I'm ready for my 100 kuai massage

Madison:

So I really hate how airports charge you a Wi-Fi fee. It's free just about everywhere else (FYI: McDonald's even advertises free Wi-Fi now) but they make it expensive because you don't have another option, kind of like the food at airports. Five-dollar water bottles anyone? Internet should be free. Period. So I'm writing this in a word document to post later.

I'm finally on my way to Shanghai after a dramatic start. Basically, I missed my plane yesterday. I was sitting in the gate reading After the Banquet by Yukio Mishima. Waited twenty minutes before going to the counter to ask about the delay when I was informed that my plane had taken off five minutes ago. The only way to Shanghai was to buy another ticket. I still can't believe that I messed up in the Omaha airport of all places. Last August I miraculously managed to stay awake 54 hours flying home from Hainan through Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, and Detroit in a really terribly planned layover sequence. Oh well, I guess shit really does happen. My dad has reserved the right to remind me about this for the next ten years. I hope my bags get there. This morning they were in Minnesota. Hmmm.

Cute Korean boys just walked by.

In other news, I'm loving my Chinese visual dictionary. It has pictures with all these specific vocab words we didn't learn in class. Like all the different kinds of nuts for example- almond (xingren), peanut (huasheng), macadamia nut (aozhoujianguo), you get the idea. I plan on carrying it in my purse and whipping it out to practice my new words. My attitude about language learning is much different this time around. I actually feel more inspired and motivated because I'm doing it myself the way I want in the context of real life. Hopefully, I'll make lots of Chinese friends to practice with. I've thought about posting language exchange flyers around Fudan U. I even considered making T-shirts advertizing my wanting to have Chinese friends. Probably a bad idea.

I went to Whole Foods yesterday with my mom to unwind after my flight-missing fiasco and to say goodbye. For two months at least. You see, Whole Foods and I have a very special relationship. I went there pretty much everyday after school for two years in high school and would study in the café until it closed. When I was in China last summer dealing with la duzi (don't wash fruit with sink water), I dreamed about walking through the aisles of Whole Foods and going back for seconds on the fresh pineapple samples.

Delta has these signs up everywhere with a boat presumably supposed to be Marco Polo's that say, "The Far East Now Closer." I always think it's funny how the West portrays the Orient as this place full of hidden treasures and secrets yet to be discovered even though Chinese history is much longer. We'll see if the fourteen hours in coach seem shorter this time.

I can't wait for my layover in Tokyo Narita (my favorite airport in the world). Don't have time for acupuncture but I have plans for a green tea mochi and order of sashimi.