The bets are off!

So for all of you Beaufortonians that had money riding on it, you can pay up. It took exactly 2 weeks and 5 days for me to find my way to a Chinese hospital. The fourth...and hopefully final one. Don't get your feathers ruffled though, there is no surgery this time! I am actually mostly recovered now, just had a bacteria or virus thing. With a no-food diet, some antibiotics and some good roommates...I'm back in classes this Monday. I'm quite the model student...dropping down a year's level and missing two days all in the first five days of class.

Last night a group of Beaufortonians (for those of you that don't know, that is Beaufort, SC) met in Beijing at a duck restaurant. Thirteen were there: students, teachers, kids, travelers...all initiated by Mr. Cato. I was extremely impressed with one woman who has been here for 12 years, owns her own consulting firm with an all-Chinese staff, stayed through SARS with the staff, and speaks so fluently that she understands all of the political humor in a comedy routine. What?! Needless to say, there was good conversation. I am also impressed with the international school system that many were affiliated with. Apparently Beijing has suburbs that look like American suburbs, with real houses instead of apartments and a bunch of foreigners running around. One exception: these teachers have their housing paid for and drivers to take them everywhere. A pretty sweet deal.

I also learned about Beijing and cloud seeding last night. It is a modern-day rain dance. Aircraft shoot chemicals into the clouds, making them heavy and forcing rain. This will most likely be used to prevent it from raining during the opening of the Olympics, as it has been used in the past for other important events. For some people at the table, this was common knowledge...but I'm still in shock of the fact that they can control the weather.

I love Beijing bicycles...


and fruit markets...