Beijing Beginnings

Beijing is exhilarating. Only a few days have passed since my arrival and I find myself both exhausted and fulfilled, the city has surpassed all my expectations and it has done so in a spectacular fashion.

From the offset it was quite clear to establish that I was certainly a long way from home – obviously in geographic distance from my London home, but also distant in a sensory way. The heat, the lights, the smells, the sounds, the behaviors, the mannerism and the vastly different language all seemed so very unfamiliar and different. Stepping out into airport in Beijing really did ignite those pangs of apprehension and unease, further reinforced as we traveled through the city to find our home for the next few months, noticing the distant smog and seemingly chaotic roads. However, accompanying that apprehension was a noticeable feeling of excitement and adventure about the city – a feeling that would grow over the next few days into what I could almost define as an infatuation.

I was surprised at how relatively easy I found it to acclimatize to life in Beijing, especially considering how disoriented I felt in the first few hours here. Everything felt different. Everything seemed different. But how different was it really? As soon as you stop pointing out everything that makes you feel alienated and unusual – and start looking at what is similar – you might start to find that life here actually isn’t so distant from home. Of course, that is not to say that Beijing does not have its own personality, it certainly does! But the moment you begin to realize that it functions just like other large metropolis – trains, taxis, working, eating, drinking, socializing, enjoying – then you start feeling a sense of security. And it is that small sense of security and familiarity that ignites the sense of adventure in full vigor. The sun always sets, the clocks always tick, and the city awaits your eager eyes. Once you gain your footing in Beijing (and that’s 99% a mental game) – that’s when you can start to the really experience the differences and enjoy that fact that you can be here to experience them.

After about a week of consistent sleep and exciting trips and meals organized by the CRCC team, I feel like a whole new person. In only a few days I’ve manage to explore the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Beihai Park, Sanlitun, the 798 Art District, and had some great food to top it all off. I have been here barely a week and I am already feeling like two months is a meager amount of time to explore all that Beijing and the surrounding area has to offer. I guess I will just have to work on improving my efficiency!

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