Vomitous Vulture

We'll leave on Thursday for the trip back to Beijing. This will involve a 2 day stop in Erdos again for more merriment. We'll be having one banquet here at the field station tomorrow night for our send off, another in Erdos Thursday night with the General Secretary, and a third also in Erdos on Friday with the regional Minister of Forestry. This is where we'll get all of the permits for exporting the embryos and tissue samples that we've collected in our 3 weeks here. Things in China happen a LOT differently back home. Bureaucratic business happens over copious plates of food and cases of beer and liquor rather than forms, faxes, and phone calls. A major way to gain respect is by showing your prowess at eating and drinking, and lasting friendships are established for initial reasons of business. All in all we will have had 8 such meals by the end of this trip.

I figured I'd make a quick list of things I will and will not miss about working here. So to end on a happy note, lets start with things I won't miss:

1. The toilet situation, obviously. 2. The pervasive smell of dead animal and "lime scented" bug spray that smells more repulsive than regular scented bug spray. 3. The flies that I try to forget originate in the first thing that I won't miss and are EVERYWHERE hence requiring part B of number 2. 4. The taxidermied vulture in the hallway with a 5
ft wing span and the major cause of part A of number 2. It's a gift for the Forestry Minister and stuffed and mounted by our own Mr. Liang. 5. Only showering twice a week. 6. The perpetual feeling that I'm crawling with my personal collection of fleas and ticks (that one, again, is for Jenna).

And the things I will miss:

1. Rooming with Ms. Xia. She's a lot of fun. 2. The food - dried cheeses, yoghurts, homemade noodles, lamb out the wazzoo, little dried fruits that are like a cross between a date and a prune. 3. Gambei - ing (bottom's up) beer or baijiu with our new friends at every opportunity. 4. The temple. That was incredible. 5. Seeing Mr. Liang up to his wrists (or elbows) in the carcass of some animal, barehanded, with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. 6. All of the non-verbal communication with the kind people around here and seeing shocked stares when people catch a first look at my white skin and light hair.

We should be in Beijing by Saturday night, then I fly back on the 15th. That gives us enough time to handle a lot of the paperwork and for me to see a few more sights around Beijing. I still have to stand on the Wall!!