Having never been to China before, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived. My flight domestic transfer flight from Shanghai to Chengdu was delayed. Luckily for me, a middle-aged couple adopted me for the day, but since I speak no Mandarin and they spoke no English, our interactions were limited to smiling and them feeding me, which I had no problem with.
Once I finally got to Chengdu, however, things became much more enjoyable and a little less sweaty (air conditioning, u r bae). To reference Ferris Bueller, I did things. I ate brains and yak meat. I (didn’t) feel my mouth go numb from murderously hot Sichuan peppers.
I was asked to take photos with many strangers. I got lost on my first day of work (sorry again). I ate far too much yogurt. I collected photos of bad translations.
So far, life is good.
So far, life is good.
I learned that traffic laws and seat belts are more mild suggestions than standards. I went on a quest for yoga shorts, and discovered spandex is nearly impossible to find. I visited a dog rescue center (the one Kelly talked about). I played with an adorable puppy.

Lark Trumbly is going to be a junior at Stanford University studying psychology, with a double minor in computer science (hard) and history (fun). As a member of Nerd Nation, she does crosswords and watches Jeopardy for fun. She is a California free spirit.