Beijing huanying ni

Just a note that we are at post and marginally settled.

Marginally.

Which means: no ID card that allows us to travel anywhere outside Beijing, no HHE (household effects) shipment until October, almost no actually-useful kitchen utensils in our welcome kit.

But we're getting there. Slowly.

However, I am steadily moving toward my goal of eating my weight in dumplings each week. So that's something.

So far, I just can't stop marveling at how developed the city is after Dhaka--there are malls and Starbucks and Coldstone Creameries and the metro is clean and efficient (though crowded) and not only are mango-jitos legal, you can drink them on a roof with a view of the city skyline...