[chinese blood, irish heart] - DEFUNCT

Man, Beijing's weather is so tempermental. Cold and windy on Sunday (hence I've caught the bug), sunny and mild up till Tuesday, thunderstorms yesterday and quite warm today.

I've only done boring BOCOG (Beijing Organising Committee of the Games) pressers this week and I guess since it's the first week here, it'll have to suffice. Next week onwards I hope the somewhat stand-offish reporters here can gradually warm up to me and understand what *exactly* it is I do. I remember the same sentiments in Hong Kong over a year ago - their mode of thinking was that "I'm a print journalist, why do I have to be involved in video/audio?" And they're right to be negative since they don't get paid extra for it or whatever, then again it's very little additional workload anyway. The Chinese are notoriously conservative, and even more so I'd assume on the mainland so I just hope the atmosphere will be better eventually when they see the more interesting & creative videos I can do... as opposed to pressers with mundane bureaucrats, otherwise known as "Getting to Know" events.

Other than that, I guess I'm surviving along in Beijing. Though the cons outweight the pros, this is pretty much expected. I'm not a big fan of China anyway (that is, the cities and culture) and the fact that my putonghua is very limited as I'm Cantonese, the language barrier is particularly annoying and at times embarrassing. But I'm doing it for the experience. Even if I return back on a sour note, broke and demoralised, I can always say I was reporting on the Olympics and if it doesn't kill me it can only make me stronger. If I've successfully made it through the world's largest media event in one of the world's unfreest societies, I'd give a pat on my back.

Ah, but it was soooo good to see G again after a year, and in Beijing of all places! She had a brief stopover here and I took advantage of her 50% airline discount during dinner! It was also really good just to see a familiar face, and certainly who's better than hers.

Argh, I just wish I wasn't the only one here. I need some backup!