On the first day of orientation, the resident director gave us this advice on adjusting to life in Beijing: If you don’t laugh, you will cry. While this initially sounds bad, I actually have found it to be excellent advice. I started to take it last week, and since then, I have been having a much better time in China. Because of the language pledge, my friends and I have come to say “那么中国” (our broken-Chinese version of “that’s so China”) whenever something unusual or unexpected happens.

Two Fridays ago, we went to an acrobatics show in Beijing, which featured balancing acts, magic tricks, motorcycle races, and dance routines. The most popular act began with one ballerina riding a bicycle around the stage. With every lap, another dancer would join her on the bike until there were 30 ballerinas on the same one. At the end of the show, my friend Eliot remarked, “那么中国，trying to fit as many people as they can onto one vehicle.”

The next day, we went to a rooftop party to celebrate someone’s twenty-first birthday. Afterwards, we had dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant and then went to a dance club. I ended up returning to the dorm after 4:00, but I still was not that tired. Therefore, I skyped with my friends at Holy Cross, who were awake because it was still afternoon in Worcester, 那么 study abroad.

Much like it does at home, Monday arrived quicker than I expected. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Every weekday I study, go to class, have lunch, return to class, do homework, eat dinner, finish homework, and study. The highlight of the school week was when Suji discovered a café within walking distance where we can study and people watch, 那么 former baristas.

When class ended on Friday, we packed and went to the Great Wall. CET arranged for us to stay in a village, which gives two tours of a relatively unpopular part of the Great Wall. The majority of what we climbed had not been fixed since the Ming Dynasty (which ended in 1644). The hike was exhausting but completely worth it. It was so tiring for me that I did not even mind sharing a kang with five other people, 那么中国。

Next week is Golden Week in China (a week of holidays and craziness) so we do not have any classes. I am traveling to Shanghai with three friends (two of whom are Holy Cross friends), and we made reservations to stay at an airbnb because a real hotel was out of my league.* Similarly, I signed up to take the overnight, 13-hour train ride down to the city, 那么 college student on a budget.  I will let you know how everything turns out in my next post.

-Holly

*Check out this song: “Out of My League” by Fitz & the Tantrums

Rooftop in 三里屯儿

Holy Cross students cannot seem to escape stairs (not pictured: Luke, who chose the wrong day to wear a Bryant shirt)

Kyle asked me if my family partook in the construction of the Great Wall, 那么 Ke Kai

I have now been in China for the past two weeks, and my time here has already been completely different from anything I have experienced before in the past.  Luckily, on the second day of class, we learned this expression, which serves as a good piece of advice to anyone trying to acclimate to a new situation:  乱种有序，find order in chaos.

For instance, if you cannot drink the tap water, order it boiled.  If you think having dumplings for the sixth meal in a row will kill you, venture to the expatriate district in town.  If you cannot even read the instructions at the top of your homework, ask your roommate.  If the price is too high, ask if it can be adjusted.  If you see someone who looks like Usain Bolt, take a picture just in case.  If your home or college friends cross your mind*, set up a time to Skype.

If something else seems strange, shrug your shoulders and remember that this is a great opportunity.  Remind yourself that just because something is new, it is not necessarily a bad thing.

There are many things in China that are completely different, but also really awesome.  For example, you do not have to tip waitresses or waiters.  The bars and clubs play American music (mostly from the early 2000’s) that everyone can sing along to.  One of my classes only has three students and another has just two, so we all learn a lot because we have to talk almost the entire time.  At restaurants, people all share and you can try so many more dishes on the menu than you would have if everyone ordered individually.

If you are feeling lonely, hang out with your friends, read a book, write in your journal, appreciate what you have.  If you are feeling overwhelmed, create a routine and give yourself something to look forward to.

Find order in chaos.

*Check out this song: “Cross My Mind” by Twin Forks

Day trip to the Summer Palace

The girl on the right is my roommate Yu Jie aka Jenny

Thank you for always being here

Disney-themed wine — another example of quirky things in China

One week from now, I will be boarding a 14-hour flight to Beijing.  I keep repeating this to myself, hoping that I will start to believe it some time in the near future.  It really does not seem possible, partly because I have not given any serious thought to packing, and partly because I was living at Holy Cross just last month.

This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct research on Chinese linguistics and pedagogical techniques.  I worked with another student (who also will be studying abroad in Beijing this fall) and two professors from the Holy Cross Chinese Department.  Leaving Holy Cross was incredibly bittersweet.  Not only was I gaining valuable research experience, but I was also living in Williams Hall with one of my closest friends, a city view, and access to a car (the trifecta).

As you can imagine, choosing to study abroad for a full year was a difficult decision and required a lot of thought before committing.  Therefore, I did what I always do before making a big decision: channel Rory Gilmore and write a list of pros and cons.

Con: missing home

• friends and family

• junior year on the Hill

• volunteering with SPUD and LGR

• Spotify

Pro: experiencing new things

• eating authentic Chinese food

• following a language pledge

• living in such a large city

• attempting to sing karaoke

• meeting new people

• traveling around Asia

• having a Chinese roommate

• interning in Shanghai

While recording everything I will miss is not exactly uplifting, this list also makes me realize how many amazing things will soon be coming my way.  And the best way to approach new challenges is to give them all you have.*  I am looking forward to doing just that and am grateful for everyone who helped me get here.

Thanks for reading and let the adventure, or 冒险 màoxiǎn, begin!

-Holly

*Check out this song: “You Get What You Give” by the New Radicals.

When I say I will miss junior year on the Hill, this is what I mean.

Exploring Worcester this summer turned into trying as many dessert places as we possibly could.

Thought I should visit the U.S. capital before going to China’s.

冒险 can be translated as both a noun and a verb, meaning “adventure” and “take a risk,” respectively.