Beijing, Here I Come!

Monday, June 28th, 2010 in: News, Travel

As I stepped off the plane from Guiyang, the realization that I was, at least for the moment, completely alone in a city where I didn’t know the language slowly dawned on me. I had been relying so much on Ben I had managed to stave off this epiphany. Fortunately, I had a vague idea of where I was headed, so with some help from the information desk, I was able to get a ticket for the right bus, and queued up in the huddled masses eager to get out of the airport. The shuttle dropped me off on the North 4th Ring Road by Zhongguancun road, which I would later discover is just southeast of Peking University. I tried asking for directions and got some vague waving and pointing. “Uh, I dunno, it’s that way” is kind of a universal gesture.

I couldn’t get a cab, but to be fair I didn’t try all that hard; I wasn’t really sure if I would be able to convey where I wanted to go, since I only had a vague map and phone numbers that didn’t work. It was only about 10pm, I didn’t mind the walk. After all, it didn’t look that far on google maps on my phone.

About 45 minutes later I was walking down Chengfu road through Wudaokou, a relatively popular spot as it’s located in the midst of a ton of language schools and universities. I found myself hobbling through a full blown night market on the wide street, all of my belongings swaying from side to side in my large backpack, threatening those around me with serious injury. I looked back at my phone, Wudaokou was about halfway to the school’s neighborhood. I trudged on.

The rest of the walk was pretty quiet, but when I got to Zhixinxi Road I turned left and realized the map just kind of threw a pin down in the corner, where there were only restaurants and a few “adult health shops.” Could this be the right place? I walked along, keenly aware that I was no longer sure of my way and that I hadn’t quite fitted my backpack correctly as the full weight of my belongings were now cutting deep into my shoulders. Curse this long back of mine. I walked up and down the street to no avail, and finally tried to ask someone to take a look at the map. Without a blink, he just waved his hand and said “no no no.” A bit crestfallen, I went to the nearest liquor store and tried my luck again. “Well, you want building #3, and we’re at #12, so just walk that way.” It was slightly more helpful than I was expecting, but not by much.

I got back to walking, hoping for some small miracle, which came with a Texan accent.

I interrupted a couple walking out of a nearby cafe “Excuse me, I don’t mean to be rude, but I heard you speaking English and I’m lost.” The Texan identified himself as Dr. Tai and took a look at the map the school had sent me. “Oh, I think the people in the cafe are from the same school.” I couldn’t believe my luck as he led me into the cafe where I met Bill and Adrien, from Sydney and Portland, respectively. I was impressed with their Chinese as they chatted with the owner of the cafe, for whom they were making English playlists for his newest toy: a karaoke machine. “Ma-li-yah-ka-li, who the heck is that?” “OH, Mariah Carey!”

They walked me to the Super 8 hotel behind which hid the small language school, and helped me check in. There was no room yet in the Sushe (student dormitory) behind the hotel, so I was to stay in the Super 8 until further notice. I bid Bill and Adrien good night and promptly collapsed in my room, amazed that I had managed to make it in one piece.

Thus began my adventure in Beijing.

---