In the run up to the Olympics much news has been made regarding the weather and air conditions. I am writing this on Thursday am Beijing time (Wed nite at home) at its raining. If I recall correctly, the Chinese had proudly proclaimed that had figured out how to control the weather and promised no rain. Not only is it raining, this is not the first day of rain. Looks like God's way of saying Booya!! Actually, rain is a good thing after yesterday's coughfest. The air quality yesterday could be compared to pea soup. It burned your eyes and throat and we weren't the competitors!! Rain does help push the smog down.
Yesterday was a super day for us at the games in that the US Softball team beat Japan in an international tie breaker (win or lose I hate those things). The win put the US in the Gold Medal game today if they are able to play. Hopefully the rain will stop.
We also took in the Forbidden City and shopped in a market with a couple million of our new friends. However, I'm ready to bag the Gold in Softball and come to the house. People like our friends Casey and Mal and others grow in stature in my eyes as they go and live in foreign cultures for extended periods of time. After almost 2 weeks, I have grown weary of being away even with all the fun we have had. I have discovered 1 thing the Chinese don't import to us...mattresses. Here are few of the things I am ready to reconnect with:
1. My son
2. My home, including bathroom, clean water to drink and brush teeth in (rather than using bottled water to brush and clean brush..try that if you don't believe me), mattress, English speaking tv (we have 2 english channels...CNN is worse here than home), refrigerator, more than 1 room, yard, etc.
3. My extended family
4. My church family and friends
5. My job and pals there
6. Wades and home cooked meals
7. A place of no stupid security checks (like airports and Olympics venues. I was really ticked off at the security forces at the softball venue yesterday who took my sunscreen...kind of the straw that broke the camels back. If you've heard of a security threat with sunscreen I'd like to know). I have had the lecture about being an ambassador etc. Just ticked me off and took a while to adjust!
8. USA..home soil
I think that about says it. Visiting a foreign country is a blast. Experiencing the different culture I would not trade and have thoroughly enjoyed. However, it does wear me out after a while.
Today we hope to visit the Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven before the softball.
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