Oh How the Time Flies...

It's rather amazing that the end of the semester is drawing nearer and nearer. There's only approximately five more weeks here and I know I'll miss it a lot.

Being in Beijing was like taking a breather from the normal, daily routine I had grown accustomed to and got bored of and if not for the fact that I don't want to stay in college for more than needed, I would apply again to stay here for another semester. I remember the butterflies I had before I had left and was still in the States, and my raw excitement at finally getting out of Texas - heck, the country! Honestly, it hasn't abated. Instead, I'm used to it here and it's become another home away from home. Somewhat akin to leaving for my first year in college - except instead of being only a 3 hour drive away, it's about a 19-hour flight away. Well, it's the same except for the fact that I somehow like it better here.

Perhaps it's because of the culture shock - or lack of it, since my family is ethnically Chinese - and the fact that everything's so different, and yet, if you striped everything bare, it's all the same. The complexities of it all as well as the new habits one adapted in order to better function in this society all blends in to make it great. The little quirks that make Beijing, well, Beijing, give it a personality that can only be defined by the same exact word: Beijing.

I know once I leave this place, I'll miss the fact that you can bargain for pretty much everything and how native Beijingers don't quite understand the term "stand in line." I'll miss the large amount of cars and the fact that there's only one traffic law: if you can go, go. I'll miss the constant ruckus of honks honking, the sea of bikes alongside the sea of cars, and the constant sound of Chinese being spoken every which way you go - not to mention the fact that having a grey-colored sky is the norm. I'll also miss the 50 cent dishes that kept one full for half a day and the really good ice cream and yoghurt they have here. I'll also miss the 5 kuai DVDs that are sold on the side of the streets. I'll most definitely miss the fact that my short height is the average height here, and I know I'll be shocked to see the large number of 'foreigners' when I go back to the States, the good old melting pot. I also recall refusing to use the squating toilets but now, I'm not so against it - in fact, sometimes, nature is the best toilet of all!

Then there is the habit of spitting on the side of the street and the vast amount of chronic smokers that reside here that I won't quite miss, but that's easily overlooked. All in all, it's been a really nice adventure, being here, and there's still so much I have yet to do!

There's KTV and I still want to go to the zoo. Next weekend is dedicated to Zi'an, known for the terracotta warriors...

I can't help but think that everything is against me going back to the States. The one semester I'm not there, registration's been a near-disaster and so has housing. But here, everything's still going smoothly - so even though China doesn't quite run like clockwork, it's all right. Because for now, I'm still away from reality where the more reclusive me will emerge and life will continue its monotonous run through time.