February 12, 2012

I can hear the cars driving past my window, six stories below. I did not sleep on the plane, and yet I am only slightly affected by jet lag. The group went on a short tour of the campus. When we entered the cafeteria I was floored by how familiar the air smelled. Do all Chinese canteens smell like overcooked green vegetables and mountains of steaming rice with hints of processed sewage and grease? Two out of two cafeterias polled came out with an affirmative response. 100% so far. The air is so polluted I can feel my lungs shriveling in dismay. Judging by the objects and writing on my roommate’s desk, I believe she is Korean. I have not met her yet, she might be on vacation for the weekend, out in the city, or something of the sort. Right now it is 8:10 pm Beijing time and 5:10 am Orem time and the sleepy fog is starting to roll in.