On the Eve of an Adventure.

It seems like it's actually happening! I'm currently sitting near my gate at the LAX airport, waiting to board and writing this post which will probably be the last post before I enter Beijing! Now I am not 100% sure yet that I will be able to use this blogger while there, but I think I set everything up so that I can. However, I won't know until I get there so in case there are no blog posts coming in the next 10 days, you'll know probably why. In that case, I might just put up the posts after getting back, in chronological order, if I'm not too overwhelmed and if I come back in one piece.

Yesterday Cece and I grabbed lunch to touch base and say goodbye for 48 hours. Her flight left last night and both of us spent most of the day packing. We enjoyed one more lunch in the sun of no-longer-smoggy LA before reconvening in the allegedly very very smoggy Beijing.

It's finally hitting me that I just graduated from college and now it's time for me to realize that I'm about to fly to Beijing. I've heard so many different accounts of what it will be like, that I no longer know what to think, except that I am about to embark on quite an adventure.

I managed to pack fairly light, mostly because I'm expecting rather warm weather. I brought some emergency medications and figured out electronic compatibilities (I hope!). For lunch today I indulged in a nice juicy American burger that I normally never get, but since I'll be eating mostly Chinese food for the next 10 days, I decided to indulge and satisfy my american food craving.

Wanting to learn as much as possible about the world and its people, I will do my best to keep my eyes wide open and absorb as much of China as I can in my 10 days there. This is quite a chance for me to visit such a country with a native friend who can translate cultures for me! I am very grateful to Cece and her family for this.

I will try no to shy away from new experiences and will not let myself hide in my comfort zone, although I might refrain eating certain mystery meats.

I'm excited to see the tourist spots such as the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. However, I am also very excited to see how people live in Beijing, how a Beijing household runs, and how non-tourists see the city. I am also looking forward to the markets and I cannot wait to learn how to bargain! Perhaps I'll bargain myself into some great deals on name-brand knock-offs.

While waiting to start my journey, I keep reminding myself that I am not going to Europe. I've traveled there a number of times and I pretty much know what to expect whenever I arrive there. However, I have no reference base for this trip, so I am just laying back and letting it happen. It's much like committing yourself to a roller coaster ride: once you're in the seat, you're not getting off until it's over.

So, as I am preparing to fly West out of California for the first time, I am leaning back in my seat and letting the adventure swallow me.



Cheers,
Nina.

 I said goodbye to my apartment and the Graduation/Birthday/Housewarming bouquet.

Boarding time! Next stop: Seattle and then Beijing!