So much catching up to do.....

Debunking Myths About China and its Culture:

#1. Confucius say......

Actually "Confucius" didn't say anything because no man named Confucius actually existed. The name Confuscias was latinized by a group of Jesuit missionaries. Confucius was actually named Kongzi (or that is one of the names he went by), but it seems today's Chinese have accepted the name Confucius as well since a movie titled Confucius is coming out very soon in China. It looks to be quite the box office hit in China (it is Confucius after all).


We last left off as I got off the plane in Beijing. I landed in Peking International Airport's Terminal Three. It's a redicously large - and quite beautiful - terminal built that was built specifically to handle the millions of the people who came for the Olympics. After picking up my bags, I was greeted by a very helpful girl on the staff of the China Studies Institute. As we got in the taxi, I was EXTREMELY glad to have a native Chinese speaker as she quickly told the taxi driver where twe were going and the quickest way to get there. This was the first time I realized the inadequacy of my Chinese language skills(I am now reminded of it hourly).

Just in case you didn't know, Beijing is huge. The ride to Peking University took about an hour, and that was just to go from the airport to the Third Ring. Beijing is filled with fantastic skyscrapers and sports facilities built specifically for the Olympics. The Bird's Nest and the Water Cube definitely stand out. The Chinese people are extremely proud of them, and look to them as symbols of their nations rising power. FYI, Bird's Nest is currently hosting a "Chocolate Wonderland" complete with detailed chocolate Terracotta Soildiers. It starts today, so if you hurry to you can own - and eat - your own chocolate Terracotta Soldier!



After arriving at my dorm room, (which has all the charm of a Motel 6) I unpacked and met several of the students from the program.

While I am not living in a five star hotel, I really can't complain about the dorms. They are cleaned everyday, and we are given water for tea every morning. Unlike may of the dorms on campus, each shaoyuan (international student dorms) provides central heat. A luxury not enjoyed in the other dorms. The international students are all housed in separate dorms from the normal Peking University students. This - as I was informed by one of my professors - was devised by the university many years ago to keep the Chinese students from being too influenced by the foreigners. So while most do not still hold the belief that international students are detrimental to the education of Peking's students, the tradition still continues.

The next few days consisted of all the students from the program getting aquainted with the university campus...or at least part of it. The campus itself is VERY big. Much of it is housed within the stone walls that surround the campus, however some of the newer buildings could not fit and had to be built on streets just outside the campus walls.



A few quick facts on Peking University.

1. Much of the campus used to be home to Yeching University which was a combination of three Christian colleges in Beijing in 1919. This changed after the Cultural Revolution when Yeching University's was taken over by the state. Its time as a Christian university ended, and the school's arts and science facilities were merged with Peking University. Many of the old buildings still stand and are a tribute to the fact that Yeching was built by foreigners. While Stuart built the campus on the royal gardens of the Qing dynasty and attempted to create buildings that reflected the country's culture, the buildings all have sloping roof, an honor only reserved for royalty.

2. Peking is arguably the top university in China. If you are majoring in arts, humanities, or science, you want to be a Peking University. The colleges in China are held in a hierarchical scale with Peking University at the top. So its kinda like Harvard on steroids. So its 15,000 undergrad and 4,000 grad students are the best of the best in China. Its surreal to look around campus and realize you are going to school with 15,000 of the smartest students in country of 1.4 billion.

3. The entrance near the West gate is "guarded" by two stone lions. These lions - as I was told by another one of my professors - once "lived" at the old Summer Palace before it was burned down. They have now found their way to Peking University.

Until Next Time..Zai Jian!

Kim Finally Writes

Hello! I know. I haven’t been blogging, but I have a good excuse (and its not the dog ate my homework). China has blocked Google blogger. Now I know some of you are probably wondering why I didn’t just pull some really techy move and break through the Great Firewall of China. And the answer is...I have absolutely no clue how to be that cool. So, I was left with the choice of finding a new blogsite, but that seemed like a lot of work and frankly I wouldn’t know where to start (again not a technologically savvy person).

SO, I thought really outside the box and...enlisted the help of my 17 year old sister Melissa to post stuff on my blog for me. I am basically sending back stuff to post (like this) and pictures for my sister/little minion to post. She is far better at this computer stuff than I am, and frankly my blog will probably look better if she maintains it. So Melissa...thanks, and your check is in the mail (or it would be if I had money or knew how to mail stuff from China).

Well, I now have about two weeks worth of stuff to catch you up on so I going to have to work fast! I will probably bring you (all two of my readers) up to date in a series of posts rather than in one big post. It just seems easier...and one big post would take too long. I am far to lazy to do that.

I am going to start with a few ground rules for this blog.

1. This blog is not going to stick to grammar rules. Professor Pate is probably going to kill me for this but..hey I am in China, my grade for freshman composition is pretty much set, and again I’m too lazy to check for all that stuff.

2. I’m not going to tell the fairy tale version of study abroad. I will be honest about what irks me about the culture, how I am feeling about being abroad,how I think we in America need to change our views, and most importantly...what food I really miss. If someone can figure out how to mail me some really good Mexican food I would be eternally grateful. ;)

3. I am not going to post everyday. I had this great idea that I would post everyday and keep everyone up to date with the newest and coolest thing that happened to me in Beijing, but then I realized I am not that exciting and posting everyday is impossible. So expect a few posts a week. Hopefully they will be worth your time. If not, there are four other study aboard bloggers. Perhaps they are having more fun.

4. I am going to try to start out with a quotation of some sort either from a Chinese philosopher or even something I found interesting in one of the required readings for the classes. Hopefully, it will show the difference between the American culture and the Chinese culture. Perhaps we will have more in common that you thought. At the very least, it will prove to my parents that I am actually paying attention in class while I am in Beijing. And this is something I am going to try out so I might drop it halfway through the semester...or even next week.

So now that we have that done let’s start at the beginning! Well...of this trip at least. I left the good ole U S of A on January 14th at 12:30am. It didn’t really hit me that I would be studying in China for four months until I stood at the security line and said goodbye to my parents. Then, I wanted a refund on my ticket. I gave them huge hugs, shed some tears (it’s a rarity for me to cry in public...if I have cried in front of you remember that occasion...it might not happen again) I probably waved goodbye about fifty times as the line crept closer and closer to the bag x-ray machine and I couldn’t see my parents anymore.

The plane ride was not that thrilling. But traveling on Asiana Airlines made me realize a few things.

1. I can never be an Asiana stewardess. They can each speak at least two languages and they smile all the time. (And its a thirteen hour flight)

2. I love Asiana. They actually had (dare I say it) decent airplane food. They delivered hot tea at least 4 times during the flight. I began to realize how much I would be drinking tea while I was in China.

Perhaps the highlight of my journey to Beijing came on the flight from South Korea to Beijing. Looking out the window at the vast ocean, I was struck by how small I am. I am one individual on a planet of billions of people. I am not trying to downplay the impact one person can have on the world, but it was an amazing feeling. I am just one. As the plane came closer to Peking International Airport, I looked out at scenery I did not recognize. To be honest, it was unimpressive and a little disappointing. I was finally in China (or at least flying over it) and I was being greet by dead fields, factories blowing grey smoke into the air, and numerous roads that cut across the land in a seemingly aimless manner. Here was China. My new home for the next four months.

Three Days to Go!!!

In just three days, I will be trading in the 75 degree weather of southern California for the frigid 29 degree weather of Beijing, China. Since I have never lived in a place where it snows before this should be quite...interesting. My plan: pack every single piece of clothing that seems like it might be good in cold weather in my suitcase. With just 48 hours left until I leave for China, I am trying to make sure I remember absolutely everything; and I am definitely buying one of these hats.

http://www.sportsauthority.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3552529&CAWELAID=443828075