Trip Craziness

How did you prep for the trip? Do some research about the shots you need to have for traveling. I didn’t get any because all of the required ones were the ones that were also required for attending high school and college. Also, I double checked with my insurance company and international coverage. They said that if I have medical costs in Beijing, I need to pay in cash and bring the receipts back and the insurance company will reimburse you. The application process was simple. I just went to the Beijing Language Culture University and followed the links that led me to the international student application. I registered for 20 hours of Chinese a week, which will me about 8am-noon of school 5 days a week. I found this kind of schedule to be more fitting because I still have to study for the Dental admissions test and do Chinese homework, and of course, EXPLORE! EAT! EXERCISE!

Apparently, there was a dust storm happening two days ago? The sand was blowing from the Tibet area and middle Mongolia? My parents and grandma told me to buy a facemask, but the media just makes it worse than it sounds.

When I get off the plane, my first priorities is to catch a taxi, get to school, register and get into the dorm that I want, unpack stuff, then go to the corner grocery store and buy a phone sim card. I need to unlock my phone after I insert a China Mobile (carriers may vary) into my phone and type in the code that was give to me by my cell phone provider (AT&T) to unlock my phone. You are only given a total of 3 tries. I have already used one try at home with a sim card that my boyfriend gave me (he went last year), but I think it would be safer for me to buy a new sim card.

How much the tix cost? $1256 from Travelocity! I am flying United Airlines. It will stop in Chicago, then go from Chicago to Beijing. Two hour layover in Chicago, and will be in the air for 13 hours! I will arrive around 3:30pm Beijing time, about 2:30am Minnesota time. Two months ago, tickets were only $950, but I didn’t purchase them because I didn’t get my student visa taken care of. My student visa totaled $205--- $165 for the visa, and then I had to pay extra for express mailing (which I found to be a waste of money because I still received it after a week like normal mail). The visa I received is a one year multi entry. Each stay is a maximum of 90 days. You may exit the country before or at the deadline of 90 days, and then when you re-enter the country, the 90 days stay can start over, so you have to go in and out of the country after every 90 days to stay there.
Advice? NEVER EVER buy luggage locks in the airport. One combination lock was $12.99! The one I had at home was stuck and I was stupid and thought it can be opened with a key, but the swivel hook part was just stuck and you can actually figure it out with a certain pattern of turning (which can probably be found online). I think I got my two locks and a luggage tag for $5 at Target on clearance. The airport is just ridiculous for desperate people like me.