Monday, August 20th, 2007
Bon Voyage
Alright, first, I’d like to welcome everyone (at least those already getting the emails, or following via RSS or the web) to my blog, Chinggis Khan Moves to the City. The title will make more sense as the blog progresses, but for now I’ll leave it a bit mysterious. And hope you like the absurdly sexy header graphics I slaved over (hours I should have spent packing and getting ready…) More info on the trip can be found at the About Page
which I will continue to update throughout the trip. For starters, there is a letter from the Academic Director of my trip, explaining a bit how this thing will work, and why someone might actually be crazy enough to undertake it. But enough about that.
I leave in… 39 minutes 22 minutes for Logan International Airport, in East Boston, MA. I have a 5:30pm flight to Los Angeles (LAX) which should arrive around 8:30pm… then I hang out in LA for 5 hours or so, and meet the rest of my SIT group at the Air China check-in desk for our flight to Beijing. We leave LAX on August 21 at 1:40 AM, and arrive at Beijing Capital Airport at 5:20 AM on August 22nd. Then, we catch a 4:55pm flight to Buyant Uhaa airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, which arrives about 7:25pm local time. Which will be 7:25am EST (12 hour difference). Then we have a week-or-so long orientation, begin language classes, and then head off to our first homestay out on the steppe. I’ll post my itinerary on here as a page of its own (or on the about page).
About the blog
For those on email… this is actually a blog, set to export posts via email. You should all take a moment to click on the title of this post and leave a comment here at the blog so I know who’s out there reading… it’s nice to know who I’m writing to! Also, if you don’t comment I might get lonely and resentful, and never come home. Not really. So, you should all take advantage of the interactivity and leave some comments whenever you feel inspired. You can interact with each other, or just respond to the posts. Or even tell me what’s going on in your lives so I can stay somewhat connected. These blog posts are also being syndicated via Facebook as notes (imported via RSS! So cool!), so people can also comment on those, but using the blog itself is the preferred mode.
A special welcome to Barbara’s first-year seminar on Creative Non-fiction, which I am DYING of jealousy over, since it sounds like pretty much the best class ever. Cherish it! Hopefully my writings won’t dissapoint, and if they do, you can always get value by making fun of me. I mean, making fun of my writing… And welcome to Midd! Don’t do drugs! (haha)
Info about Subscriptions
Welcome to those of you savvy enough, or taking classes with people savvy enough (lucky!) to work the RSS thang. For the rest of yas, the feedburner notifications, which you can sign up for on the right sidebar of the blog, will come once daily, only on days I post.
For the enthusiasts: I was hoping to customize the subscribe2 plugin for wordpress (http://subscribe2.wordpress.com) but after much fiddling with the code, I got everything to work except the sexy html formatting, which is sort-of essential. So I’ve resorted to using feedburner’s email service which is basically non-configurable, but is simple to use. I guess the two days weren’t completely wasted though, now I’ve got a decent feel for PHP and even a little SQL… Anyways for those who are signed up, you’ll be getting one email each day, but only on days when I post.
on Monday, August 20th, 2007 at 3:11 pm:
I’m looking forward to hearing all about your experience. I’m expecting to hear some awesome stories. Also, congratulations on making it as one of my mom’s travel-bloggers-to-watch.
on Monday, August 20th, 2007 at 3:37 pm:
I can’t believe I read that entire thing. Where do you get the time to be so long winded!
Just kidding. Enjoy the stepp!
on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 3:56 am:
Hey Alex,
Enjoy it all! I am looking very forward to read your adventures!
(I just met a guy called Chinggis two weeks ago in Gagauzia, the land of Christian Turks. He’s half Azerbaijani, a quarter Gagauz, a quarter Russian. No Mongolian blood though. Or who knows… Some 25% of world’s male population is apparently related to Chinggis Khan… )
Gruia
on Tuesday, August 21st, 2007 at 5:48 am:
Well I have no clue what any of that technical stuff was about but I am trying my damndest to leave a comment, let’s see if it works.
on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007 at 3:42 pm:
I have no clue about all that technical stuff but am trying to leave a message, we’ll see if it works. Can’t wait to hear how things are going.
on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007 at 7:30 pm:
Alex,
It’s Jack’s Dad. I saw your comments on his blog and wandered over to yours to see what you are up to…how goes you journey now?
John
on Saturday, August 25th, 2007 at 9:50 pm:
Hey baby face.
Hope you are doing OK.
It was great to hear from you on weds. So glad your trip went well and that your Chinese helped out.
heidi, eugene and Alex are here today ( to drop her off at Brandeis tomorrow) and send their love.
Michaela home from the cape too.
fannie and cody are wagging their tales.
sleep well, don’t let the bed bugs bite.
love momala.
on Sunday, August 26th, 2007 at 10:10 am:
Helloooo big brother!! Love hearing about your travels, keep up the good work