racket. I turned to the other girl and asked if she thought the balls were Velcro'd down. Um, no. We went back to the dorm to start orientation, where we got split into small groups (20 people) and started off. We went to the other side of campus, saw where a lot of the other buildings are, and how to get to the grocery store. Got breakfast (yum) and then off to cell phone-land.
Before I left from home, I made a big deal to my parents how I wanted to by a top of the line phone. Something really, really cool. Like a knock off iPhone. But when I got to the store and started looking at prices...I could hear my parents in the back of my mind saying "What?! $100 (yes..$100 US dollars...)for a cell phone?! Are you crazy!??!?) So...The group leader negotiated a group discount, so we all got a motorola phone, plus a sim card w/ minutes for 408 kuai.
Whatever. Had lunch w/ our groups, some sessions on what to expect at IES, then we had about 4 hours of free time. 2 other girls and I went back to the grocery store to pick up some toilet paper (I splurged and bought Kleenex brand) and other stuff like body wash etc. While at the grocery store, we rant into some other girls from the program as well, and then headed back together. It was funny, I'm so much more confident than I was last year when I made Amberle do all the talking for me. Then I went back to the room and took a nap. Bad choice. I woke up sooooo sooooooooooooo homesick. And, just by chance, when I woke up I had to go to a discussion on "adjusting to life in China." Greattt. It was fine, I think I was so tired everything just kinda went over my head. After this meeting I had an "advising session" which entailed me going to the room w/ a program director, and him telling me that my choices for class (Business and Literature) were accepted and I should pick up the books the next day (which would be today). There was dinner provided (Pizza. What the hell?!?!) but I was so tired and out of it I just went downstairs and hung out for like 5 mins with another girl who was down there, then took a shower. When I got back from the shower I open my room (it's all opened by hotel access cards) and looked and my roomates bed and saw she was in there, bundled up like a pig in a blanket , with her eyes just showing. Jesus Christ, I'm glad I didn't like, pee myself from surprise b/c I really didn't want to take another shower.
Anyway, that's the latest from me. Will try to post as regularly as I can...
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