Time somehow became bleached with a myriad of experiences in China. Too much seemed to happen for me to catch up and write about. The gaggle of thoughts, the congestion of responsibilities and inspiration kept me from sharing with you. The sand has settled to the sea bed and the ocean of my thoughts are ready for me to harvest.
In Beijing the days to come where full of wondering through the hutongs and touristic endeavor until the time came for me to do what I set out to find, the 北京中医大学 (Beijing Chinese Medical University). I looked at a map and fell dizzy, how was I to find this place? I soon gave in and found myself asking for help. I jumped into the nearest taxi and line for line repeated myself to the taxi driver (in Chinese) till he chuckled and I think both of us hoped we understood each other. I surrendered to the fact I could end up anywhere in Beijing and somehow it was okay with that. With fate on my side I got out of the taxi in the right place and walked around the campus. My uncanny sense of direction led me to the foot steps of the Foreign Studies Department. In that lobby I met a beautiful soul who shared with me her experiences studying TCM at Beijing Zhong Yi Da Xue. I listened to her and asked enough questions to knit a sweater with. Warm with information I made my way to the office and asked administration what it was going to take to study with them. I left that room now frozen with awe, an awe good nor bad. I ending up making a good friend in that hallway and later that night going to the Beijing Opera with her talking about Chinese Medicine and life in Beijing. A few days after that I was having an amazing Sichuan dinner with friends and made a great connection with Bryan McMahon. Bryan is a Chinese medical student in Beijing. Over dinner and then several pots of tea at a local tea house he blessed me with his thoughts that answered great questions and created even greater ones. Meeting Bryan was a amazing and his enthusiasm was inspiring. You can find out just what I mean by reading his blog at http://thewanderingcloud.blogspot.com
Within the next few days my I found myself on a train to Nanjing. Having felt the pulse of Beijing, listening & talking to students in and outside the University and eating my way through every block it was time to go. I had one Nanjing phone number that my friend Yin Mei gave me. The number was her Aunt, a famous Doctor of Pediatrics at the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital in Nanjing and I couldn't wait to use it!
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