The before.

So, I started this blog to keep track of the goings on with our China trip - mainly to keep tabs on what goes on over there for everyone's enjoyment over here. I'm not quite sure what the internet access is going to be like, so I'll keep a journal and then transfer it here (with pictures!!!!) when we return.


Question #1: Who is we?

Within two weeks of starting med school, I convinced Jerry Dong, one of my classmates and (current? former?) Chinese citizen to defer his trip home to Beijing until the summer so I could come with. Amazingly, it was as easy as that. Oh, and coercing (with my mind) the airlines to make flights in December super expensive. Hooray!

Huay-lin Lo was studying (anatomy) with us at the time, and said he was down. So that's how it all started......


Question #2: How long are we staying/where are we going? 2 weeks exactly leaving Sun May 31 and returning Sun Jun 14; staying around Beijing (if we can get through Immuno first, ew.)

Question #3: Will you even make it over there?

All very good questions. We've had a few hiccups so far in the journey (and we haven't even left yet?!). Let's account them now just for fun.

1) Swine Flu. FML.
-If anyone on our plane is even suspected of having the flu (let alone proving that it's swine flu) they will quarantine our plane for a week. What does this mean? It means I will have sat still on a plane for 12 hours to sit in a hotel room (or something worse, who knows) for an entire week. At least I'll get Chinese food, right? Unless they decide we want American food and feed us KFC or a week. Ugh.
-Since we're from TEXAS (hold your cheering, please - wait for it) and the swine flu was suspected as coming from Mexico, none of the hotels that Jerry's dad checked out will allow us to stay there. CAN THEY EVEN DO THAT? Yes, they can, and are.
-Don't know if Jerry is freakin' me out, but apparently the po po can stop us in the street, ask us for our passport, figure out we're from Texas, and send us home with an escort. FML, again.
-ALL T-shirts I own in some form or another say Texas on them. Thus, I cannot bring them or risk getting chased by the po po and put into a Chinese prison. Oh, dear...

Solution: Party at Papa Dong's!!! Woooo.

2) Huay twisted his ankle. Still on crutches. Please, please let the heel heal. (he he I'm funny)


Other than that, things seem to be a go. On another note: My Chinese. Here's a running list of the words/phrases I know:

1) Water.
2) Hi
3) Thank you.
4) Bathroom/Toilet
5) How much is it?
6) eat baby/child. (at one point I knew: I want to eat your baby/child - Courtesy of Huay, he obviously thought I'd be lost without this one.)
7) The English translation of IgG, which I will not recount here.

I think that's good enough for a first post. OMG ONE WEEK!!!!