So today was our first day of Chinese language classes and, as the title clearly suggests, I was not prepared. I really should stop having expectations about Beijing, because the reality is always completely different. One of my friends from home is minoring in Chinese and from what I gathered from watching her study, I figured the tones would be the hardest part. In reality, everything about the language is hard! There are so many different pronunciations to one word/sound and if you’re not careful, you could end up insulting someone instead of complimenting them! Needless to say, I had a huge headache by the time class ended. I have discovered the Chinese is something that you have to practice for hours and hours every day. Although we have a great teacher, I do not think Mandarin is something that I will excel in.
After class we had lunch. My mood immediately perked up because the food was so good today! There was some type of fried crouton that was so delicious. We ate quickly and hopped on the bus for a tour of the Bank of China. The interior was so beautiful and pleasing to me. I couldn’t help sneaking pictures of the inside. They had actual bamboo stalks at least 20 feet tall inside the bank!