A week later

I know it's taken me a long time to get this going. My apologies. I just got internet about half an hour ago. So now I'm "Johnny on the spot":) This last week has been a busy one that went by with a blink of an eye.

My "adventure" in getting here was probably one that most of you would never want to go through. I hope you don't have to! Let me give a synopsis... I got to Beijing okay with a six hour layover until I was to catch my domestic flight to Yinchuan. I checked my bags for the domestic flight and went to my gate to wait for the flight. Two hours after our flight was supposed to leave I'm still sitting there waiting to get on a flight that wasn't leaving. The Chinese didn't seem to mind. They were just sitting around. Me in my American fashion wanted to find someone who could speak English so I could know why we weren't leaving. I finally did and they said the weather was too bad (it was raining). The airport people kept saying they didn't know when the flight would leave and I was just supposed to wait. (Typical Chinese fashion.) So instead of waiting around for hours I decided that I was going to cancel that flight and book the earliest one in the morning. I could get a shower and sleep in a bed meanwhile.

I go and do this, but with much trouble. The Chinese don't like to be troubled so it took me a while to find someone who would do it for me. I did and then had to go pick up my bags again. So there's me pushing two carts through the airport with a big backpack on my back. I get a hotel and get on the shuttle. The men that had to put my bags on the shuttle were laughing and pointing at me for all the stuff I had. They were also really struggling to get the bags up there. (If I can do it, they can do it!) I get to the hotel and realize I've lost my passport. Long story short, I'm sobbing, a 16 yr. old is translating for me, an old lady is rubbing my shoulder and giving me tissues and the hotel is talking to the airport getting my passport into my hands. I decide I would rather be at the airport so I had back on the shuttle. I get to the airport. I sleep two hours and then wait at the doors of Starbucks so I can get my much deserved Frappucino and scone before I get on my flight.

I get to Yinchuan at noon on Wednesday exhausted and gross looking. Oh well.

I'll tell you all the happenings of the week the next time I write. And...I'll have pics. Right now I'm headed to meet my language tutor, "Happy". I think I'm going to give her a new English name. Afterall, she is an adjective:)

Much love!