The Start Of It All

Well my adventures in China started early (2:15 a.m.) on Tuesday, well really they have been in the works for a long time with all the packing, planning, goodbyes, and nerves.  But it all become real on Monday when I was packing the last of my bags (and weighing and re-weighing them to make sure they were under 50 lbs.).  I finished packing around 10:00 p.m. and then had to make the decision; to sleep, or not to sleep.  I decided to lay down for a bit...but my mind was racing so it did no good.  After what seemed like an eternity my alarm finally went off at 2:15 and I set myself in action.  By 2:40 I was out the door and off to my friend April's who graciously agreed to give me a ride to the airport at that ridiculous time of day.  By 3:45 I was at the airport with all my huge bags in tow...ready for flight...

However, I guess the airline attendants weren't ready...nobody really showed up until 4:30.  No worries, this gave me enough time to test out my bags, so carefully packed and weighed to measure 46 and 47 pounds respectively...but wait!  What, I try them on the airport scales and they are coming in as 51.5 and 51.  Not what I was hoping for.  No worries, a little rearranging in my carry on and I was soon sitting at 49 and 50 lb. bags, through security an off to my first checkpoint.  The flight to San Francisco was uneventful and I may have even gotten about half an hour of sleep on that day...just enough to tempt me into wanting more.  The only disturbing thing about the flight is that I was supposed to meet a colleague (well the Dean of my College in China) who speaks Chinese and knows her way around.  We were supposed to go 'together' to ICB.  That was the plan...and no real back-up plan.  However, she was not in Denver before we left.  Maybe I missed her?  Maybe she was in first class?  I'm slightly freaked at this point.

In San Francisco I look all over for her (Rose).  Nothing...I begin to think that perhaps the face that I had in my mind for Rose was not really her...I proceed to ask every single Chinese lady I see if she is Rose (note...there are a lot of Chinese women who take that flight from San Francisco to Beijing...I'd say about 98% of the women were Chinese...so I did a lot of asking).  Well, I'm beginning to realize there is no Rose...(although I secretly hope she is in some hiding place and pops up in Beijing).  The flight itself was 12-13 hours...a long time, but you know they really do a great job on International flights keeping you entertained and fed and everything...so it really wasn't bad.  The only drawback was I had the seat (in the aisle) that was right outside of where the flight attendants come through with their carts.  Every time I was close to nodding off...CRASH!  Another cart would come slamming against me, oh well...it was probably all for the better because I really wanted to get my body on Beijing time as quickly as possible...and hey no sleep for a couple days will allow you to sleep at anytime, right?

So anyways, at some point in this flight I start talking with my seatmates...the one in the middle is a super nice guy who works for Google in China.  He was just in the San Francisco area to work at that Google for about 6 weeks.  It turns out he lives in the Haidian District near me and was determined to help me if nobody showed up to get me.  My other seat mate was also Chinese but has lived in America for the last 10 years.  She lived in Golden, CO for about 5 years so was excited that I was from Littleton.  She too was not willing to let me out of her site when we got off the plane for fear that my 'people' wouldn't show up...as she put it.

Well, after a super long flight we finally arrived in Beijing.  One thing I immediately noticed was that my carry on (my leather computer bag) broke.  :-(  The Leather Strap ripped right off of the bag itself...this does not bode well for me hauling three 50 lb bags and this leather computer bag any sort of long distance; but as those of you who know me well...it is not surprising this happened to one of my bags...doesn't it happen to all of them?  Anyways, we got off the plane and I got in the customs line for foreigners.  It was long and slow but MUCH more organized and efficient than the one in Italy...Praise!  Got through fine and the man slashed through my Visa.  Apparently signifying my one entry has thus been used up!  (Sidenote:  They are trying to get me a multi-entry Visa here!!!  That would be exciting if it would go through!).

I got on a train and immediately felt the heat and humidity of Beijing weighing on me...wowswer!  I was immediately drenched with sweat.  I get to baggage claim and my seatmates are there waiting for me.  We wait forever for our bags but this gives me one last chance to look for Rose.  Rose?  Rose?  I make several frantic loops looking for her...nothing.  My seatmates are not phased...my first bag arrives...it is broken too!  Oh man, this flight was not kind on my bags.  The handle has completely busted of the top of this 50 lb bag...darn!  The next one comes and it is fine...yay!  My Google friend has retrieved me a luggage cart after seeing the damage of the bags (seriously, how nice of a guy).  We then go together out of the airport toward the taxi line...and then I see it.  A Chinese man holding a little sign that says Gary Olson.  RELIEF!!!!  There is someone here to take me to my new home!!!!

I thank my seatmates for being so kind and greet my newfound friend....err...driver I guess.  He leads me to his car, we get my sorry broken luggage inside and head off toward ICB.  Well...slowly.  By the time I got through customs and everything it was about 4:00 Beijing time.  And traffic was bad...and slow.  Fine by me.  Great chance to see the city....or more accurately, to see the smog.  WOW!  I always heard how bad the smog was...but this stuff was intense!  Thick!!!  Dark....hanging everywhere!  Wow.  I soon realized I wasn't in Kansas anymore (or Dave's House!).

On the drive the first building I recognized was Ikea...lol...a huge Ikea, good to know.  Well, we eventually wind our way through town and arrive at ICB.  My driver doesn't speak a word of English and none of my Chinese phrases that I know are really good for small talk (where's the bathroom?...not so much the right scenario to bust that one out).  When I get to ICB there is a man there who is very frantic and says his American name is Sto (haven't met many American Sto's...but o.k.).  He is a little ball of energy and very much in a hurry.  He starts by giving me my keys and says this is how you get in...now you try.  (Luckily...I'm good with doors...not a problem).  We then get in and he wants a copy of my passport.  I already sent them a copy of my passport front page with my picture...but he is wanting the stamped page that they just did when I went through customs an hour ago.  I tell him that I don't have a copy of that page...and this sets him off!  He is IRATE!!!!  How could I not make a copy of my stamped Passport page...they NEED THAT!  What are we going to do...how DARE I...they said we needed a copy of our passport.

(Sidebar:  Does anyone else thing this little rant was strange on his part?  At what point in time was I supposed to make this copy for him?  There are no copy machines in the airport...the driver spoke NO ENGLISH whatsoever and was intent on getting me to ICB as quickly as possible...and immediately upon arrival I meet this man demanding a copy of my stamped passport page?  )

Anyways, eventually I got through to him that I didn't have the chance to make a copy of it...he is NOT HAPPY but grabs my passport to go make one himself.  (Talk about not starting off on the right foot with someone).  He comes back and asks me what is wrong with the facilities (the stuff in my room).  I tell him that I haven't had a chance to try anything.  He is again irate...well if something doesn't work, I NEED TO KNOW.  O.k., I'll tell you dude.  It's just that I haven't even BEEN INSIDE MY APARTMENT YET.  I'm beginning to think he misunderstood that I have A) Never lived in this apartment before, and B) Just got to China from the airport...there was definitely something not adding up for how irate he was about these things.

He then says, if you have any questions or want to eat ask your neighbors.  O.k. (on a sidenote...I have talked to this man again...he is the man in charge of faculty relations at ICB, in other words he is supposed to make sure we are taken care of on our arrival and if we have any questions once we have actually arrived...he wasn't nearly as bad the second time around...maybe he was in a hurry, or having a bad day...at any rate...I was kind of happy for him just to leave, even though I really had no idea where anything was).

So here I was...in China.  At last.  Very tired.  And hungry.  Off to explore.  Will tell more soon!