I'm looking through the glass/Where the light bends at the cracks...

Beijing is an incredibly fascinating place. Sometimes I adore it, sometimes I'm in awe, sometimes I feel bad, and then there are those sporadic hours when I want to strangle it and breath in breath out some fresh Oregon air. There's a poster on a building downstairs that says, "Welcome the Olympics. Advance the district's spirit!" Seen on the subway today: "www.bj-job.com....easy talent!" So yesterday we did the tourism bit around The Summer Palace (AMAZING) and then I bought some incense and made my way around a sprawling Buddhist temple. Very interesting. Lunch today was: Peking Duck!! I'm not gonna lie, this stuff is crazily good, and the resteraunt is historical and beautiful.They slice the duck into precisely 108 pieces right in front of you. Aww poor duckies. Had to say some heartwrenching good-byes before I could make my way to Tianjin, sigh. And then I cried with Conor again on the car ride home...seriously, send that man my emo regards. But Tianjin! It's the best feeling in the world to be with my family again. The miscommunications and cultural idiosyncracies aren't always easy though....But I think that when you know two cultures there will always be that feeling of double-conscienceness-- an understanding of one world from the inner circle of comprehension and a simultaneous awareness of it from a completely oustide window of perception. Definitely enriches life a little bit more, but doesn't do much in terms of simplicity. Excuse my rambling and broken grammer. Consider this a stream-of-conscience (sp? uhh) kinda thought throw-up. I miss: my little brother, my bathroom, pine trees. And then some. Overload of emotions as of late. That's okay though ~on the adventure! =) Ttyl