07.06.09 Ups and downs

On Thursday the tailor came into our dormitory to get our measurements, because were getting Chinese dresses, called chipao, made with my roommate. So nice :). On Friday it was time to go to the Indian Visa Application Center to apply for a visa for the trip with mom and dad. The only thing I can say about the Visa Application Center is never again. The office was awful, it was outsourced, so all the workers were Chinese and they didn't really speak any English. The only answers I got from them were the ready practiced answers without any understanding. Well, they did take my visa application but we'll see if I actually get the visa. Hope for the best.

A panda in the Beijing Zoo (this was the only side of them they wanted to show to people...)

Paula had an unexpected free day on Sunday, so we went to the Beijing Zoo. The zoo was quite depressing, because the cages were small and the animals looked very bored. Most of the animals were just sitting or lying in the cages and mostly just showing their back side. We were thinking with Paula that we should learn how to say "I'm sorry, but the zoo animals are the other way." The good thing is that this time we didn't have to pose in any pictures, but it's still annoying when you're looking at a giant panda and someone else is staring at you and it's not the panda.

Lake in the Beijing Zoo

I also discovered how different people consider different things unusual. I was waiting for Paula next to the zoo gate and people walking past were staring at me and looking back at me. The interesting thing was that no one seemed to notice the little kid about 3 meters away from me pooping right at the sidewalk. The kid's dad was just making sure there was a fresh napkin under the kid when the kid was walking around... And I guess that's normal, but a Western girl standing at the sidewalk is unusual...