Jennifer in China

As some of you know, about 10 days ago or so I put a call out for folks to help out my friend Jennifer who was going to Beijing University for a year to study.  The response was overwhelming and I can’t say enough to express my appreciation.

So I won’t.

Instead, I’m going to post up a message from Jennifer letting us know what is going on with her and sharing some of her experiences to date.  Enjoy!

I never know where to start with these kinds of things... but I guess I should start with the most important thing:  THANK YOU!

The kindness of both friends and strangers that has been shown over the past week has humbled me more than anything I've ever experienced.

After going through all of my struggles with red tape at school and funding and such, I was really starting to feel discouraged about whether or not this was the right thing.  When I finally thought everything was ready to go, I realized I was faced with the financial aid SNAFU, I didn't know how I would possibly be able to fulfill my dream of studying in China.  I was completely discouraged, and felt that maybe it wasn't the right thing to do.

Enter Mark. When I first read what he put up on his site, I cried. Not because I thought I would get any money, but to have a friend write something so nice about...  I mean, it's like you always have these things that you hope your friends (and other people) think about you, but to actually see them written down where other people can see them... it's just stunning. That to me was one of the greatest gifts anyone could have ever given me.

Then, much to my surprise, people started donating money.  Friends, people I've met online only, and people I didn't even know donated money.  It was the clearest evidence to me that this really was the right thing to do.  That it really was meant to happen.  And now, just over a week later, I'm here in China.  I'm completely jet-lagged because I took a morning flight (which I'd never done before), but I'm so happy.

It's interesting to me because although there are a number of cosmetic changes to the city, the general feel of Beijing feels the same.  I feel almost as if I never left, or if I did, it was only for a matter of days rather than years.  I feel like I'm at home.  I landed in a new terminal at the airport, took a new shuttle to customs and the baggage claim, went through customs in a different place, but the general hum and process was the same. I got to my hotel, checked in, and went exploring to find something to eat.  I found a chain noodle place that I had liked in the past, went in and ordered the same thing I used to eat, and enjoyed my first meal in what is to be my home for the next 11 months.

I spent yesterday meeting up with old friends and going to places I have been in the past, reacclimating myself to the "new" Beijing.  It is everything I had hoped for. I bought a cellphone and talked to the salesperson, asked my questions, listened to their spiel and realized that my Chinese was going to improve immensely this year.  I have no choice but to speak Chinese. No other way to communicate.  I don't have anybody to fall back on to help me explain what I'm looking for, or what I've been told.  It's exactly what I need.  It's still slightly unreal.  I can't believe I'm here.  I can't believe I've actually made it.  It's been so long coming, and something I've hoped for for such a long time. To have it finally be real, I can't thank all of you enough.  When I get my financial aid, I'm planning to make a donation to Giving Anonymously (www.givinganon.org) because I hope to do for someone what all of you have done for me.

To those of you who donated money, and those who didn't but held me in good thoughts:  Thank you.  You've made all of this possible.  I'll do everything I can to make this the best, most fruitful trip possible.

~Jenn

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