People are people.

Dear internationals living in China,

STOP COMPLAINING.

You're in a different country - so, yes, there are going to be dissimilarities to your homeland.  That's called diversity.  Is this bad?  NO, it's not, so stop pretending that what Chinese people are doing is "wrong" or "stupid" just because it's different.  I'm sick of hearing about it, and, from what I understand, native Chinese people who speak English are, too.  Learn some respect, please. 

... That's my spiel for today. 

Things that have happened!

• Lots of foreign students/young people live around here, in very close quarters, so we keep running into each other.  This can be a good thing :)  
• I'm going to be a paid white person this weekend, dancing in a festival near Beijing.  Pictures will NOT be available via Facebook (at least, probably not), but I'll let you know how the entire situation goes.  Email me if you want details.
• Today was move-in day at the University of Geosciences, which means registration is tomorrow (Monday!).  Very excited.  The freshmen look like freshmen always do - scared out of their minds, wide-eyed, and completely at a loss as to what they want to do with their life.  Nice to be in familiar company. :)
• Met with the businessman who I'm going to tutor.  Miao's English is excellent, but he's having a bit of a problem keeping up with conversational English speaking and muddling through some of the more esoteric articles in... gosh, what was the periodical - The New Yorker?  That sounds right.  He wants me to go through some philosophy books with him, and some 19th century fiction.  That's right up my alley.  Miao also knew the highway that Itasca's on (I-35) because he lived in Dallas for several years.  Always a good sign.
• Going to start investing in the stock market.  China's exploding economically, especially in technological fields - all the more reason to learn Mandarin, right?  The energy sector's a bit hard to break into, since shares are so expensive, but some of the biotech startups have VERY low stock prices per share.  I'll let you know how it goes. 
• Helpful hint:  stand in line really close behind someone Chinese when you're on the street market, listen for how much they're quoted on a trinket, and then ask yourself immediately afterward.  The results are interesting.  Sometimes I hate being blonde.
• Have noticed a few beggars, but they're relatively uncommon in the Wudaukou area.  Must say, they make a killing off people who haven't been here long - the students don't know better than to toss a yuan into their cups...  which just leads to more beggars coming, and following foreigners as they walk through the night market.  

<3.  More later!