One thing you quickly learn living in Wu Dao Kou is there are a lot of people in the street that want your money. Some are beggars and some are selling stuff. You get offered all kinds of things from Japanese perfume to hard drives. People whip it out of a pocket or a bag; some have entire carts full of stuffed dogs or even live dogs. Some are more aggressive than others; amongst the most aggressive sellers are the flower girls…

As my time as an exchange student in Beijing comes to an end, I continue to spend most of my time on campus in Wu Dao Kou…

I’m not the biggest Christmas person. I think it is too commercial. I try to do less commercial things at Christmas such as send Christmas cards and make a big Christmas morning breakfast for everyone…

Although I’m not sure exactly how it works, there is recycling in China…