Air Pollution

Ok, so unless you were living under a rock during the 2008 Summer Olympics, then you probably know that Beijing has a bad reputation for air pollution.

Wellllllllllllll, it's kind of true.....

These next two pictures were taken at the same time of day just a few days later....

And no, that is not fog.

My friend, Joe, who is working with FOC in Beijing doing the same thing I am, checks the internet quite often for Air Quality Index readings.  Apparently there are many times when Beijing is right around, and sometimes over, a reading of 300.  No U.S. city is, by law, allowed to be over 50.

There have been a few mornings when I have woken up knowing that it was going to be a "bad pollution day" because of the scratchiness and bad taste already in the back of my throat.

Heather and I joke that by coming to China we have probably lost about 3 years of our lives.  That's ok, though....we're just that much closer to heaven. :)