wuuuuraaannnn

Ok.

As some of you may know Beijing is a rapidly developing economy....

...this comes with a consequence however, and that is...

Wuran (woo-rahn=pollution)

First let me explain the 'Pollution Scale':

"The center classifies air quality in China's urban areas into five levels: level I or excellent (pollution reading: not exceeding 50), level II or fairly good (pollution reading: 51 to 100), level III or slightly polluted (pollution reading: 101 to 200), level IV or poor (pollution reading: 201 to 300), and level V or hazardous (pollution reading: over 301)."

Two days ago, the pollution reading in Beijing was 'VI'-- ABOVE THE FREAKING SCALE!!! Literally you could SEE the pollution in front of you. The government advised Beijing's population to not go outside...hooray. I think that I'm getting a cold from all the pollution, my throat is constantly scratchy and sore--at the beginning of the program Ai Lao Shi told us that living in Beijing is equivalent to smoking over a pack a day of cigarettes...I guess I know what he means now.

Today the reading is down to a meager III (I guess the wind blew some of it away) but my cold is still sticking around.

ohhh Beijing.