Eric's Beijing Diary

Would you believe I found the North Star last night? Believe it or not, I have been to Beihai six times, and this is the first time I have seen it. The north star rides pretty low in the sky when you're this far south, so it would not be easy to find in any case, but with the lights on campus, it is especially hard. The dormitory I am in this year is closer the northeast end of the campus than the other two I have stayed at.

I think that's one of the things that makes it a little hard to get used to this southern country. The sky just doesn't look the same. Sorta the opposite of when I was working in North Central Alaska. The North Star was almost directly overhead there. But at least it was easy to find. I think I would have a hard time living in Australia. No Big Dipper. No North Star. Guess I could get used to the Southern Cross, but I don't know..maybe I'm too old to change. In Beijing I see the same stars I have been looking at all my life.