Today we finally got to run in Xing Quin Park. I ran most of the way but at the end I had to stop because my lungs were burning. I walked with a Chinese student Yue. She and I went to a play area and went on this towering rocket slide. It was lots of fun!! We got to the gate a bit late but mom and keith were still waiting for us. Mom, as always, was nervous about my delay..but we were just fine.
We ran the rest of the way "home". Home for us here is on campus in the international dorms. On the outside the dorms looks kind of unique but on the inside it is pretty plain and average, though it is not bad at all.
We had breakfast at a Muslim cafeteria or canteen. Hana and I ordered at least ten baozi which are fluffy sort of dumpling. We then got kicked toward the end of our breakfast because we were eating food from a different canteen which had pork. Muslims don't eat pork and that was a problem.
At 9 in the morning, we had calligraphy class -- man from the university came to talk. Next week were are going to draw some calligraphy. I was very happy about that...and very surprised, because all he did was talk.
From 10 until 12 I had an interesting but hard Chinese class. We had a writing test since we finished a lesson.
I will write soon again because now I have to go to my Chinese discussion class with Yue, our Chinese friend..and my teacher!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
a small village....
Yesterday we went to a small village located outside of Xian. This small village had a population of around 300,000 people, a very small city in China.
Before I tell you about yesterdays's experience, I need to tell you a bit of backround knowledge, yesterday the officials decided that they did not want our group to go anywhere. They do not want us to organize anything, go to any public space and they don't even want us to leave the hotel; even to go to a restaurant was something that they were telling us not to do. But we only have three weeks in Xian, so for us what they were telling us to do was crazy, we have tons of plans, and things that the students need to do and they are just telling us that we can't even leave our hotel?
So today we decided that we were not going to go with that. The other professor who is half chinese and is the one who mainly talks to the officials, decided that we would have to go along with our plans and just see what happens. So now as we sped towards a village outside of Xian, we all had our cell phones turned off, in case the officials tried to call us; and a military car in front of us, heading towards a school.
After visiting the factory we took the bus a different way towards a high school. There were 4,000 students who attended the high school, and they all gawked at us as we entered the campus. But of course instead of simply looking around and waving at the masses of chinese children, we had to go into the class room and perform in a sort of talent show.
Their were around ninety kids in the one classroom that we visited and our experience was like nothing we had ever had before, as soon as we were ushered into the classroom we were asked to introduce ourselves, telling the small class our name, where we were from and if we liked China. Anything that we did, they clapped and shrieked with happiness and these were 16 and 17 year olds, not little children. I was starting to have flashbacks of my experience back at Jiao da.
First they tried to get my mom to sing, which did not work out well; as they cheered her on and she kept on telling them that she was unable to sing, she finally nominated one of her students, Keith, to sing instead. And... he did. He sang you are my sunshine, or half of it to the cheers of the chinese, then of course they choose one of their best students to sing. It was a group of three chinese and together they sang a trio of old chinese verses that was amazing; we were all stupidifed after this amazing display. Then they wanted us to sing a chinese song, of course that was doomed not to turn out well...but we were saved by Julia, whose Chinese teacher had taught her one Chinese song which Julia had memoorized easily...but I will let her tell you about that experience.
After that amazing display, a large fan grouop gathered around Julia, calling her lovely and talking to her in a mixture of Chinese and English, and then one of their students sang; this time in English. SHe had an amazing voice and beautifully sang an English song and did very well, and her song did beat Keith's song.
Then they wanted someone from our group to peform something, and this time we did have a trick up our sleeves. This time Nathan came up, who could bend all of his fingers backwards, all of his hands, all of his arms, all of his legs and the Chinese scrieked with amazement. Then Keith came up again and he, Jessica and Lyndsey did a kauta in some kind of martial art. Before we left our new friends and went back into the bus, this time heading towards a farm village that was home only to sixty families.
Hana
Before I tell you about yesterdays's experience, I need to tell you a bit of backround knowledge, yesterday the officials decided that they did not want our group to go anywhere. They do not want us to organize anything, go to any public space and they don't even want us to leave the hotel; even to go to a restaurant was something that they were telling us not to do. But we only have three weeks in Xian, so for us what they were telling us to do was crazy, we have tons of plans, and things that the students need to do and they are just telling us that we can't even leave our hotel?
So today we decided that we were not going to go with that. The other professor who is half chinese and is the one who mainly talks to the officials, decided that we would have to go along with our plans and just see what happens. So now as we sped towards a village outside of Xian, we all had our cell phones turned off, in case the officials tried to call us; and a military car in front of us, heading towards a school.
After visiting the factory we took the bus a different way towards a high school. There were 4,000 students who attended the high school, and they all gawked at us as we entered the campus. But of course instead of simply looking around and waving at the masses of chinese children, we had to go into the class room and perform in a sort of talent show.
Their were around ninety kids in the one classroom that we visited and our experience was like nothing we had ever had before, as soon as we were ushered into the classroom we were asked to introduce ourselves, telling the small class our name, where we were from and if we liked China. Anything that we did, they clapped and shrieked with happiness and these were 16 and 17 year olds, not little children. I was starting to have flashbacks of my experience back at Jiao da.
First they tried to get my mom to sing, which did not work out well; as they cheered her on and she kept on telling them that she was unable to sing, she finally nominated one of her students, Keith, to sing instead. And... he did. He sang you are my sunshine, or half of it to the cheers of the chinese, then of course they choose one of their best students to sing. It was a group of three chinese and together they sang a trio of old chinese verses that was amazing; we were all stupidifed after this amazing display. Then they wanted us to sing a chinese song, of course that was doomed not to turn out well...but we were saved by Julia, whose Chinese teacher had taught her one Chinese song which Julia had memoorized easily...but I will let her tell you about that experience.
After that amazing display, a large fan grouop gathered around Julia, calling her lovely and talking to her in a mixture of Chinese and English, and then one of their students sang; this time in English. SHe had an amazing voice and beautifully sang an English song and did very well, and her song did beat Keith's song.
Then they wanted someone from our group to peform something, and this time we did have a trick up our sleeves. This time Nathan came up, who could bend all of his fingers backwards, all of his hands, all of his arms, all of his legs and the Chinese scrieked with amazement. Then Keith came up again and he, Jessica and Lyndsey did a kauta in some kind of martial art. Before we left our new friends and went back into the bus, this time heading towards a farm village that was home only to sixty families.
Hana
Ah...how we love food!
Finally, just to let you know..while some internet sites work, others don't...the best way for us to read your messages is by posting comments on our blog -- my UNL account is hard to access...you can also reach me at patricemcmahon@gmail.com...I think!! Miss you...especially our daddy and husband
Our first few days!
We have made it!! Our flights over were uneventful -- except when we got to Beijing and couldn't find most of the students. And just as the plane boarded, our little huskers came running. By the time we arrived in Xi'an, we were all exhausted but incredibly excited. The girls will tell more about our first three days -- they have been a Chinese adventure. The swine flu is very much a concern for the government and just as we had arrived, a case of swine flu was discovered in the next province. This has had important effects on our trip and schedule. Not only are we probed by a thermometer twice a day at somewhat regular intervals (as long as we are not overheated!), they requested that we do not go out in public, especially meet with Chinese students. They also wanted us to eat in our dorms instead in on campus or in nearby restaurants. Such a request however was regarded as impossible...and so we have continued to try to show others the wonderful world of Xi'an, China. The rain howewver has also made it difficult to wander around aimlessly but I've heard that it will be nicer on the weekend. The Chinese classes have been great and the girls are enjoying using their Chinese...
So, we just can't believe how quickly our reality has changed. The food, by the way, seems to only have gotten better. We enjoyed hot pot...and walked around our old neighborhood. Yesterday we went to a nearby "town"... of several hundred thousands to see a bit of rural life. We were warmly squeezed by the local middle schoolers.
The kids will write soon
So, we just can't believe how quickly our reality has changed. The food, by the way, seems to only have gotten better. We enjoyed hot pot...and walked around our old neighborhood. Yesterday we went to a nearby "town"... of several hundred thousands to see a bit of rural life. We were warmly squeezed by the local middle schoolers.
The kids will write soon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)