These past few days, ACC has really been looking up for me. With our graduation date coming up in less than a month, I'm beginning to feel like I don't have enough time left. This week, I had many high moments, and I began to think about the adjustment curve that we saw during orientation. I don't think I ever sunk into a "low point", but I do feel life at ACC improving these last few days. I love my teachers, I love my curriculum, I love my classes(except the earliest class, but only because of its timing), I love the other students here, and I love Beijing.
One thing that does affect me in a very negative way is my current state of health. Although I anticipated pollution, I didn't anticipate to feel so physically miserable so often. It's not completely horrible, I'm just so use to being healthy that comparatively, to be coughing and sneezing on a daily basis seems like a health disaster. I've only come down with a cold once this whole semester, but my respiratory system has been displeased with Beijing this whole time. Many other students have come down with things way worse than me, especially those who have asthma. Especially in the days right after New Years, the entire program was sick (teachers included). I suspect that it had something to do with the amount of pollutants, such as heavy metals, the firecrackers released into the air.
I think what I'm trying to say is, my spirits are high, but my physical health is low. Given what I've seen of the ACC program this semester, I would suggest that students with asthma consult a doctor before they decide to study in Beijing for a semester.
Good reminder of the added, somewhat unexpected, challenges of long-term study in Beijing. Heck, even in just my 1-week site visit there over the summer I managed to get a respiratory infection!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are doing well despite the pollution.