lauren in japan

Top 3 Stereotypical Things to do on the Way to the Chinese Consulate for Procuring a Visa
1. Read Beijing guidebook on the train and subway
2. Listen to Mandarin language-learning audio walking to consulate
3. Wear communist socks throughout

That was my Monday morning. I think I'll just stick with the socks for tomorrow when I go to pick up my passport though. The visa is Y15000 for Americans and Y7000 for everyone else. If I had known how to scoff in Mandarin while turning in my application, I would have.

No I wouldn't have.

By the way, I'm going to China! I'm not sure if I ever made an official announcement. But I am! I leave on Sunday for Beijing and return on Wednesday. I'm kind of freaking out.

Everything is pretty much set except for sleeping accommodations.

While dropping off my visa paperwork on Monday, there was an American girl and a few other foreigners (I didn't recognize their passports or accents - perhaps Eastern European) in the consulate office (which looked and felt like a good ol' 'Merican DMV on the inside). They annoyed me. I realized that I really like not being around people that say things like "oh my Gawd, I can't wait to take pictures of all the crazy shit in Chiiii-naaa to show my boyyyfriend!! I heard they hang cat corpses from the clotheslines before they eat them. Do you think that's twrue-wa!?!"

I hate being a lone foreigner near a group of loud, obnoxious foreigners. It's like I get lumped in with them or am responsible somehow for not saying anything to them about being loud and obnoxious.

Then I heard: "K guyz, let's book our hostel tonighttt!!!! !!!"

So I changed my plan from staying at a insanely cheap hostel ($6.25 a night!) to a hotel (not yet booked yet but so totally will be).

I feel strongly that it'll be worth the extra RMBs.