MONDAY, 1/6/14

We’re back to our normal “Beijing” life.  Judy is headed to school.  During the holidays, Judy’s friend Shannon was announced as the new Elementary Principal, effective August 2014.  Kyra, the principal who hired Judy, has accepted a position as a K-12 principal at a school in Indonesia.  It’s another example of life in an international school, people move on.  Judy’s ready to catch up on all the BISS gossip, but school is too busy, and Shannon is in Sydney at a job fair.  It’s after 8:00 before Judy gets home.  It’s not a surprise.  Like I said earlier.  We’re back to our normal “Beijing” life.

I’ve decided to join the Marriott Health Club.  BISS has a corporate membership for all their teachers, so I figure I’ll enroll at the same place, and Judy and I can go together sometimes.  Since Xmas is over, I’ll have much less need to head to the markets for shopping.  Maybe I can actually find time to improve my own health situation?

The Marriott is about a 1¾ mile walk.  I’m going to try and walk it every day, weather permitting.  I make the walk, pay the membership fee for 6 months, and head into the pool for a swim.  Day one isn’t too bad.  I’ll start slow and build up my distance, or at least that’s my plan.  I walk back home, and once I hit the door, jet lag and exercise combine and force me to take a nap.  I wake up long enough later to go to bed. 

TUESDAY, 1/7/14

Judy gets off to school smoothly.  She has a good day, and gets home early (by her standards), around 5:30.  She’s tired, and heads off to bed early.  It probably has something to do with jet lag.  I woke up around 2:00 am and couldn’t get back to sleep, so it’s a long morning.  I eventually head out to the Marriott and get in my exercise.  Afterwards, on a whim (and hunger-motivated), I walk over the South German Bakery for some bread to take home.  I don’t need it, but I sure did want it.  Back home, I continue work on our summer travel planning.  Lot’s of ideas and possibilities exist, so I’m mostly doing exploratory work.

WEDNESDAY, 1/8/14

I’m still not sleeping through the night, waking up at 3:00 am today.  More exercise is on tap.  I’ve got to develop some type of regular schedule.  I make the walk over, experimenting with a new route that saves ¼ mile.  After the workout, I go looking for some Home Plate BBQ.  They’ve moved to a new site, but their old site was supposed to reopen sometime soon.  When I arrive, it’s locked tight with no sign of any future opening.  Next door is the “Avocado Tree”.  It’s a “Chipotle” rip-off, and the food is good.  I enjoy a great burrito, grab a take-out menu, and get info on delivery.

Back home, I work on class prep for my final two classes this semester.  I’m also working out how to get connected to Celebrity Cruises.  If I use regular internet, the Celebrity website doesn’t work.  If I use the VPN, the website is confused because it thinks I’m in California, but my info says I’m in China.  I finally get a connection to a Beijing travel agency that schedules for Celebrity Cruises.  I may have solved the problem, but only time will tell.

Judy is scheduled to get home early today.  We’re supposed to go the police station and register our return from the US.  It requires passports, a copy of our apartment lease, and a tax certificate proving our apartment owner is paying tax.  Judy is late arriving.  Shannon is back in town, full of stories about the job fair in Sydney.  We finally make it to the police station, in a secluded neighborhood.  When we finish, it requires a long walk to get back to a place where taxis are running.  We finally grab a taxi, and get home, ready to eat a little dinner and hit the sack.  It’s been a long day since 3:00 am.