It's ok to be really jealous

Great wall or bust
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Why? Because we hiked on the freakin Great Wall of China, what have you done this week?!?!?!

But thats geting way ahead of myself because I haven't written in a while. I won't be able to fill you in on everything but I'll do my best and Lee can save me.

I give you good price

Monday we went to the China Film Museum, which has not yet been opened to the public, so we felt like big VIPs. It was pretty sweet to have a huge museum all to ourselves and I wish I could see everything in China that way. Most of the cool stuff is full of tour groups and tour leaders with dumb flags talking on bullhorns.

Don't be scared mom, I made sure I was wedged into that little window before I put my arms up.
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The next day we toured the Beijing Film Academy, alma mater of many well known Chinese directors. We got to see some student animation projects and sit in on a level one Kung Fu class. Seeing all those budding Zhang Ziyis really took me back to my first years at Tisch. Except I was doing dumb ballet and they were doing Kung Fu. Its strange to see how homogenous the classes are compared with in New York. I think I've only seen 2 black people since I've been in this country and they were both with NYU so actually that doesn't really count.

Half of a picture of us doing Karaoke in Beijing
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In the afternoon we went to the Summer Palace to check out the vacation spot of everyone's favorite wiley concubine, Emperess Cixi. It was pretty touristy but the weather was nice so getting lost among the trees and ruins was enjoyable. But who cares about all that crap when whats really important is...

WE CLIMBED THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!!!!!

even the crankiest of the group perked up when they first glimpsed the wall snaking through the mountains. The thing is HUGE, and the steps are all jaggedy and uneaven and its STEEEP as all heck. The climb was sooo hard and we were sweating like maniacs, but Lee and I made it all the way around! (the great wall at badaling has been connected during restoration so you can walk in a loop). When we got to the highest point there wasn't a single fat tourist or any vendors yelling 'gucci bag, gucci bag'. Truly awesome. The fact that I really was in China hit me when I was up there.

After that there was nothing we could do to top the experience. Except buy DVDs for WICKED CHEAP!!!! so thats what we did.

I love you. I love China.

Love, Kate