Epilogue (Part 2) THE END

Seat 41G sounds like an aisle seat doesn't it? Well, first the bad news... on United Flight 882, Seat 41G may be an aisle seat, but it is located smack dab against a white wall three quarters of the way back in economy class. This spot prevents "the sitter" from making any seat adjustments during the 11 plus hour flight. No lounging for Joan as she retraced the 6,283 miles back to Chicago! However, now for the good news...

Seated in 41 E and F were two young Chinese graduate students flying to the University of Illinoiz to begin an MBA Program. And they couldn't have been sweeter! Both very nervous, but oh so excited to be traveling to the United States for the first time. As I had struggled with chop sticks, so they struggled using a fork to eat their airplane meals! Wearing matching plaid shirts, they were recently engaged and wondered about the possibility of getting married in America! As the hours wore on, we had time to share stories, and before we landed I had given them my e-mail address and told them to feel free to contact me in the coming months. As we prepared to deplane, I noticed Yin digging around in her carry-on, and the next thing I knew she was presenting me with a lovely wooden box containing a glass vial. "You are our first American friend. We hope you will come to our wedding!" And just like that, the long flight home in the unadjustable seat didn't seem all that bad!!

As I write these words, I have been home for just over one week. Yesterday, I received an e-mail from Yin and a couple of photos taken that day. Her words encapsulate much of what I feel about my experience in China. She writes:







Dear Joan,

I'm Yin Zhang, the person sitting next to you when we flied to Chicago.
It's an awesome flight to be with you, and it will become our precious
memory that will be with us forever.

With an anxious mood, we started our journey of lives. Everything is new
and unfamiliar. However, God let us meet with you by chance, and you let
our anxiety into excitement. You gave us warmth and made us confident to
enjoy all matters presented by the country. Thank you.

One week passed, and everything went along the desired way. We made many new friends. I feel that the United States is the big family for people
from all over the world. I love it so much. Also, we met with our
professors who are very kind and patient. Next week we will start our fall
semester, and it will be a new challenge for us.

Attached is the photograph of our sweet memory.
Thank you very much.

Best wishes,
Yin

It was with an anxious mood I started my journey to China. Everything was new and unfamiliar. However, God let me meet many wonderful people along the way and led my anxiety to excitement. They gave me warmth and made me confident to enjoy all matters presented by the country.

This is Joan from China signing off for now.... Please look forward to upcoming adventures...

Zai Xian!


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Location:On the plane from Tokyo to Chicago

Epilogue (Part 1)

I'm waiting to board Flight 956 to Tokyo for the first leg of the journey home. Airports can be a bit stressful when they are unfamiliar. The taxi dropped me off at Terminal 3 and helped me find a luggage trolly. Then the Information Receptionist pointed to Check in area D26. My passport wouldn't scan, so a Nipon employee checked me in... (Hadn't checked flights since June, so was relieved that nothing had changed!) Then it was down a flight of stairs and onto an airport tram to Terminal E. It was here that I officially got my passport stamped and said Zai Jian to China! Almost immediately there was a security check and a complete body scan. My iPad had its own container.

Once thorough security, I used my remaining RMB to buy a Costa Coffee and an almond croissant before heading to gate E27. So glad to be at this point, and thought I'd do a little writing. Now, where had I put my iPad..??

Oh No!! It's not here! It must be back at security. So much for the relaxing cup of coffee. In a burst, I flew down the terminal and tried to recall which black haired woman had frisked me! I had to walk around and get in for a closer look! And there she was, and next to her was some man trying to figure out whose iPad this might be. Xie, Xie!!!! They didn't hesitate when they handed it over! So now, here I am, back at Gate 27 and about to enjoy my now properly cooled coffee!

On the plane, I sat next to a young Chinese man traveling to the U.S. for the first time. He will do graduate work at Arizona State. He is from Hunan, and yesterday his parents accompanied him to Beijing on the train. They spent the night together and saw him off at the airport this morning. He is their only child and they won't see him again for at least two years. This is his first trip out of China! I can only imagine how those parents are feeling. I shared my mini bottle of white wine with him and we toasted his success. (I remember my first trip to Europe as an eighteen year old and the kindness of a scary looking Frenchman who of all the people in the waiting area happened to be seated next to me. I remember we shared a glass of wine!) Also, gave him my e-mail address and a new five dollar bill to buy a treat in the U.S.!

Another bit of excitement in Tokyo. I've been hand carrying a large blank scroll for this special artist friend of mine. When I went through security, they said it was too long, and I couldn't take it. Couldn't take it??? I explained that this was a special gift, and I had to come with me. I was certain it would fit perfectly in the overhead bin, and I was sure United Airlines wouldn't mind! "Sorry, it's too long." I explained how I've carried this package from Hongzhou to Yuyao, from Yuyhao to Shanghai, from Shanghai to Beijing and now to Tokyo. I simply can't just leave it here. I didn't pack it because I didn't want it to get smashed.

Well, one of the security guards took pity on me and asked his assistant to fill out a form. Package in hand, she then escorted me to the United ticket counter. I was sure the rest would be a piece of cake. Wrong!! Now, the scroll had to be rolled in plastic and checked. The Japanese agent apologized saying this wasn't a United policy, it was a policy of the Japanese government. I wasn't about to argue with the Japanese government, so now I have a 3rd claim check. All I can say is if this scroll arrives safely in Minneapolis, I hope that it turns into one fine piece of art!!
Abrigato!
Joan



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Location:Beijing Airport, August 14, 2012 7:20 a.m.

Last Day in China and It's a Good Thing

I think God is telling me party over, time to go home. This morning I left the hotel around 9:00 a.m. after getting directions on how to walk to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Supposedly it was about a 20 minute trek... I really wasn't up for coping with a crowded metro....

My first warning that perhaps the day would not go exactly as planned was when I made the mistake of ordering an egg McMuffin from a McDonald's along the way, and it came covered with ketchup! I took one bite and threw the rest away. Don't eat at McDonalds in Beijing!

Turning right at the Beijing Hotel, I was once again on my way. Apparently, I attract strangers!! A man on my left struck up a conversation. He was about my age,seemed nice enough, and turned out to be a retired teacher of calligraphy and painting at the University. He was on his way to an art show exhibiting students' work. At least that's what I believed. Yes, he was walking in the direction of the Forbidden City... the art exhibit was on the way. The next thing I knew, I was walking into a shop with original scrolls covering the walls. My new friend started to explain a few of the pieces when a tall, young man interrupted and continued to do the talking. He was very animated and his English was great. He was one of the students and his original scrolls of the Four Seasons were beautiful. He had a running commentary of many of the other pieces as well, and I truly enjoyed his explanation of some art representing the wisdom of Confucius.

Of course, today being the last day of the exhibit, everything was half-price. I could buy his original work, "his very best work", '7 layers of work"....
It was very beautiful... John, I can hear you groaning right now,and saying,
"Oh,no... you didn't do it!" I admit it, I felt cornered... he really wanted to sell me all 4 seasons, and I told him I couldn't afford 4. O.K. he could sell me two seasons, his very best work!! One thing I have learned and do believe is that Ying and Yang are very important in China, and it is bad luck to break up a pair! Well, it is original art, and it is very beautiful, and he told me I would give him confidence if he knew his art was hanging in America. Anna, Sam... how would some beautiful Chinese scrolls look in your apartment???

Leaving the shop with two scrolls under my arm, I could feel my blood pressure higher than normal. My 'so-called' friend accompanied me what was at least a mile to the entrance of the Forbidden City. The crowd entering the area was thick and ticket lines were long. As expected, a young Chinese woman appeared and asked to be my guide. If I were going to get anything out of the Forbidden City, I knew I needed some help. So, I said goodbye to the professor??? and hello to Sunny (Give you a sunny day). I told her I only wanted a one hour tour. Part of the deal was that I had to purchase her admittance ticket in addition to my own. Unfortunately, one of the 50 RMB bills I gave her to purchase the tickets, was fake!! I couldn't believe it... So far, I'm up to 250 counterfeit RMBs...

Sunny spent a long time in the toilet before we got going, and I wondered if she was feeling so sunny. It was so hot, and the buildings are so spread out, and there were so many people that I really didn't care if I saw where the emperor slept or not. She told me a few things about the place, but I was rapidly losing my energy, and wanted out, forbidden or not! So, we retraced our steps, Sunny leading me out of the gate and into Tiananmen Square. I took a few pictures of Mao, tried to imagine students demonstrating in front of the flagpole and then was relieved to say goodbye. Can you believe I was happy to be going down into the metro!!! Shows you what kind of state I was in...
I had to be back at the hotel by 1:30 for a Tour of the Hutongs!

Hutongs are a maze of old neighborhoods throughout old Beijing. The guide said that if all of the streets of the hutongs were connected the length would surpass the length of The Great Wall! A couple from Israel were my companions. The tour included a visit to the drum tower. 12 people beat a series of huge drums to help people keep track of time. We also enjoyed a tea ceremony and a pedicab ride. All very nice, but clearly created for tourists. Having spent extended time in Yuyao, I appreciate that my experience there was a true slice of life and not one created to make money!

As the sun was setting, I took a stroll down a few side streets not far from the hotel and ended up enjoying a plate of Chinese broccoli, beef and rice as my final dinner in China. A glass of The Great Wall white wine tasted very good!

And now it's time to pack and see if I can squeeze all my treasures into the black duffel bag! I leave the hotel tomorrow morning at 5:30 to begin the 22 hour trip home! I leave on the 14th and get home on the 14th! And I will be glad to be there.

Xai Jian!
Joan



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Location:Destination Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square

An Afternoon at the Silk Market

Since arriving in China, I have looked forward to going to its famous Silk Market. This is a place that sells famous name -brand knockoffs. I was told numerous times to bargain aggressively for all types of garments, shoes, bags, watches and pearls. The best of TJ Max, all under one roof sounds like my kind of place!

I am happy to report that I took the Metro to the Silk Market and spent several hours feeling a bit overwhelmed with all the shops and vendors trying to entice passerby. Each salesperson insists that for you they make best price, or that today is no good day so make good price, or you very strong... I know you teacher, I give you best price...

I found a few things I couldn't live without, and then was happy to sit down in a comfortable chair and have a manicure and a 30 minute foot massage!

The silk market is a great place to go if you're not looking for anything in particular and are ready to walk away. When in Beijing,, it is definitely worth a visit to the Silk Market!


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Location:Line 1, Get off at Yong An Li

Riding the Metro In Beijing (Part 2)

A very nice woman and her son started up a conversation shortly before arriving at the Summer Palace stop. They, too, were on a holiday. I love watching mothers with their sons. The fact that a mother can have only one child if the firstborn is a son makes them such an adored prize. Sam, don't worry, you are an adored prize!! ( If the firstborn is a daughter, parents may try for a second child.) This mother made sure her son's backpack was arranged comfortably on his shoulders, and as soon as we got outside, she put a yellow cap on his head and some clip on sun glasses over his glasses. I'd say he was around 11 years old.


Anyway, there were crowds everywhere and vendors hawking touristy items. Lots of food on a stick, rolled up pancakes with an egg, sweet potatoes and lots of drinks. Entering the main gate to the Palace, I saw four long lines waiting to buy entrance tickets. Oh boy...

Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a smiling young man who asked, "Where are you from? Do you need a guide?' For 180 RMB his girlfriend would give me a personal guided tour. Considering the alternative, I said, "O.K." At first, Jeeny was very quiet, and I briefly wished I had brought along my counterfeit RBM's! However, as our walk continued, she became more confident. She is a student at a university in Beijing and she and her boyfriend give tours to make money during their summer holiday. I would never have wandered through the maze of the palace or seen as many things without her.

Of special note was the Temple of Wisdom which, on its surface, is covered with 1111 small budhas. Remember the #1 stands for power. During the mass student protest in 1989, all of these budha heads were destroyed. Today, the newer looking heads on ancient bodies are evidence of restoration.

Jeeny also told me about the Dragon Queen. She was in power when Chairman Mao assumed power in China. Although she had a son, she loved to rule, and he never became emperor. (Reminds me a bit of Queen Elizabeth!) During her reign she had a huge marble ship built in one of the lagoons. The water surrounding the ship represents the common people. Under normal conditions, rough waters can overturn a ship, however this marble ship will never be overturned! The Dragon Queen ruled China for 50 years.

Beyond the main entrance is a lovely bridge covering a lagoon. The emperor loved the city of Suzhou, but as his mother was ill, he could not visit there as often as he liked. So, he had a replica of this city created on the Summer Palace grounds.

A beautiful cloisonné exhibit houses some of the intricately designed urns, and jewelry of the period. Lots of winding paths, large rock formations and beautifully painted buildings. I bought an Empress bracelet!

And then it was time to pay up and say good bye. I made it back to Line 4 and, retraced my route! But, I didn't go directly back to Novotel...
Line 1 also stops at the Silk Market, , Beijing's most famous, indoor market where bargaining is the name of the game!

Yi huier jian!
Joan



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Location:The Summer Palace

Riding the Metro in Beijing... on a Sunday! (Part 1)

When I learned from Ms. Tour Guide Angel that EVERYBODY can ride the metro in Beijing for only 2 RMB, I decided to try it. Nadia, the concierge at Novotel Peace told me I would have to change lines twice, and she was very helpful about writing down the names of each stop both in English and in Chinese! One thing Nadia didn't mention was how many people ride the Beijing metro on the weekends! Yesterday, Angel told EVERYBODY that Beijing has a population of 22 million, but I didn't appreciate the significance of that number until after my metro experience today.

Line 5 was busy but doable. I checked my directions to make certain I was heading toward Dongdan where I was to make my first transfer. So far so good. Didn't find a seat on Line 5, but I was getting off after one stop. From Line 5, I was to transfer to Line 1. In order to find Line 1, I had to go up an escalator, down a long hall, around a corner, another long hall and then down an escalator... Well, let me say this... the stream of people was fast becoming a mass of people. In every direction, body to body. I was able to determine that I needed to get on the train to my left along with hundreds of other people. Lines mean little in the Beijing Metro. As the doors of the train opened, the crowd surged forward carrying me with it! Seriously, I found myself inside, locked between bodies on every side. A man's arm was up over my shoulder holding onto a steal bar, and I kept feeling a knee pushing into my bum... at least I think it was a knee!! My camera was in my purse, but I couldn't get at it because I couldn't move my right arm. And I do believe, I was the only Caucasian in the lot!

There were at least 12 stops on Line 1 before I was able to push my way out and head to Line 4 which would take me to the Summer Palace. Riding the metro in Beijing is very cost effective, but it requires fortitude!
I was quite relieved to exit the Metro Station... I was ready to visit the quiet gardens and lakes of the Summer Palace... what I saw was that all my new friends from the Metro had a similar idea.


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Location:Dengshikou Station Line 5 to the Summer Palace

Alone in Beijing with a Peking Duck

After climbing The Great Wall, I had built up an appetite. When I asked the concierge where I should go for dinner, he suggested Peking Duck! Well, when in Rome..., so off I went to try one of many area restaurants that feature this most famous dish.

When I walked in, the lobby was crowded with Chinese people which I took to be good sign. I asked for a table for one and was given a number and, shown that it would be a 45 minute wait. People in the lobby were watching the Olympic Diving Competition, so I found a stool and sat down. I was afraid I wouldn't hear my number being called, but there was a scroll above the TV that had the numbers in both Chinese and English.

Clearly this is a popular place and many family groups were waiting to go in. When I was seated in the colorful dining room, the waitress brought me a menu. I told her I wanted the Peking Duck! She showed me the page in the menu.. and I ordered half a duck. (John, this was your kind of place, and I wish you had been here to eat the other half!). The waitress told me the duck would take 45 minutes to prepare. Well I had my Beijing Travel Book and figured I could do a little reading while I waited. I also ordered a Pindow (beer)!

As I waited for my meal, I noticed a number of waiters in tall white hats rolling carts laden with golden Peking Ducks to various tables throughout the dining room. The server would then carefully carve the duck tableside.




When a server arrived near my table, i figured it was my turn. The first thing he did was to remove some of the crispy brown skin, slice it thin, and place it on a plate. The waitress then presented this plate along with a tiny bowl of white sugar in front of me! Using chop sticks, you dip a piece of the skin into the sugar before putting it in your mouth! MMM delicious.

Then he proceeded to slice up one-half of the bird gently placing the slices on a plate. The waitress then demonstrated how to roll the meat into a very thin pancake along with slivered white onions and a deep Hoisin sauce.

After about 4 of these pancakes, I was quite satisfied! I really needed a friend to help me finish them off. Dining solo is not my first choice, especially when eating Peking Duck in Beijing!

On the way back to the Novotel, I stopped at Hagan and ordered a scoop of Dulce de Leche! It hit the spot.

Tomorrow, it's on to The Summer Palace and the Silk Market!
Zai Jian,
Joan

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Location:Downtown Shanghai August 11, 2011

To Scam or Be Scammed!

You may recall that I talked about the complicated process changing dollars into RMBs at the Bank of China. In fact I was a bit irritated that it involved so much paperwork and examiation of my bills. Well... I take it all back.

For the past 48 hours, I have tried to spend my two 100 RMB bills, and no one will take them. Not the taxi driver, not Angel the tour guide, not the man selling apples. How was I supposed to notice that one corner of each of these bills has been torn off or that the picture of Chairman Mao doesn't change from green to black when the bill is moved from upright to flat.

Yup. I've been had. Somebody, knew I was a likely target...and I really don't know where it happened. I'm thinking it must have been Yuyao as that is where I got a lot of 100 RMB bills... You're probably thinking I got them from Mr. Green shirt back in Shanghai, but the truth is, I'm one who PAID him, and I didn't get any change.

Moral of the Story; Always check your change!!

Xai Jian!
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Location:Could be Anywhere

To Be a Real Hero

This morning, I woke up early and Skyped with Anna and then John and Maria. Made a cup of Nescafe in my little silver pot! I leave for a tour of the Great Wall at 10:30. Before then, I am going to see if I can get one of the desk people downstairs to help me transfer some photos from my camera to my I-PAD... Faithful readers will know if I meet with success.

Our tour guide for the visit to the Great Wall introduced herself. She said her English name is "Angel", but she is no angel, and her Chinese name is Ms. Wang. Wang means "King', but she is no king! So EVERYBODY, you can call me Angel, or you can call me Ms. Wang. Now EVERYBODY, do you know how old is China? 3000 years old. EVERYBODY, do you know how long Beijing is the capital of China? 800 years. EVERYBODY, do you know how many dynasties are there in these 800 years? The Yuen (Mongolia), the Ming (Han) and the Ching (People from Manchuria). Now EVERYBODY, the emperor could do whatever he want. If he want to marry you and you no want to marry him, he cut off your head. Now, EVERYBODY, today in China, people can do everything we want. On October 1, 1949 Chairman Mao is founding People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square, and since 1949, we can do everything we like.

Now EVERYBODY, let me tell you ....,different color, different meaning. EVERYBODY, do you know emperor's favorite color? EVERYBODY?? Emperor's color is yellow. Today, we can wear yellow, but during emperor's life, you wear yellow, you get head cut off!

Angel was a plethora of information. We learned that in Beijing, 34% of the people are locals and the other 66% are people who work, study or travel here. EVERYBODY, do you know how much is it a ticket to ride the subway in Beijing? Only 2 RMB. Living is very expensive, and many people who work full-time will never be able to own their own home. SOMEBODY LIKE BEIJING SO MUCH. SOMEBODY HATE BEIJING SO MUCH!

On the bus were a couple from Japan, two families from France, a father and son from China, and Austrian man and me! The Austrian turned out to be a great walking buddy. Married with two young sons, he is a project manager for a steal company.



Mom, we tried to get a good photo of me on the wall for next year's calendar!

Angel told us that the Great Wall is 6800 kilometers long. In Beijing, there are 900 of these kilometers. It is 2600 years old. It began with the Ching Dynasty. It is called 1 Ly Chang Chung. It is also called the longest cemetery. There were no machines to carry or cut the stone. It was all manpower; climbing the mountain to get the material and then hauling it down. Many died building the wall and were buried along it's base. Somewhere between 1 and 2 million men. EVERYBODY to be heroes in China, we need to climb The Great Wall. But, the workers were the real heroes!
The Wall is awe inspiring. I was struck by the size of the steps. Huge,over-sized blocks of stone rise, in some places almost vertically. I can only imagine what it took to set set these in place.


In the distance you can see miles and miles of The Great Wall snaking its way across the mountainsides. Exactly who was the emperor afraid of? Sheltered inside his beautiful palaces, he had little idea about the lives of those dying as they struggled to do his bidding!

Three hours later, after having purchased a YELLOW "I Climbed the Wall" t- shirt, we headed back into the city.

EVERYBODY, do you like The Great Wall? EVERYBODY, do you like this English guide? I hope so EVERYBODY!

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Location:The Great Wall at Mutianyo August 11, 2012

Alone in Beijing (Part 2)

I would like to begin by sharing the internet directions to the Black Sesame Restaurant:

Take a taxi to Nan Luogu Xiang and Gulou Dong Dajie. (The north end of Nan Luogo Xiang.) Walk south on Nan Luogu Xiang for several hundred meters until you reach between #51 and #53. Turn right at the Hutong Alley which is Heizhima Hutong. On either corner you'll see Wiggly Jiggly's and a t-shirt shop called Navel. We are the 1st courtyard (through a large wooden door) on the right (#3). Once in the courtyard, make a left, then a right turn and follow the path to the red door on the right.



Even after a good night' s rest, getting to the Black Sesame would be a bit stressful, and getting there in an electric pedicab driven by a singing Chinese man nearly put me over the top!

Once in the Black Sesame, all troubles are forgotten. Grace Joan, a young Australian hostess welcomed guests as they came through the door.



I was seated at a table set for 12 and an additional 8 guests were in the adjacent room. The evening's menu was as follows:




The Chef and his assistant prepared 10 courses while we drank chilled white wine and got to know one another.




To my left was a couple from England, across from me a Venezuelan man and his former Chinese student, further down the table an American fine artist, a couple from Scotland, living and working in Beijing, their young adult daughter and her British boyfriend. Half way through the meal, a couple from New York joined us... they hadn't been able to find a taxi!! As the courses were served, the decibel level continued to rise and by course #10, I felt like l'd made some new friends.




Should you ever go to Beijing, I highly recommend an evening at the Black Sesame Restaurant.

Zai Jian
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Location:Black Sesame Restaurant August 10, 2012

Alone in Beijing (Part 1)

Sally, Dave and I took the fast train from Shanghai to Beijing leaving at 7:00 a.m.! I was very fortunate to have Dave willing to help me with my ever- growing-in-size black duffel bag. When we reached Beijing, they escorted me to the taxi stand, and we said our goodbyes! I might see them later this afternoon, but they are checking into a different hotel and are only staying for 24 hours!

I thought I had things under control. I showed my confirmation e-mail to the taxi driver and, well, that did not go as smoothly as expected! He gave me a blank stare and shook his head. Waving the paper and directing his attention to the name of the hotel, written in English, was not the answer. A passenger in another taxi kindly came over and asked if he could help. He used his cell phone to call the number on my paper and then explained the location to my driver. It was not with extreme confidence that I settled into the taxi and was driven out of the terminal.

However, before I knew it, we were in front of Novotel Peace, and I checked in. It is a very nice hotel. My room has two single beds, a hot shower and internet access, so I'm back in business. Spent the next hour talking to the concierge about how best to see Beijing over the next few days. Also, made the impulsive decision to try out the hair salon... FYI: "Not too short" is a relative term!!

This evening, I had a reservation at the Black Sesame Restaurant in one of the hutongs (neighborhoods). When Maria was in Beijing a number of months ago, she had a great time there and so recommended it. Well, she was right! Getting to the restaurant is a bit of a challenge, however. Black Sesame is located down at the end of a hutong. Between #51 and #53, turn left and then take an immediate right through a large wooden door. Inside the door, follow the path, turning first left and then right and then you will see a large red door and you will have arrived. Keep in mind, that the taxi driver will deliver you to the top of the hutong, and after that you are on you own.

Leaving the hotel, I asked the bellman to please call me a taxi. He said it was very difficult to get a taxi at this time... they were not stopping. Seriously??

He suggested I walk down to the end of the street, next to a stoplight and try to flag one down (my words!) No taxis stopped in spite of my friendly smile and persuasive wave. Then as if by magic..., the following vehicle came into view...




I really thought it was a mini milk truck! The driver smiled and looked at me questioningly. I showed him my piece of paper with the name and address written in Chinese. He nodded. I motioned "How much?" He said, "40"... Well, I didn't exactly have a lot of options! Dinner started at 7:00! I didn't even know how to get into this machine! Walking around to the back, there was a lever that opened a small door.



I took a deep breath, let myself in and sat down on a seat covered with a bamboo mat. The driver gunned the small engine and we were off!

Into the busy traffic the driver merged amid honking horns and tourist busses! Then to top it off, he started to sing! Yes, first the American national anthem and the the Chinese. When those were over, he started humming some classical melodies... and all for only 40 RMB. The best part was yet to come. This little mini cab didn't drop me at the top of the road. Oh no,... we charged right down the little narrow street almost knocking over some unsuspecting pedestrians. Now this is my kind of driver! And then, there it was... I saw #53, and I patted his arm and pointed. URRRRH went the brakes!

I wanted to ask the driver if he'd come back and pick me up at 10:00, but there was no way to work this out given he was already holding up traffic!!

And off to find the Black Sesame I went!

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Location:Novotel Peace, Beijing August 10, 2012

Signs of Affection

Over the past month, especially at the Experimental School, I have been struck by the open affection between students of the same sex. It is very commonplace to see two girls walk hand in hand down the halls on their way to and from class. Boys think nothing of putting their arm around a fellow student and even sitting on each other's laps! It is a beautiful sight to behold. I am saddened that in the U.S. similar displays of affection would be immediately misconstrued and considered a sexual display of some kind. I conclude that with homophobia such a hot topic right now, we are depriving ourselves of what is a natural desire to express affection through touch.


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Location:On the fast train to Beijing August 10, 2012

Along the Bund (Early evening, August 9, 2012)

Tonight, we headed down to the area along the Huangpu River. This famous boardwalk is referred to as the Bund. If you have experienced the lit buildings of Chicago's architecture at night, you have a tiny taste of what this area looks like. On the Bund side of the river are the grand European style buildings reflecting Shanghai's colorful past.



On the opposite side, is a skyline like something out of a futuristic film! Almost like a scene from "The Jetsons!" (This really dates me.)



It is an amazing sight to behold. In the water are colorful, brightly lit ships that carry visitors up and down the water.



This is the perfect place to spend an evening in Shanghai.
And then back to the Fish Inn... to squeeze all of today's purchases into one ever-expanding black duffel bag.



Zai Jian,
Joan

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Location:Downtown Shanghai

Helping the Chinese Economy Grow (Part 2)

Before leaving Rochester, friend Ed gave me a card for Tommy: Tao Bao City! It was here that he suggested I go to find good fake Rolex watches. Located at 580 West Nanjing Road, Sally and I thought it couldn't be too far from the temple. Well, West Nanjing Road is a very long road... and we made the very wise decision to take a taxi (on Ed) to get there. Sure enough, there it was #580, and my first experience with the black market was underway.

As soon as we entered the doors, a slightly built young man (let's call him John's nephew or JN) approached and invited us to look at his shop called "John 1F - D1. Sally told him, "No thanks, we're looking for Tommy". "This is Tommy," he replied. Certain he was a scam artist, we tried to ignore him. "No, come here, I'll show you." And out of a drawer, JN pulled a stack of pink business cards that were identical to the one Ed had given me. "New name, same place, I told you," he smiled.

"Well O.K.," I'm thinking. Here I go... "I want to buy some Rolex watches. My friend was here several years ago, and he told me I need to go into the back room." Without a moment of hesitation, JN said, "Please follow me."
He led us up an escalator, and then up another escalator. There were many small shops on every floor. JN then ushered us into one of these shops and Mr. Green Shirt, who must have been JN's cousin, motioned for us to follow him into what looked to be a storage closet. (Could this be the back room Ed was talking about?) I was very grateful to have Sally at my side!


Then we witnessed a scene like right out of The Diary of Ann Frank. Green Shirt swung forward the shelves of the storage unit to reveal a hidden compartment.



And yes, there wrapped in soft yellow plastic were the good fake Rolexes!! All kinds of them! This was the real fake deal. I pulled out my xeroxed photos of the styles Ed and his boys had in mind. Conversation was minimal. At that point, I decided that as long as I was there, I better pick up a couple of extra Rolexes for my family back home assuming I ever see them again!

And then the hard negotiations began.
Joan: (Trying to appear self-assured and non-commital) "How much for 5?"




Greenshirt: (Typing into calculator) 4000 RMB
Joan: (Really not comprehending how many dollars that was) "4000??
That's way too much... I'm buying a lot."
Greenshirt: "How much you pay?"
Joan: "Not that much! These aren't real!
Greenshirt: "They are good fakes!"
Joan: "My friend told me no more than $50.00 each!"
Greenshirt: "$60.00"
Joan: (Considering inflation over the last few years) "$55.00 each. That's my limit"
Greenshirt: Starting to put the watches in a bag...
Joan: "I need boxes... these are gifts!"
Greenshirt: Sighing and digging through the shelves, he drudgingly put each watch in a box.


Joan: Counting out a slew of 100 RMB bills... "Thank you very much!"

And out of the closet into the regular workaday world we went.
Surprise, surprise... all of two seconds later, JN appeared. "Purses? You like purses? Follow me..." and that story I will leave to your imagination.

Two hours and two large black garbage bags later, Sally and I found ourselves once again on the street outside of #580. We were not tired, we were exhausted! And we were parched. We each quickly downed a bottle of cold ice tea sold on the street. And then... Ed, if you are reading this, I hope it's OK, but I used the last change to treat Sally and me to a large iced vanilla latte at Costa Coffee. We needed a few moments to rest and recover from clandestine operation Rolex!

Zai Jian!
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Location:Shanghai

Helping the Chinese Economy Grow (Part 1) August 9, 2012

First of all, I am pleased to report that the second red alarm typhoon day did not materialize. I woke to the sound of silence and a bit of sun peaking through the window...

What a gift... Shanghai here we come! At 9:00 I was the first customer in the door at a beautiful, rather imposing Bank of China. I need to tell you that making a transaction at the Bank of China is very different than making a transaction at Wells Fargo. I had some cash from my friend Ed that I needed to change into RMB's to go and buy the good fake Rolex's... (I'll get to that later!) I told the man at the front door what I wanted to do. He asked if I had my passport and then directed me to a teller window. Then he gave me a form to fill out. I slid my form, passport and cash through the window. Two tellers examined the bills to make sure they were the real deal! Also, numbers on the passport were scrutinized. She then showed me the exchange rate for $100.00 (639 RMB)... "O.K., O.K.. she wore a 'trainee' pin, ... great... I had people waiting.... I would say about 10 minutes later, I received my receipt as well as cash that had been counted at least 3 times! I headed back to the Fish Inn to join Dave, Sally and Elizabeth.

Our first destination was the Yuyuan Garden. We took the Metro, line 10!
The Shanghai metro is very clean and easy to use. A few stops later, we were once again out on the streets and soon in the midst of a serious toursit trap make believe market, spliced with a smattering of DQ and KFC!
Many hawkers trying to lure us into tea houses and shopping stalls! There were opportunities to buy fake rolexes, but I remembered what Ed said, and held back.

Once in the Garden, we were fortunate to run into a young Chinese man, recently graduated from the University, who offered, for a small fee, to be our guide. His American name was Tony and he was a great guy.




Throughout his narrative, we worked on the Long A sound as in Crane and Main! He learned the difference between 'tired' and 'exhausted' and we learned a great deal about Mr. Pan who had built the garden in the 1500's. Originally, 70 acres, it has now been reduced to 30. At one time, a person could stand on top of a man made rock wall and see all of the city. Today, the garden is hidden among the sea of skyscrapers in every direction.
Sally and I sat on a bench next to the water, under a pergola, reserved for beautiful ladies!

From the garden, we decided to try the Xibo Restaurant specializing in food from northwestern China (far reaches of Mongolia?) It was recommended on a website forwarded by John this morning. We were told it was a 10 minute walk from Line 10. Thirty minutes later, we arrived thanks to the personal escort service of an elderly Taiwanese couple who lived in the U.S. for 40 plus years. At first they just gave us directions, but on further consideration decided to accompany us to the door. This was very kind of them as he was clearly up in years. They were a delight! (She just retired from an OB Gyn practice and he is a retired engineer. They have two children living in New York City.) Three of us ordered a specialty of the Xibo... a mixture of many small pieces of well seasoned fried bread with bits of lamb and pepper! The glass of Chardonnay was great, and it was a nice change from rice!

After lunch, we made out way to the Jiang 'an Temple. This is an exquisite series of traditional building smack dab in the middle of clusters of skyscrapers.



Going in the main entrance, visitors are invited to purchase a stick of incense, light it in a large caldron specifically for that purpose and then wave the stick in all four directions. Many bells of different shapes and sizes are attached to a large bronze structure in the center of the courtyard. The sound of tinkling bells pervaded the air. Random monks dressed in golden colored robes can be seen walking in and out of doors.




Up in the main temple, sits a huge budha (15 tons of silver) flanked by red silk pillows.


A number of people stopped for a minute to pray... This is the first time I've witnessed any kind of worship since being in China. It was a moment to stop and give thanks for this amazing experience.



It was now around 3:00. Dave left to walk around the French Concession, Elizabeth headed back to the Fish Inn and Sally decided to accompany me to "Tommy: Tao Bao City. (One world, One family, One dream!)
Stay tuned for Helping the Chinese Economy Grow (Part 2)




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Location:Downtown Shanghai

The Eye of the Typhoon

We arrived at the Fish Inn, and raced inside as torrential rain was pouring down and wind was blowing hard. Elizabeth, Dave, Sally and I are sharing a 3 bedroom suite. There are 3 small bedrooms and an even smaller common area with a TV and a tea kettle! We agreed that a visit to the Shanghai Art Museum would be a good choice!

Dave discovered a place called Wagas for lunch. And let me say this... the curried chicken with raisins in a spinach wrap was delicious! I ENJOYED EVERY BITE! Dave wants to go back there tomorrow! We shared a piece of chocolate decadence! MMM good!

Out the window, people were battling the winds, and umbrellas were all turned inside out! Trees were swaying and branches falling! We knew the museum closed at 5:00 pm, so it was now or never... a short metro ride and then out into the storm. "Go straight ahead 20 meters and it's on the left."
"Whose left?" It took all of 30 seconds for each of us to become completely soaked, and I mean right through to my underwear! Walking in water 4 inches deep, my new size 41 purple tennis shoes were submerged! By that point, who cared! My yellow umbrella bore the brunt of the pelts, and only turned inside out once! At this point, Sally decided to enjoy being wet and started dancing around in the fast moving water. Eventually, we arrived at the entrance to the museum.... I was surprised to see so many people there...

As luck would have it, I had put a long sleeved shirt in my purse. When I went into the restroom to make the change, an Italian woman suggested I put my soaking head under the hand drier!

When the museum closed, we found ourselves once again back out in the pouring rain. There were no taxis in sight, so it was back to the metro and then a short walk to the Fish Inn. Sure wish we could order Dominos tonight!i Greg, Megan and James leave early tomorrow morning for Beijing. The rest of the group has one more day in Shanghai.
Tomorrow my mission is to locate some fake Rolex watches. My sources tell me this is the place to get them. Could be another adventure!
Outside, it is raining harder than ever!
Xai Jian,
Joan


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Location:Shanghai

Typhoon Haikui Hits Shanghai

This morning it is raining very hard. According to CCTV, 300,000 people have been evacuated... so we are heading to the downtown area right now!
There might be some good sales! The name of our hotel is the Fish Inn which sounds mighty appropriate at the moment!

Early this morning, we were able to visit the Silk Museum. It was very interesting to see how silk is made. We actually saw a woman open a silk pod, removing the dead worm and then stretching the silk over a frame. An incredible silk robe covered with 9 golden dragons was on display. Each dragon foot has 5 claws, a symbol of the power of the emperor. The dragons representing the Prime Minister have only 4 claws. Replicas of silk from 250 BC was also on display. Following the brief tour, we were led into a large showroom. Pillows and quilts were on display and available for sale.

There were also rooms filled with silk clothing and scarves. Had to remind myself that the shopping of Beijing is still ahead!

After the museum, our driver and guide did drive us to the old part of the city, so we could at least take a look at a few bridges of this "Venice of Asia". It looked adorable and when I think I could have been here yesterday instead of on Snake Island!! This would definitely be a place to revisit on a beautiful day.

And now, we are on the freeway and heading East into the eye of the storm. The wipers are working overtime and Megan just put in an Indiana Jones movie. So, Zai Jian for now! It is a torrential rain!!

Joan


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Location:On the road to Shanghai

Qiandao Lake, Chunan August 6, 2012

Where do I begin? After a breakfast of soupy rice with squash (I had so thought they were peaches!!) a couple of pieces of sponge cake and a glass of hot milk, we boarded our mini-bus and headed out for a tour of Qiandao Lake. On the way we stopped and picked up our English speaking guide who introduced herself as "Nancy, Call Me Nancy".



According to "Call Me Nancy", her parents lost their jobs when she was very young, and she had to quit school. She apologized for her English and said she was self-taught from her dictionary. She then asked us if we'd like her to sing a song... in Chinese or in English... she had me going, so I chose Chinese! And that was our introduction to Qiandao Lake!

"Call Me Nancy" did provide us with some helpful information. Qiandao Lake is the result of the Chinese government's program to create hydro electric power. In 1957, Zhou En Lai visited Chunan and told the people that creating a dam was important for the good of the people. In 1959, the first hydro electric project was underway. A dam was built which caused the Yan ?? River to back up and eventually flood a huge expanse of what was once many villages, displacing over 290,000 inhabitants.

Today, this area has turned into a huge tourist attraction for Chinese visitors. Qiandao means 1000 islands and this is exactly what we saw when we reached the water. More accurately, these islands are the tips of the many hills and mountains that surrounded the villages when the flooding occurred. According to Call Me Nancy, it would take 7 days in a boat to travel around the entire lake. It is 400 feet deep and 270 square kilometers.

As visitors enter the large ticket area, they are given a blank key chain with a place for a photo. Almost immediately, "Call Me Nancy" led us to a photo op area explaining that we would get a free photo for our key chain and could buy a larger one if we liked it! Then it was onto one of many large ferries waiting in the harbor. There was a slight fiasco as we entered the cabin. Many people were already seated, and there was not a block of open seats for our group. "Call Me Nancy" started yelling at some woman who worked on the ship and before I knew it, a family that was already seated was being asked to move. Needless to say, it was embarrassing and I wanted to tell them to stay where they were, but once the process started, there was no turning back! I think the family and some others were told they could be seated in the air conditioned section upstairs. Eventually, they reappeared and sat right across from us, so it all worked out!

Weather was very warm and hazy... the shadows of mountains behind mountains in varying shades of grey were beautiful. I think often of Kathy and know how she could capture these scenes with her brushes!


Our first stop was an island with an incredible view of many of the islands!
After disembarking, "Call Me Nancy" strongly encouraged us to pay 40 RMB to ride the chair lift up and down the mountain. She said that if we walked we would only see trees and with the chair lift, we would be at the top in 10 minutes! Before we knew it, she had purchased the lift tickets. Greg and Elizabeth didn't want the tickets and chose to walk up... the rest of us got into the line. Well the ride might take 10 minutes, but the wait in the line was close to an hour. By then, Elizabeth and Greg had been enjoying the view on top for 20 minutes! It was Tracy's first chair lift ride which was worth something. At the top, the view was spectacular. We were there long enough to take some photographs and a group shot before walking down!! "Call Me Nancy" led the way!




The second island was something out of a bad dream! Called Snake Island, need I say more! For every 30 RMB collected by a worker, visitors can watch as a mouse is thrown into the pit and consumed! (I didn't watch). Also, for 20 RMB, you can see a show in which 'Lady Boys'(transvestites from Thailand) do tricks with snakes around their necks! (I didn't go!) Then, in order to get back to the pier, we had to walk through a long, rather dark and damp tunnel. "Call Me Nancy" said that in the evenings it is full of snakes as they like the cool and damp and they hang from the rafters. ( I walked through this area very quickly and did not look to the right, nor to the left!) Ask me if I was having fun on Snake Island. Before getting back on the ship, we could touch a large boa (no charge), but if you wanted a photo with the boa, there was a fee! ( I did not touch nor have my photo taken with the boa!)

With all this island hopping, we had really built up a large appetite.
Now, lunch on the ferry is no simple affair! Tracy had 400 RMB's to spend for the 8 of us (about $66.00), and as she reminded us, "food on the ship is expensive." Well, the specialty of the area is Fish Head Soup.


In addition to this delicacy, we had a plate of cucumbers, a dish of tasty tofu (I'm developing an appreciation for tofu... I know what I'm eating!!), some kind of chicken soup with black mushrooms, a dish of sautéed bamboo shoots and a plate of cooked cabbage. By now you know that food in China tastes better with a swig of beer. As I reached with my chopsticks to grab a morsel of fish head, I knocked over my bottle and poor Elizabeth got a bit of a beer bath! She was kind and said it felt cool on her leg! Tracy who was eating with her back to the window, periodically climbed out to reenter the cabin from the other side, so she could get some of the fish head soup. The most succulent morsel is inside the head, and she didn't want it to go to waste. Suddenly Sally started laughing because she generally looks on the bright side and is very good at finding the humor in most situations! The whole scene was like out of some crazy movie! We were all so hot and sticky and the plastic table cloth was covered with spilled beer and fish head soup... It was at that moment that I excused myself and climbed out of the window. With what little beer remained in my bottle, I headed to the upper deck to see if I couldn't catch a bit of a breeze!



We still had one island to go. If you are still reading, know that the third stop was an island to honor a City Magistrate Huy Rui from the Ming Dynasty. People loved him because he was humble and shared their 'rough' food. He was "incorruptible". Lots of beautiful bamboo forest. "Call Me Nancy" told us that bamboo trees grow one meter per day!!

The return trip to the harbor was uneventful. We picked up the photos for our keychains, and the photographers were disappointed when we didn't buy any additional photos! Lots of vendors line the street that takes you back to the parking lot. On the bus ride into town, "Call Me Nancy" sang us a farewell song, this time in English! We were not sad to say goodbye and eager to be on our way to Suzhou... a 5 hour bus ride!

It is now 10:20 pm and Elizabeth and I are glad to be in our room. We've eaten another interesting meal and are calling it a day!

Whew... had I to do it again, I would skip Quandao Lake!
Zai Xian!
Joan


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Some Observations: Night 1 of 3 Day Excursion

After dinner at the hotel, we took a walk down towards the river. The shops here are newer and a bit more high end than in Yuyao. Two huge lit up billboards were blaring; On one British Diva Adele was singing and the other showed some Olympic coverage. Lots and lots of lights on all the buildings. The trees were also covered with small blue and green lights. Towards the river, we came to a large open area where hundreds of people were milling around, many of them dancing... just as we had seen in Yuyao. This time a woman dressed in a red dress with black belt was leading the moves! It is a wonderful sight to behold. Lots of children and teenagers on roller blades and skate boards.

Down at the water, a short distance from shore, a series of fountains created "Dancing Waters. Jettisons of illuminated water sparkled in the night sky creating a beautiful series of patterns.



Sally, Dave and I walked along the pier and discovered other groups of dancers along the way. Some people and their dogs were even swimming. This water appears cleaner than other lake water we have seen. On our walk back to the hotel, I enjoyed a mango smoothie and bought a pair of purple tennis. In China, size 41 is difficult to find!

Tomorrow,we will get up early and go to see the islands of Qiandao Lake.
Zai Jian!
Joan


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Location:The Town of Chunan, August 5, 2012

Address of Welcome

Following are the opening paragraphs of the Yu Yao Business Hotel
Guest Services Booklet found in each room:

Honorific guest:
Welcome to the beautiful Yu Yao, and thanks for staying at Jian Nan commercial hotel.
Yu Yao Jian Nan commercial hotel is decorated inline with 3 standards. During your staying time, we are trying to make a convenient, comfortable, safe, private, and valuable for you. The service directory will introduce you to our main service, business time, undertakings and contact telephone. If you have any needs, please call Front Desk or house-keeping, we will do our best to help you. We want you to give us more valuable opinions in order to improving.
We hope that you are good lucky, and come here next time.
General Manager


Over the past few weeks I have had numerous opportunities to contact the front desk, but let's just say I never do it over the phone. NO ONE in this hotel speaks a word of English. So, when the air conditioner's remote is not working, I run down the 3 flights of stairs and wave it at whomever happens to be seated at the front desk. The same is true for the TV remote. There are some definite tricks to maximizing the guest services, and it's amazing what you can convey through gestures. "Xie,xie" is "Thank you" and works in all situations. When we first arrived there were only two tiny towels in the bathroom, but since then, fresh bath towels are delivered every day! There is a hotpot in the room for heating water, and every morning I look forward to my cup of Nestle's Instant with powdered creamer and a touch of sugar. It is actually a nice way to start the day. In the hotel breakfast room, no coffee or tea is provided. The woman in charge prepares what I think is a hot soy milk.. pretty good with sugar, but no caffeine. This morning, I took a photo of the breakfast lady... and her wares... she is kind of tough, but I'm wearing her down!

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Location:Yu Yao Business Hotel

A Day of Gifts

This morning, Mrs. Funn came to the Foreign Teacher's Lounge with some farewell gifts for Greg and for me. She is the regular English teacher of the students we have worked with and also the woman who invited us to her home for dinner. She gave me a lovely bag filled with special Chinese paper cuts and a beautiful bookmark as a thank you for teaching her classes.



She also had one of my students in tow... His name is Cui Yu Tao and his parents own a restaurant near the school. They have invited the foreign teachers to have dinner in the restaurant tonight,.. I'll write more about what happened later...

After lunch Tracy gave me a bag filled with gifts... a small traditional pillow, a mirror and comb, and some New Year decorations. The sincere generosity is overwhelming. Tracy has been an outstanding TA.. I really lucked out... I wish I had had more to give her.. a Twins Baseball cap and a bracelet, an UNO card game... and a Minnesota T-Shirt!

I was most touched with Mr.Tao. As I mentioned earlier, he is the man who serves as dean of students for the summer enrichment program. From the beginning, I have been so impressed with the way he interacts with others and his gentle spirit. This morning, during a quiet moment in the foreign teacher's lounge, he presented me with a Chinese chop that he carved himself in 1996. The meaning of the characters was difficult to translate, but I know the gesture was significant!







Mr. Tao asked me if I planned to come back next year.. I indicated that maybe I am getting too old... and he said (through Tracy) that people much older than me have taught here!! So, I think it's probably a bit like delivering a baby,... don't ask me to do it again until I've had time to recover!

Wan an!
Joan



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Location:Yuyao Experimental School (August 5, 2012)

A Farewell Feast chez Mr. and Mrs. Cui

When one of the students from Room 809 came and asked the foreign teachers out for dinner at his parents' restaurant, we had no idea what we were in for...
I imagined a cozy little family run noodle store. Well, at around 5:00 pm, two cars pulled up to the school entrance and drove our group of 7 plus 2 TA's a few miles away and into what appeared to be a construction zone. Then, the cars stopped. And, to the left was the entrance to a very elegant restaurant. The owner signaled for us to go in. Three waiters were standing at attention and two women were behind a beautiful bar. A huge glass chandelier hanging several flights overhead cast sparkling light over the entryway. Up three floors of marble stairs we went and came into a beautiful dining room. An intricately carved mahogany table filled most of the room and it was set for a feast!



On one wall were two huge murals, one of peacock with feathers fanned out and the other, I don't recall...

Almost immediately, we were given a small glass of hot tea. As everyone arrived, we each took a seat. Drink orders took awhile... beer, wine and juice were offered... First came the beer... then about 5 minutes later, those who wanted wine were given their own little carafe, and the freshly squeezed orange juice arrived about 10 minutes after that. When everyone had a beverage, the host offered a welcome toast. We all stood up as we had seen the locals do in Siming Mountain!



And then the various dishes started to appear.... I am not exaggerating when I say that there must have been at least 20 different dishes that appeared over the next hour. The following list will give you some idea of what was available:
An assortment of chilled mixed beans, tender greens ( translated yesterday's flower stalks), marinated figs, cold, boney chicken slices, snails, shrimp tempura (Yeah!), dried fish of some kind, a delicious parsley-tofu mixture, a cilantro and darker green affair (my favorite), and the piece de resistance... batter fried python!




Yes, indeed, and I give Sally and Greg credit for trying it!







In the center of the table was a huge lazy susan type affair that rotated slowly around. Using chopsticks, guests sample the various dishes as they float by. (I am getting surprisely adept with the chopsticks.)

I should add that before the courses started, we were each given a bowl of wonderful creamed bean soup. And mid-way through the meal another bowl of some flaming pork intestine soup appeared.

The host and hostess were very gracious and generous! We were the only guests in the place, and they spared no expense. Apparently, the wife owns another restaurant and hotel in Yuyao. We'd been told that students who attend the Experimental School come from wealthy families, and this was certainly the case.




At the end of the meal, we were each given a third bowl of soup, this time with what appeared to be some home-made noodles in it, but I couldn't eat another bit. I did find room for a couple of pieces of some sweet, fried dough rolled in sugar however!

After much thanks all around, we walked home to the Business Hotel to pack up and get ready for our last day in the classroom!

Wan an.
Joan

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Location:Brand New 5 Star Restaurant in Yuyao

Final Day in the Classroom

Last day of classes... hard to believe! I decided to spend the time singing the songs we have learned, drawing names for some door prizes, and answering questions. Everyone was upbeat... students are very eager to have some free time at last!

The students outdid themselves... I taped them singing "It's a Small World", "The Climb", "Lean on Me" and "Firework"! They were awesome!
A frequently asked question was, "Will you come back next year?"

We collected e-mails and Tracy will try and forward the class photos to everyone!









The hours flew by and then it was over...

At noon the school van took us back to the hotel and at 1:00 pm, we boarded another van to begin our 3 day excursion courtesy of the Experimental School... first stop: Qiandao Lake, second stop: Suzhou, third stop: Shanghai. From that point on, we'll be on our own.
My bags are packed and I'm ready to go...

Joan

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Location:Yuyao Experimental School August 6, 2012

Lucy Liu: A Great Source of Entertainment (August 4, 2012)

If you've read previous blogs, you will recall that Lucy Liu is a computer ap. At the touch of a finger, she can translate speech from English to Chinese and Chinese to English. One would think that this ability would be extremely advantageous to her owner, especially since the Chinese language is so difficult. After more than three weeks of pulling out Lucy and making numerous attempts to use her to talk to salespeople, waiters, waitresses, reception clerks, store owners, masseuses... (the list is long...), I am sorry to report that she operates at about 20 %!



Single monosyllabic words are her forte. A string of words such as "Can you heat the meat?", or "Do you have potatoes with beef?" are more than she can handle.

This morning I had a flash of insight, and I think I may have figured out Lucy's problem. She doesn't understand the tones! As you may already know, Chinese is a tonal language. There are four important tones that determine meaning. Lucy appears to operate in one tone zone! Most every translation about food comes out as something to do with marriage! Lucy may have the vocabulary down, but I am certain she still needs work on the tones.
Quick course on Chinese tones;
First tone: A high tone reflects a high pitch
Second tone: Rising tone is reflected in mid to high pitch as in asking "What?" in English
Third tone: The only tone which goes in two directions. It starts downward to the low range, then rises.
Fourth tone: The falling tone is similar to saying "Stop!" in a commanding way.

I am thinking Lucy Liu pronounces everything using a neutral tone which would explain the bizarre translations! Yesterday, I asked her to say "Happy Birthday to James" and she told him "Happy Birthday in Chains!" His anniversary is today which gave us all a good laugh!!

Yesterday, Sally and I went to the grocery store looking for a small bottle of whiskey to get James for his birthday. We had Lucy to help us. The scene went something like this...

Joan to Lucy; "Where is the whiskey?"
Lucy to clerk: "When do you marry?''



Joan to Lucy: "Do you sell scotch?"
Lucy to clerk: "No,sir. Do you have to take this amount?'




Lucy also prefers a nice quiet location without background noise!
James has decided that besides being a wonderful failure, she is a great source of entertainment.

Zai Jian!
Joan
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Location:All Over Yuyao

Sayings to Live By

Yuyao Experimental School is a large complex. Three large buildings encircle a courtyard area. Busts of 4 famous Chinese thinkers are in the courtyard. 5 to 6 additional buildings serve as dormitories for the students who live on campus. Today I visited one of the student rooms. Eight students share a room... (Four sets of bunk beds). Each bed has a thick reed mat that serves as a mattress. A rolled up blanket is at the end of each bed. Students remove their shoes when they enter the room and put on a pair of slippers. The rooms are very cool and comfortable, each with its own air conditioner. Here is where students go to rest right after lunch. I'll have to find out where the non-boarders take their rests.

Along most hallways is artwork and motivational sayings:




"I have succeeded because I can identify my mistakes and correct them more quickly than others."




"Only when you bravely learn to recognize your own mistakes can you have the chance to own good judgement. Only when you recognize your mistakes can you learn to be a responsible and successful individual."




"A person's reading history is a history of the growth of the human spirit, human teachers and students inside the human growth. If the teacher is a spiritual desert, how can he hope to become an oasis to the hearts of his students."



"Take every student to heart. Be their life or life quality to take China's future into concern!"



"Progress needs only one reason, but standing still needs one hundred reasons. A coward constantly looks for 100 reasons to prove he is not a coward, but a brave warrior never needs a reason to prove that he is a brave warrior."

These are just a sampling of many such signs on every floor around the school. They provide a good window into the mindset of educators in this country.

Yi Huier jian!

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Location:Around Yuyao Experimental School