Day 302 Beijing Haze

One of the reasons we are so well taken care of here in Beijing
is because they have a difficult time securing good educators
who are willing to move to China, where the reputation of dirty
air is paramount to everyone's concern.  We have been blessed
with so many blue sky, clean air days throughout the winter and
spring, that we were settling in to 'the good life' of living as an ex pat.

Our days here are largely measured by the AQI (air quality index).
We all have this app on our phones, but all I have to do is look
out my bedroom window when I wake up in the morning.  If I
have my beautiful mountain view, it's going to be a great day!
We have had so many, many days in the 20's and 30's, one
would have thought we were living in Denver, not Beijing.

And then the air quality when straight to hell in a hand basket.
For a solid week now, the AQI has been anywhere from 200-358.

As I look out the window from the copy machine,
and I am 'greeted' by this view. I want to say bad words.

For a week now, I look out the office, and I can barely see
over a city block away.  The mountains are long gone.  And
so is my happy, spirited self.  I want to flip China the bird.
Couple this air with Len leaving, and I have engaged in bad
habits once again, namely mac n' cheese, and oreos and milk :/

Beijing recognizes the pollution is a problem, but rather than calling it pollution, smog, or sh***y air, they throw a spin and call it "haze".  Even the weather apps on our phone call it a "hazy" day.  Who are we kidding?!  The air has been putrid.  The only two things that seems to bring clean air is a beautiful breezy day, or a convention of world leaders (i.e., APEC) in which the factories were shut down over 100 miles from our capital city.  Yep, during the APEC convention last November, the AQI actually hit ZERO.  It is possible to have clean air in China, afterall.  This article appeared in the news a few weeks ago which I found interesting:  smog article

Not only has the air been lousy, but the temperatures have
soared into the 90's here.  In another unusual twist of fate,
it has also been more humid.  Typically it is ridiculously dry
in Beijing.  Heat, humidity, and lousy air just compounds the
lousy disposition....and then the rain came!  Praise Jesus!

This Friday I was treated to a spectacular
lightening show and thunderstorm.  I watched
the view from my reading nook for about 45
minutes until I could stand it no longer.  I prayed
that 45 minutes of rain got rid of the potential for
acid rain, and I went out and played in it until
my fingers went numb.  Thankfully, I woke up
to a full head of hair Saturday morning, but
the air remained lousy the rest of this weekend :(

In other news, the construction project at school has begun in
earnest.  They are blowing the entire south end of our building
and expanding.  It was announced that our temporary location
in the fall will be in the library, where they plan to create
46 classrooms for us all to share.  It is rumored that two teachers
will share a classroom, with our desks ('offices') in the room.

Optimistically they think we will be in our new building when
we return the end of February 2016, to begin the second semester.
Realistically, I am preparing myself for an entire year of upheaval.
Though this is one time I hope China adheres to its 'slap it together
quickly' standard of construction.  Things do move fast in China :)

It will be interesting to see what greets us when we return in
August.  For now, I am counting down the days until I am
home.  I have just eleven more sleeps until I fly out of
here and into the gorgeous clean air, blue skies of the USA :)

On that happier note, G'nite, y'all!