Where did Sunday go?

It's Monday morning in Seoul. We arrived here at 4am. I actually slept on the flight (thanks nyquil!) Before we got off the flight, they handed us Korean Health Quarantine forms to fill out - asking us if we had 1) nasal congestion, 2)sore throat, 3) cough 4) fever. The form also threatened 1 year of imprisonment or $5 million fine for answering untruthfully... yikes! Well, with 3/4 symptoms, I managed to sneak through and not get quarantined in Korea. The agent, did look really nervous though when he saw my form, and marked it with red pen and folded it in half. Anway, he let me through, I just hope the Chinese are as forgiving.

I have no idea what to expect when we land in Beijing 3 hours from now. I keep thinking of all the Chinese documentaries I watched when I worked at Alhurra, and how much I enjoyed the afternoon I spent with my parents at the Chinese garden in Vancouver, or the day Mariam and I giggled our way through Chinatown in Chicago (Po Sum On!). My ideas about China are so abstract and kind of fetishist. I'm really excited to get immersed in daily life in Beijing and see how the other billion people on this planet live.

I hope I don't get quarantined......

Before I leave...

I'm all packed and getting ready to leave for the airport. I still can't believe that I'm actually going to China. This will be my first trip to a place where I have no hope of blending in. I just have to accept being a true foreigner.

I'll be posting updates here, and on flickr as well. The best way to keep in touch will be email sharkasi@usc.edu, nahilshark@yahoo.com or skype: nahilshark

nihao for now

N