Classic Beijing

I know I have been a bum lately and haven't blogged in a while but the truth is that I've been quite busy with my new job and there just is't enough time in the day to post. I will also be taking a leave from Beijing during the end of the month, so this will officially be my last post until April. I will have a lot built up by then.

I just wanted to take a second to talk about a 5 minute walk I took last Friday between my office and the nearest McDonalds (I still tutor a student/friend there from time to time). In this order I was approached by two Nigerians who aked"you cool?" (code for "you want to buy some drugs?"), a woman walked past me screaming weishenme zenmeyang (Why! Whats up!) on her cell phone, I was stared at by a group of migrant workers smoking cigarettes on the curb, a rickshaw driver wanted to give me ride and in the process of refusing a BMW honked his horn at us trying to exit a hotel parking lot, I passed a girl who only muttered "socks?" and then a prostitute at the door of McDs tried to pick me up. The next two hours were spent eating chicken nuggets while comparing North Korea and China and whispering about the current CNN blackout during the riots in Lhasa (sometimes my students are afraid of Big Brother.) Classic Beijing.

I am looking forward to visiting the States next week to see my friends, family, cheesesticks, the land of the free, fresh air, and my dog. I need a break from Beijing... but I always miss it (despite its flaws) everytime I'm away.