First 2010ers arrive at Beida!
As of this morning, Andrew Kang and I are officially the first 2010 CAPS students to move into the Peking University dorms. Our program liason met us this morning with maps and brochures, getting us into the dormitories in Shaoyuan with a reasonable minimum of hassle. If you’re a CAPS student reading this, we’re on the east side of campus, the room deposit is 200 kuai, and the closest subway station is on Line 10. Bring a towel, but no bedding.
My mental map of Beijing is still confused enough that I initially considered walking to Beida from Wudaokou, where I had been living, starving-artist-style, in a two-floors-underground hostel room a few doors down from Propaganda and the O2 Bookstore. Fortunately I thought better of this plan, as Beida alone is large enough to make walking across it, with my six months worth of luggage, a gauntlet. Add to this the cold I picked up after two nights of no sleep in Shanhaiguan, and I probably would have had to make camp halfway through and picked up the next day. Not worth it to save sixteen kuai (about two dollars) of taxi fare. Oh yeah, and letting on that you are sick in China, in any way, shape, or form? Rarely a smart thing to do.
Without roommates, it’s a little lonely in here, but hopefully things will pick up once we’re able to fill some of these cute, kindergarten-style cubbyholes:
Andrew and I are still sorting through the restaurants around campus, and deciding whether to brave the student dining halls–I’m sure the food is pretty good, but I had so much cafeteria food this summer at Heilongjiang that I’m reluctant to jump straight into it again. Having been up in Harbin for two months, I’m also probably a little too excited at the cornucopia of western food available in Beijing, and believe I may eat the first pizza sans squid I’ve had in two months tonight.
Beida, welcome to CAPS.
as crawling as it is with youth hostelers and the somewhat gritty single ex-pat scene, The Tree in sanlitun had reliably good NY-style pizza when i was there; plus a nice selection of beers to complement. go early to avoid the post-work beer rush.