Hello from China

Readers,

Hello! I missed you. I don't actually know if you can miss readers over the internet, but I sure did.

I am in my fifth day in Beijing and three days of Chinese lessons (Ni hao!). Discoveries: China is BIG. I am terrible at Chinese. Cleanliness is not so much of a thing here. I can get the New York Times online but not Huffington Post or YouTube (no videos for a while).

Here's something else: Chinese people r-e-a-l-l-y love to take photos with Westerners. African-Americans especially, but pale brunette girls with light-colored eyes will do as well. The photo is of Hana Nobel and me at the Great Wall (hell yes) and a random man who wanted our photo. This is not a one-time event.

Today we went to an old old old Buddhist monastery where we took a tour given by the Great Monk (read: the head honcho). He gave us prayer beads and bananas and let us participate in
one of their services. I never really felt spiritual before, but it really did move me.

Anyway, have to go, having borrowed someone else's computer, but I'll update when I can.