Jim Nichols and I arrived in Beijing last night to a very warm and damp city. It had been raining "dogs and cats," said my Teaching Assistant Tracy, who met us at the airport. She said some streets were flooded ankle-deep. The rain had stopped by the time we arrived. 

 

Here is the view from my seventh floor hotel room. The hotel is part of the China University of Political Science and Law, where Jim and I are serving as guest lecturers.  

This morning I will meet with staff who will assist me with my teaching schedule and I will meet my second TA. I begin teaching tomorrow. 

Beijing is a big, modern city that is growing all the time. We drove new modern freeways with billboards past hundreds of tall buildings to reach the university, about 40 minutes from the airport. 

The city of Beijing recently banned smoking in public places, according to my seat mate on the plane. He told me that rush hour traffic is very crowded, as you might expect in a city that has doubled the number of car owners in the past few years. He said people are required to not drive one day a week, depending on the last digit of your license plate. His day is Wednesday and so he takes the bus one day a week. 

I'm looking forward to learning more about the school and my class. Thank you to ICMA for this opportunity.