...and then they SUCKED OUT OUR BRAINS!

So we had to wait in the plane for a half hour while the dudes dressed up like the cast of E.T. invaded our ship, and shot everybody in the head with a laserbeam...one by one. Check it out!
My favorite part? When he leans over and zaps the dude in the head, point blank. ZAP!

北京欢迎你！(part 2)

Coming back to Beijing has been interesting. Upon learning that I was coming back, most friends and family asked if I was nervous (or insinuated that they would be, put in the same position). Of course, my answer was a quick and dismissive "no." But I started thinking about it: Why wasn't I a bit nervous? Foreign country, different customs, different language, different foods, different system of government, restricted press... What makes me so comfortable here?
Easy answer: I have dark hair, squinty eyes, an affinity for Chinese food, adept chopstick skills, and have spent half of the last five years of my life living in China. It's like moving from Boise to Provo. (Though I think I might have lived in China longer than I've lived in Provo.)