Special post just for Chuck

So Chuck asked two pretty good questions in my last post...so I figured I'd take a sec and answer them for you all...

"What's your room at the University like? Had any exciting meals yet?"

1-The hotel at the university is nice (chandeliers and marble in the lobby, etc)...except for one HUGE thing...the beds. Absolutely the hardest bed I have ever slept on...I already hurt after the first night. But I am glad there is just enough space for my and Megan (my roommate during the trip)'s stuff which is good. Sometimes non-American hotels might lack the space...which I can understand because you don't need to be hanging out in your room. But when you have two girls with a fair amount of baggage, space is key. Also, its nice to know we can really unpack here and get (somewhat) comfortable because we won't be moving for 8 days.

2-As far as exciting meals go...I have had one so far: breakfast. Yesterday morning Mark and I stumbled upon a little pastry shop called "Holiland"...sort of like a place where you could go buy pan dulce. You get a tray and tongs and load up. I LOVE pastry breakfast in China. Really delicious but not overloaded with sugar like in the US. Other than that we have just been snacking on foods from the convenience store (like wasabi peas, chips, lemon wafers, etc). But that does remind me of something wonderful about this country...they make it so easy and affordable to buy bottled water here. I can buy a 1.5L bottle of water for 3RMB...which is basically 50 cents. Amazing. Love it. Since Mark and I are now settled in the group and aren't moving around so much, I hope to be excited about something else besides 50 cent water going forward. Once I am,  I will let you know.

Today is the day we go see Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. Charging up the camera so I can post tons o pics!

Enough for now.

-G