Tough on the lungs

I consider it a 'good thing' that I have grown comfortable with spitting while walking in a crowd. Today the pollution was so thick my lungs truly felt taxed from the pressure and lack of inhaling something clean. I found myself gravitating to smokers so I would have something different to inhale. The pictures I have attached were taken at 1 pm this afternoon and the sun was shinning. You can't even begin to get the idea from the photo, the reality is far worse.

My morning began as usual (up quite early, 3:30 am to be exact) and I began my trek to the school around 8 am. Not really hungry I walked past the street vendor selling those delicious smelling rice pancakes with egg. I watched as the man flipped the rice cake, used his chopsticks to bust open a hole in the pancake and insert an egg into the hole. A process taking approximately 10 seconds per pancake. I smiled and continued my walk to the school.

When I reached the school I entered the wonderful little bread shop on the corner. Peering into the cases and searching the tempting delights that they held, something inside of me said, "Just go get the egg pancake." So that is exactly what I did. I walked back down to the vendor, assumed my place in line among the locals and anxiously waited for my pancake. In my best hand gesturing I told the wife that I did not want sauce, lettuce or meat. I figured since this was really my first 'cooked' street food I should not add things on that were not fried in hot oil.

She understood immediately, put my little pancake in a small plastic bag, collected my 20 yuan (35 cents) and sent me on my way. I couldn't wait to dig into my little savory treat but waited until I reached the classroom. It was everything I had hoped it would be. Hot, dense, salty - absolutely fulfilling! I foresee many more in my culinary exploration. Who knows, by the end of the next 5 weeks I may add the sauce :)

I haven't spoken about my class much but it is fantastic. I do believe I may have found my calling. It is an awesome methodology they teach and I find that I am adapting very well. I have made friends with the entire class and they are all wonderful. This weekend I have been asked to 'hang' with the two 20 yr old South Africans and Margo the Swiss girl. Margo is one of my favorites. She is strong, a down to business kind of girl around 29. She has lived in Beijing for 3 years. She will be our guide and we all want to do the same things so it will be grand. Friday night kicks it off with eating scorpions and bugs on Wangfujing Street, followed by a Rum Bar where they make all their own rums. The weekend is full with the Forbidden City, the Zoo and The Summer Palace.

Sweet little Charlene (from S.Africa) told me (in her awesome little British accent) that she just loves being around me. She thinks I am (and this is meant in a good way) like one of the ladies who would tell their life story on Oprah. Johan , her boyfriend, says my accent is so beautiful and I should make audio books! I just adore these two and we will have a blast. I think I'll spring for dinner for all of us at the Noodle House. It's not often you get an English speaker who knows their way around Beijing, or asked to actually hang out with 20 year olds!

I just filled my belly with some fried green beans and garlic and a soup of cabbage, mushrooms and some unknown meat. You will be happy to know, since the menu was solely in Chinese, the staff spoke zero English and I had no clue what I was getting, I opted not to eat the meat. That did not however stop me from plucking all of the cabbage and mushrooms from the unknown meat broth and gobbling them down.

I have learned over the past few days to be grateful for the snow. First thing in the morning about 30 men and women converge on the sidewalks running in front of my little hotel. They use rudimentary shovels and flat spades to chip away at the ice and remove the snow. With this comes a wonderful phenomena - with the ice and snow the frozen spittle that has built up and covered the sidewalks is also chipped away and removed. I walk down the streets a little more confident after a snowfall, not fearing I will slip - for the sidewalks are clean once again albeit a short amount of time. Nevertheless, for a brief shinning moment, they are clean!.