First Impressions

From the moment we started boarding the plane to Beijing, I felt different. It was like a disconnection from home and an immersion in a new culture. When we touched down in Beijing, it became obvious that the immersion had only just begun. Right now, I feel the sense of 'long way from home' and I'm sure the native people who see me walking and talking feel it too. Some of the first things we saw in China were the vast urban areas and the smog in the skies. You could see a couple miles, but no more. The farthest visible distance from the descending plane was still not enough to see the end of the city. Everywhere you look, there are glowing Chinese characters written for instruction or advertising. As far as sounds, most of what I heard was the distinct chatter of Chinese people and the ongoing bustle of traffic. I haven't had a chance to eat a Chinese meal yet, in fact the only things I've been eating are the bland and impossibly processed airline foods, and a couple snacks from the convenience store. I'm still excited for my first actual meal in China. Among all the memorable aspects of today, the one thing that will stick out most in my mind is the different smells. Nothing in America smells the way it does here. Outside, there is a bit of a chemical stench. In the airport, I smelled a sweet sort of cleanliness. It stood out because I've never smelled anything quite like it. I also smelled some different enticing foods in the airport, and there is more cigarette smoke here than in the States. I am already awed by the differences in the way people act, speak, and go about their daily lives. China definitely has a feeling to it that enchants me, despite being a long way from home.