I already miss that fresh country air

For the first time today, I saw blue sky and clouds- but just for a little while in the afternoon. I have always heard about the pollution in Beijing but could never truly grasp what it meant. The pollution looks like a thin fog everywhere and all the time. The first day was the hardest- having rarely been around smog and never to this extent adjusting was not an easy task. I can only imagine the health risks it has on the people of Beijing. I know that there has been a lot of talk about outdoor athletes being wary of the breathing conditions and while I feel the Olympics will still go on, I wonder if any world records will be broken, and if so to the same extent if the event was held in a less polluted area. 

High quality H2O

Right now my biggest concern is staying hydrated. I normally drink a gallon of water a day but between the plane ride (which I learned dehydrates people), the humidity coupled with walking, and not having access to as much water as I would like make me that much more concerned. We have been instructed not to drink the tap water and have been provided with Culligan-like jugs in each room for drinking- which has been a lifesaver I’m sure. Today I bought a reusable water bottle so that I can carry water around with me, unlike before when I crossed my fingers and hoped they would provide us with water at some point in time. 

Chinese food- The real deal

All those trips to HuHot paid off- it may have taken me longer to eat but learning how to use chopsticks before I came to China makes life so much easier. The only other eating utensil I have seen is a large spoon used for soups. The food has been very interesting and I have no doubt that if I was determined, I could go the next two months without eating the same meal twice. I have remembered to take pictures of each meal to this point and hope I continue to do so. In my opinion, the food tastes good but different. My first meal was pork and rice, my second was fish, rice and garlic stalks- which was surprisingly delicious, even though it wasn’t the green beans I was expecting. On average our meals have cost around $1.50 US. A serving of rice costs $0.04- so when I am given a serving and feel full after just half of my plate, it doesn’t bother me as much when I put it in the perspective that I only wasted $0.02 of food.

We have noted the irony of how much the Chinese are able to eat, but yet they are thin. We have yet to see an obese person and they are able to finish a plate of food that is twice as large as ours and we can only eat half of what we are served. I have a feeling I will be losing weight

The cafeteria was an interesting experience. There were 14 windows, each with four different items. It seemed hectic and chaotic at first, but after being in a few lines the system becomes clear. While waiting in line with another MU student I learned that Cola is the second most commonly known word throughout the world, with the first being okay. 

I have arrived!

After a 13 hour uneventful plane ride (thankfully) our group arrived in Beijing. Pictures do not do the airport justice! The new Beijing airport is so shiny and modern. Everything flows so smoothly, from exiting the plane terminal, to the subway, to pickup where our luggage arrived quicker than we did. I was surprised how quiet the airport was, even with hundreds of people waiting to get through customs, there was a very calm, relaxed atmosphere. So far, that has been my most exciting moment- probably because I have been too zoned out from jet lag the rest of the time to be too surprised. Anyone interested in architecture would probably like the airport through; I was in awe of its structure, something which I rarely notice. 

Got Buffalo Milk?

This was my favorite buffalo calve. In Egypt, buffalo milk is very popular and important to the Egyptian diet. It is 97% fat, which is what the people need since they cannot afford a lot of food, they need to get fat in their diet any way possible. 

Egyptians are just now starting to produce milk like we do in the US- before each farmer would have two or three cows and they would milk them for their family. While this still continues today, there are hopes that this will change for matters of efficiency. Also, a cultural mind-set that serves as an obstacle is that traditionally you give milk away as a gift if you have too much and to have to sell milk is shameful. While this practice isn't in full service, and the buffalo are still a little wild, there are hopes that changes will occur. 

Rolling down the Suez

 After we toured the Grains Inspection Lab in Port Said, Egypt, we were taken on a boat ride on the Suez Canal. For me riding a boat between Africa and Asia and between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea was more exciting than seeing the Pyramids. This was a great chance for our group to meet some of the Egyptians and we were able to ask whatever questions we had. 

A Life Lesson

This is my most memorable moment. Granted I was sick and running to the bathroom every 30 minutes that day, I will never forget the hospitality these women showed us. Living off of less than $1 a day, the women are involved in a cooperative where they are given seven goats that they bred for milk, meat and to sell for money. Their husbands can only find seasonal work so now the women, who only have a 30% literacy rate in Morocco can help to earn money as well. 

Part of Morocco's literacy and poverty problems come from the previous Moroccan King who didn't want farmers to move to the cities because they made the cities look bad. He said that, 'In Morocco there are the rich and then there are the less rich.' He did not acknowledge the countries problems. The new king on the other hand sees the importance of education and is now helping every child to learn to read and write, even if it means employing nomadic teachers to follow the sheepherder families to educate their children.

The biggest surprise here was how much heart the women possessed. I was taken back when it was translated for me that one woman was giving me her blessings and wishing me the best of luck in my future. It amazed me how much these women wanted for me, a person who already had more than they could ever imagine. Their excitement to see our group will stick with me forever- I hope to someday help them in a way that allows them to continue to help themselves.