WE ARE HERE! We left Friday morning and arrived Saturday at about 3pm, traveling on an old cramped plane that made me wish for NWA's service.

This leaving was (blissfully) much more low-key on all fronts. We were packed a couple days in advance. We were able to relax and see friends. No one gave us a big send-off at the airport (although Jeff and Laurie went above and beyond in the chauffering department). All of us were much more relaxed, which felt great.

Terminal 3 at the Beijing airport is the largest airport building in the world. It is so big that it felt completely empty! By the time we got through customs (which was very easy) our bags were in the carousel--11 bags, each weighing 50 pounds, plus 10 carryons!

Everyone says that Beijing is putting its very best foot forward for the Olympics, but the car park at the airport looked like a showroom floor. I'm not just talking an absence of trash or dust--no scuffs, tire marks, oil spots...nothing. The floor really is that shiny. The kids giggled to see a brand-new Coaster bus...the ones we see in Tanzania are really on their last legs. The temperature really was hideous. It was over 90 degrees and the humidity was unbearable. It has been raining yesterday and today so it's a bit better, but it's very stifling.

Here is the Hilllman house for the next 3 years. It's basically a duplex, so the house next to us is connected and identical. Everyone has a garage that either is used for storage or has been converted into another bedroom, so everyone's car is on the street. We lived in an area called Shunyi, where there are a lot of these compounds. At first glance it looks very posh, but on closer examination there is a shabbiness to it that wouldn't be found in the States, mostly in the common areas. The units are owned by individuals--our landlady is Chinese and married to a German that works for Mercedes-Benz. She owns several of these, plus several restaurants.

The house is very tall--there is a basement for storage (and a room that Cameron will use for his bedroom--it will be a cool teenager space when we're done). The garage is storage and a laundry room. The main floor is the dining, living, and kitchen. We have a dishwasher (yay!), a microwave, a (tiny) oven, and a nice pantry. Up half a flight and there is a small bedroom (Ava) and a 1/2 bath. Another half flight and there is a larger bedroom (Noah), a bathroom, and a 2nd living room/study. The upper floor has a bath and the master bedroom. The aircon up there isn't working so Mark and I are sleeping in the living room for now. Yes, there is airconditioning in all the rooms, which is absolutely necessary.

The furniture is on loan until we get our shipping container. The house must not have been lived in for awhile because the yard is mostly dirt--our landlord said that she would do whatever we wanted to fix it up once we get settled a bit. The little bit of side yard is quite a change from our houses in Arusha, but certainly big enough for a small dog.

The compound is gated and secured. There are indoor and outdoor pools, a health club, a bowling alley, hair/nail/massage salon, a skateboard park, and playground. It feels safe so that the kids can wander around and not get into (too much) trouble. People have their bikes outside of their homes so theft must not be an issue in here.

We have unpacked, and ventured to the grocery stores. There are 2 right outside the compound and one that is about a 10 minute walk (and a cab ride back). All of them sell Western goods or Western goods made in China (thank goodness for brand colors and logos, making it easy to identify things). As in Tanzania, anything that is Western is costly, easily twice what you'd pay in the States. One thing that is noticeably absent--bread. They sell "loaves" with about 6 pieces in them. The rest of the bread is baguette-style.

So getting anything you want is clearly not a problem here in Beijing. The problem is knowing where to go and how to get there. I have a little card in my wallet printed in English and Chinese and gives directions to our compound and the school in case I get lost. I also have a taxi book of cards in English and Chinese for several businesses to show a cabdriver if I want to go somewhere. Since no one speaks English and can't read it, getting around will be tricky for awhile. Today my goal is to buy a toaster and a hotwater kettle, but it means I will need to find out which of the stores from my resident's book are the best, where it is, and how to get there...since they are not in our neighborhood, I don't know if just showing the cab driver my little ticket will get me home, and the addresses for the stores in my book are not in Chinese. It could be quite an adventure!

Yes, we are aware of the Olympics. China has 7 nationals TV channels that are all broadcasting the events. All of it is in Chinese, so we have no idea what anyone is saying, and they are, of course, covering their own country's athletes, so we won't see much of the US athletes unless they are competing against the Chinese or highlights of something big. Everyone wanted to know if we would be attending any events. Now that we are here, the idea of getting just downtown (about 40 minutes away by car in good traffic, which I'm assuming never happens) is daunting and we are thinking it's very unlikely that we will be able to see anything live. We are hoping to manage a trip downtown this weekend to see the sites and catch some of the excitement.

All in all, we are feeling unsettled, but much less overwhelmed than when we arrived in Tanzania. Mark is leaving for work in just a few minutes--looking very professional (no more working on a construction site) but a bit wrinkly (no iron). The kids are asking to go to the school to see it, so that's on our agenda this week, too. I think we can walk there in about 20 minutes. I have this week off and start next Monday. The kids start school on the 28th. While Mark is working and I have training, the kid will be in "daycare" at the school having a good time.

We had a great time in the States. We can't begin to thank everyone who helped us out: Laurie and Jeff, Jim and Lisa, and Matt and Lisa for welcoming places to stay in Minneapolis; Dave and Nancy for a great car; my mom for letting us (plus my sister and brother's family) all crash at her place (a total of 11 people in a 3br 1 bath house makes for getting reacquainted really easy); Mark's brother David and his family for hosting 12 additional Hillmans and making it fun everyday; Annika and Jeremy and their families who made Cameron feel so much at home; the friends at Kell Ave. who made us feel like we had never been away; and Karen, who continues to be the dearest friend in the world. I don't have pictures of everyone doing everything with everyone else, but we will keep you in our hearts and prayers and we hope you keep us. Life is good!

More later--including pics of the neighborhood!