Back In Beijing
So, we're back in Beijing after a stellar trip to the Ming village, Chuandixia, and we're getting ready to go eat Peking duck and watch some acrobats... what could be better? Chuandixia and the surrounding countryside was perhaps the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Our hike up into the mountains to the Great Wall, while strenuous at times, gave us all a glimpse of some of the most beautiful vistas in the world. Our guide, Lao Leo, was apparently 76 years old and he out hiked all of us SOSers by far. (And he stopped to take a couple of cigarette breaks... go figure.) The high point for me was making it to the ruins of the Great Wall and walking across some of the rocks. The view of the surrounding mountains was so overwhelming that I can hardly put it into words but I can honestly say that it was one of the most incredible sights of my life and something that I will never forget.
It's hard to believe that I have been here less than a week. After spending a few days in Beijing and a few days in Chuandixia, I already feel comfortable in this environment and more than ready to take advantage of all that is ahead of us. More than anything, I am anxious to get to Jishou and begin teaching. All this travelling is amazing and I feel so pampered and luck to be here. But at the forefront of all of this is the fact that in just a week, we will be in Jishou, with our students, in the classroom. Until then, I'm loving all the great food, great people, the language, the sights, the smells, and the dirt.