I started my group Chinese classes this week. Right now group means me and a 28 year old guy from Spain. He seems a lot farther ahead than me since he had 5 weeks of classes, 5 hours per day here in Beijing before this week. My schedule is 9:00AM – 12:00, Monday through Friday.
Before I started at 9:30AM and there is sure a difference on the subway. The platform was track-to-track people. I’ve never seen station so crowded or a subway train so crowded. People like up next to the doors, when a train comes, the mass of people pushes and squeezes as many people in as possible and still not everyone can get on. So you have to wait for the next train. The problem is my class is in the central business district and it starts at 9AM, the same time many people start their jobs. So after you get pushed on the train and squeezed, you get pushed out at every stop because tons of people are getting off. You step out of the way and get back on after those people leave.
On Tuesday I avoided the worst of this by walking part of the way and skipping part of the business district. It was actually faster to walk than to take that part of the subway. The temperatures are dropping to near freezing now. I have a wool sweater, but still need to get a hat and gloves and maybe a coat.
I went to a birthday party on Monday with the people I met at the concert. I bought a birthday cake and brought it to make it unique. Usually Chinese don’t eat cake for birthdays or open presents in front of other people.
I got a new Chinese Visa this week. I think expensive at $270, but it allows me to stay in China until April 29, 2008 if I wanted, including leaving the country twice. This increases some of the options I have on what I can do. Maybe I can come back to China next year for a little next year to travel?