大家好!

It has been two months since arriving in China, and that time has gone by very fast. October has been particularly eventful, there was a couple visits to other parts of China, as well as some events in Tianjin.

For the week long National Day holiday, we went to Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Xi'an was one of the old imperial capitals, so there is lots to see and do. Apart from the famous Terracotta Army, we saw the old Tang dynasty palace, the Tang Paradise park and gardens, and cycled along the city wall. Also, we went to the Muslim quarter and tried some traditional street food, a favourite being the Roujiamo (肉夹馍) - supposedly the world's oldest hamburger. I had a great time in Xi'an, however, the train from Tianjin took 20 hours each way, so next time I travel in China, I plan to only use the high-speed trains (高铁).

Some of us also went on a weekend trip to the world's longest glass bridge near Shijiazhuang. The views from the bridge itself were great, but the ancient town where we stayed was also well worth the visit. I think most importantly, this trip was a good break from the busy life in the city.

Recently we spent a day visiting some Chinese families. We had the opportunity to meet the whole family, learn a form of Chinese chess called Xianqi (象棋), make dumplings, and finally eat a fantastic homemade dinner.

Other than the various trips and visits to see China and the culture, the day to day life here is not much different from back home. Classes in the morninh and in my spare time I go to the gym, play football, study, practice guitar, and read. On Sundays I'll go either to the cathedral in the city centre, or a church in Beijing.

Often it is nice to explore the city a little, to find some market or restaurants that are off the main streets - the city never fails to surprise. There is always something to be done, so there are never any boring days here.

Hopefully the following months will be as eventful as first couple.