胜利!! (shènglì) VICTORY!!

Good news, everyone!

I have found a sneaky ninja way to get around the Great Firewall, so Beijing Ginger is back in business! And by the way, I'M IN CHINA!

I got here about three days ago, after a long but not terribly annoying flight. The taxi ride to my hotel was "exciting", but I managed to make it there while only getting ripped off 10元 (a little over $1.00US) by the taxi driver. And I made it! Which is good!

The hotel itself was nice enough, and I spent most of my time there in my room watching silly Chinese TV shows. The Warring States period in Chinese history seems to be a very popular source of TV show inspiration, and Zhuge Liang, the clever strategist from the Red Cliff stories, made several appearances during the two days that I stayed in the hotel.

Since coming to the IES compound, a task which included another, not as "exciting", taxi ride and the help of two separate security gaurds, things have been orientation, more orientation, and then orientation-related meals. By the time this orientation is done I'll be so orientated that I won't know which way is up, which seems to defeat the purpose of the orientation process.

I sadly haven't been taking many pictures, but I'll try to start taking some soon. The campus here is pretty enough, and there are a few little gardens tucked away in between the buildings. I plan on exploring it more fully later.

Hope everyone is doing well, and I'll try to write soon!

~Kelsey