Oh, the places you'll go (and not be able to communicate in)

There are few things as wonderful as visiting another country, and few things as heart-stoppingly terrifying as trying to communicate with someone when you possess barely enough of their language to admit you don't know their language. Or so it seems to me. Luckily for me, there are several wonderful people who have already spent time learning my native language who also, for some reason, are interested in helping me to navigate their country. As I arrived in Beijing, blanketed with a chill and darkness, I was greeted with a smile by one of those wonderful people. With her help, we arrived at my place of residence, and began to arrange a room for me. Nw, I don't understand every word spoken of mandarin, yet, but I'm guessing that the conversation at the dezk went something along the lines of, "We're here to deliver that guy (me) to his room."
"Do what, now?"
"He's just arrived, which room is his?"
"He doesn't have one."
"What."
"We don't have him on file."
...
After a few minutes and much speaking, calling and checking of records,it turned out they did have a record of me, but not a room assingment. So they gave me one.
"Your roommate is Korean." She mentioned over her shoulder.
Sounded good to me.
A few moments later.
"And female... One moment."
Still sounded fine by me.
"Fixed now."
Not as fine, but what can you do? It isn't often every male college student gets his dreams fulfilled. Or even close to it.
So they get me up to my room, which is uninhabited, but luckily enough, has a surplus of sunflower seed shells all over the floor. Which I decide are better dealt with tomorrow.
So I make plans to meet up with Emily tomorrow for orientation, with all the other students (no one) and go right to sleep.