I’m feeling better. I will stumble and be hurt again, but deep inside, I’m strong and joyful once more. Stronger and better.
It feels wonderful.

I woke up to the blessed absence of howling winds outside the window. Not like this weekend, when I seriously considered stocking up on supplies and hibernating until March, because of the icy Siberian gale that cut through clothes right to the bone. I never knew winds could be that malicious, and apparently, they’re a regular feature in Beijing winter. Ah, Beijing… you sure as hell don’t make anything easy, do you?
But that’s alright with me. It sounds weird or cliché, but difficulties do make you feel alive, and all that jazz. And as much as I complain and am annoyed on a daily basis, this gritty, unfriendly city has a way of bringing you to the brink of despair; but in the next moment, it makes you feel more alive and excited than you ever thought possible.
It was warm and sunny again outside, and I bicycled slowly, enjoying the lush greenery of our little neighbourhood and the serene morning lull so rare in this boisterous city. I was just thinking how much I enjoyed living here, when I reached the neighbourhood gate and BAM, almost slammed into it.
Wtf? It’s never closed. There were about fifteen police men and security guards milling about, looking important and shooing me and several others to the side. The road we had to cross to get to Beida was completely free of traffic, and yet, we were forbidden to cross the street. When asked “Why?”, the oh-so-Chinese reply was “Just get out of the way!”. Lovely.
A couple of minutes passed with nothing happening, and me growing bored and late by the minute. Finally, several of us were allowed to cross into Beida, where another fifteen or so security and police were milling about, huffing and puffing. They’d also closed off all my fastest routes to my class, which meant I had to take detours. And still, no info, though I had a pretty good idea by then.
Sure enough, another few minutes later, and a long convoy of black cars with tinted windows drove into Beida and past us. I’m guessing they were some of the African leaders participating in the China-Africa summit that was held during the weekend. Couldn't they just have told us that?
As harmless as the reason was, I was still a little jarred to be reminded that damn, I really am not in Kansas anymore. Who knows what the reason will be, next time a horde of police show up around my neighbourhood?

The rest of the day went better, with my Oral Chinese class coming in top, as usual. Any class where we discuss the origin of Chinese swearwords is an instant favourite with me. Also, there was an unintentional joke made that almost made me hyperventilate from laughing too much. It’s, ahem, not very well suited for this venue. Hi Mom and Dad!

In the afternoon, Patrik came over and we all studied for our exams this week. That is, until the toilet got clogged. I was a total and complete wimp, and helped out with my combination of disgust and horrified fascination, girly squeals and panicky giggling. Hannah and Patrik were superheroes, with Patrik finally unclogging it (don’t ask me how, I didn’t see the details and I’m eternally grateful for it) and ducking for cover from the stench, and Hannah bravely cleaning it all up. Frickin. SUPERHEROES. X-men’s got nothing on an English gal who’s cleaning it all up barehanded, and who finished off with a dazzling smile and a “It’s flushing so much better now too, isn’t it amazing?”
Though that last comment together with the huge smile was very, very, very, unsettling.