Our week of Mandarin classes flew by and before we knew it it was time to take an oral exam. I was pretty nervous as I don’t like oral exams—let alone those conducted in a language I just started learning a few days ago. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the test and am proud of myself and all my friends for having learned so much in such a short period of time. After the exam, Ellie and I rewarded ourselves with cookies and then got to spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful Temple of Heaven. The architecture was striking, and I was the most impressed by the intricate designs adorning all of the temples. The grounds were dotted with trees, many of which were over 300 years old! Many people wanted to take pictures with Ellie and I, which was a good opportunity to practice our recently learned Mandarin with some locals.
After a quick stop back at the Pearl Market to pick up a few more gifts and souvenirs, we headed to the famous and long-awaited Peking Duck dinner. My favorite dish was spicy, jet-black noodles with peppers. I also really enjoyed the chrysanthemum tea, which I’d never even heard of before. It was prepared with dried flower blossoms floating in the water.
On Saturday we have the day to ourselves, and I’m looking forward to exploring more of the city! There’s so much to do and we only have a short while left.