Gould Class of 2012 4-Point

First Submission

2010-02-27T18:47:00.000-08:00

We have our first item for the 2011 4 point auction!

Two one of a kind, home printed T-shirts made by sophomores during 4 point.

Final Day

2010-02-27T17:52:00.001-08:00

Today was our last day of sophomore 4 point. And, o gee, was it a busy day. Finishing up art workshops, cleaning studios, preparing food, arranging the dining hall for our dinner, eating the cooking of the food workshop with our friends and families, we did it all. I have pictures (and a video) of all of the workshops today. My pictures are a bit heavy on the t-shirt printing since that was my workshop for the last two days.

T-SHIRT BLOCK PRINTING

Michael working hard on his very detailed carving.

Jesse carving a plant design.

Aaron carving "Mason" for the back of his shirt.

Stef working on her printing.

Kris printing one of his shirts.

Ellie, Mitchell, and Abby group printing a series of
"HOW NOW BROWN COW" shirts.

Ellie's Monkey hangs out with Mitchell's Anteaters.

Michael's print of a fish and boat.

PAINTING

Dawson working on his painting.

Xi mixing colors for his landscape.

Peter X. working away.

ENCAUSTICS

Pete B. demonstrating waxing technique.

Eugene working on a dragon face cut out.

Mirina cutting a detailed design. (Note the wording... S. 4 Point)

ACTING

Whitney and Nick doing a short scene.

Transcript if you can't hear it:
N: What are you doing?
W: Pretending I am a fish.
N: It's kind of fun. I wish I was a fish.
W: Yeah, Fish have scales.
N: And are slimy.
W: Nah. It's only if they've gone bad.

BOOKMAKING

Tutu working on her book.

Tutu's final product.

Ja Min working on her book entitled "Ja Min in Wonderland."

Ja Min holding her book.

DINNER SET UP AND SOME FINAL PRODUCTS

Dawson and Dragon in the T-shirts that they made.

The sophomore crew setting up.

The Panorama (click for a MUCH larger view)

Sushi wrapped by the cooking students and plated by Evan F.

More Sushi made by the cookers plated by Will Seggos (looking on) held by
cooking instructor Dustin Holsweiss '02.

This evening we hosted many of our family and friends for a final celebration of the work done during 4 point. Around the dining hall, the students hung up their artwork: books, encaustics, T-shirts and painting. The cooking classes prepared the vast majority of the food we ate tonight. We started our evening with sushi, roasted tomato salsa, cured salmon, and a number of other appetizers. We then feasted on an Asian style chicken, the meat of which had been butchered by our students, a lovely salmon dish, homemade noodles, and other assorted side dishes. Our meal finished off with Tiramisu and homemade chocolate truffles. After the meal, the groups of students did some short improv games to give a qick taste of the work that they had done. Althought the students all had some products to share with the assembled group, the goal of the week is to gain insight into the creative process and build community. These are less tangible than a painting or a dish of food, but, from bit of conversation that I overheard tonight, these were a major focus of the sharing that happened this evening.

As part of the final dinner, we held a silent auction of T-shirts printed by the block printing classes. We raised $175 for the St. Mary's Food Pantry, one of the organizations we worked with on Monday during our community service day.

We want to thank of the the guests who joined us tonight and to all of those who have read the blog. It has been a great week and, I think I can speak for Holly when I say, it has been fun keeping the world updated about the goings on on the Gould campus during 4 point.

-Colin Penley

Art Workshops Day 3

2010-02-26T18:04:00.000-08:00

For our art workshops today the groups all switched into new workshops. Unfortunately my camera was down for the day so I don't have pictures, but I will get pictures of the new groups for each workshop up tomorrow.

This evening was our final two artist presentations and tonight was a bit different. Tonight we had presentations by Cooking Wizard Dustin Holzweiss GA '02 and the Improv instructors Liz and CJ.

Dustin trained at Cordon Bleu Culinary School and now works at the Plum Island Grill in Newbury, MA. He is also a snowbaorder and has worked as a snowboarding coach for the Gould Academy on-snow program. Dustin showed the group how to break down a whole chicken into the different cuts of meat and how to debone and remove the skin of a side of salmon. He also talked some about cooking for yourself and the economics of buying meat whole and cutting it up yourself. (Thanks to Holly Tornrose for the photos of tonight's presentations.)

Dustin, a knife, and a Chicken

Dustin deboning the salmon as the group looks on.

Liz and CJ talked briefly about their life as performers for the New Hampshire Theater Project based out of Portsmouth, NH. Afterwards we were treated to some performances by members of their workshop. Their workshop has focused on theater games to build group energy. The games establish order and concentration within the group. Students work on managing multiple cognitive tasks at the same time. In the photo below the group was throwing numerous balls in a set order while yelling out colors in a different order.

How many balls can you juggle?

The group enjoyed watching the performances.

After showing us the warm up exersize, they moved on to a few improv games, similar to what you might see on Whose line is it anyway?

The cast of Mike, Evan G., Kris and Jesse (along with CJ for one game) performed two situations. The first is called "Taxi." In this game, a driver picks up passengers in his taxi and as each passenger is picked up the whole group sitting in the cab has to adopt the odd or strange personality trait that the newest member has brought. The second was called "Party Quirks." For Party Quirks, CJ left and the audience suggested different personality traits for each of the four performers. After CJ returned, each guest entered the party and CJ had to guess their quirk. The performers did a great job and the audience was kept laughing the whole time.

A taxi full of Frenchmen, lead by Kris.

We are looking forward to our banquet and final show tomorrow night!

More Fun Day Photos

2010-02-26T17:40:00.001-08:00

Sorry I have been a bit slow in getting some of my Fun Day photos up.

Here are a bunch of my favorites:

Mr. Southam takes his broomball very seriously!

Nick and Tutu DJs and scorekeepers

Ice is slippery!

The January-March line waits on the bench, cheering on their teammates, April - June.

Jason defends the goal!

Michael takes the shot and falls down.

The mayhem of broomball!

Peter and Kris ride up the lift.

Vincent after a trip down the hill.

Xi and Trevor ride up the lift together.

Ben and Abby chillaxing on their way up the hill.

Davidson dormmates Jianqiang and Jesse.

A large group train sliding down the hill.

The crew of the train.

The group warming up after a fun afternoon of tubing.

Art Workshops Day 2

2010-02-25T12:02:00.000-08:00

Today students completed the first of the two art workshops. Tomorrow they will move into a second workshop for the remainder of the week.

The work that students create over this week will be showcased on Saturday evening during the end of Sophomore Four Point dinner celebration. Please join us for this fun event! Just let your son or daughter know that you would like to attend so that we have an accurate head count.

Block Printing
Students completed a T-shirt with their own hand carved, original design with David Wolfe. Students also made T-shirts for the annual auction. David will be one of the artists to share his work with the students this evening.

Cooking
At today's lunch several of the dishes prepared by the cooking group were enjoyed by all. The homemade chicken noodle soup was outstanding. The students made it all, from the stock to the noodles!

Acting
"Pass the chicken" was one of the activities the acting students did today to hone their skills in the art of improvisation.

Painting
Students with Louise Bourne completed their paintings, many of which are inspired by the surrounding area. Louise will be one of the artists presenting her work as a part of the evening program.

Encaustics
Students in the encaustics workshop continued their work from yesterday by completing their projects.

Book Making
Students in bookmaking completed their books by learning how to attach a hard cover to the flag books they started yesterday. Below Crystal Cawley demonstrates how to attach the cover.

by Eugene

by Abbie

by Mitchell

Art Workshops Day 1

2010-02-24T12:47:00.000-08:00

Today students worked with an artist in one of six mediums: encaustics, cooking, acting, painting, bookmaking, or block printing.

Images from other art workshop will be forthcoming. Please check back for more images.

Bookmaking

Students in this workshop are working with the Portland book artist Crystal Cawley. She is one of the artists who presented her work to the students following dinner tonight. She shared her work in the medium of paper as well as her book pieces. She discussed tonight how she is inspired by other works and mediums of art, historical artifacts, and the serendipitous process of working within the medium of paper.

Encaustics

Other students worked with George Mason in the medium of encaustics. He was the other artist who spoke to the students this evening about his work. He shared the creative process he goes through with his art which includes a process of curiosity, experimentation, and exploration. In his presentation he also showed examples of ancient encaustic portraits which first inspired him in the medium. Ellie said she liked the colors of the pigments when it came out on the paper since it came out different than the colors on the cut outs.

Cooking
Students in this group developed knife handling skills as they tackled the challenge of learning how to debone chicken and fish and how to efficiently chopping vegetables. Safety was also stressed. They made chicken stock and are in the process of making French Onion Soup. Tutu described how "cooking is a combination of art and science."

Acting

Today in the acting workshop students explored improvisation. They began their work as a group with a variety of trust building games. Trust is an essential element of group improvisation.

Block Printing

Students in block printing are carving images that will be used to print on to T-shirts with David Wolfe. Wyatt says, "it was fun to make a design for my own T-shirt that I will wear in the future."

Painting

Louis Bourne, who some students know since she was a visiting artist last year, has returned to Gould to lead the painting workshop.

Fun! Fun! Fun!

2010-02-24T05:26:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday students started the day by sleeping late in preparation for a full day of activities.

After our class meeting, students headed off to the ice arena at Hebron Academy for an introduction to the game of broomball, a Sophomore Four Point tradition.

Below are snapshots of the intensity of the action on the ice.

Nick, Tutu, Mike, and Jonathan were DJs for the competitions while running the scoreboard.

After a healthy snack, we headed to Oxford, ME for snow tubing.

While the snow conditions might have been better, the students' enthusiasm could not have been.

They finished one run after another for the remainder of the afternoon.

Then, it was off to local area restaurants before taking in a film at the movie theater to wrap up a full-filled day of community building.

Many Helping Hands

2010-02-22T17:17:00.000-08:00

Sophomores had a full day of community service projects here in Bethel and in the nearby cities of Lewiston and Auburn. The heart-warming stories shared on the van rides home and over dinner back at Gould were a testament to the value of helping others within the community.

Additional photos are forthcoming, so check this post in the future for more images.

Bethel Area: The annual Senior Citizen Luncheon was its usual highlight for students and seniors alike. Students prepared foods, hosted, served, and performed music for the eighty people who attended the luncheon held in Ordway Hall.

Students who tutored students in the Crescent Park Elementary School raved about the fun they had with the students.

Other students helped to split wood and do other tasks for a local farmer. Rumor has it that some students even got to drive a tractor!

Lewiston/Auburn: For the morning, students worked in one of several locations.

Students at the Greater Adroscoggin Humane Society cared for cats and dogs both physically and emotionally. No doubt there was sadness over the "no pet" rule in the dormitories!

Other students worked at the St. Mary's Food Pantry unpacking and sorting a pallet of canned goods.

Two shelters in the Lewiston Auburn area were helped by our students today. Some students helped out at the shelter for homeless teens, New Beginnings, and others went to volunteer at the Abused Women's Advocacy Project shelter.

Abby, Meg, and Tutu sorted clothing donations in the shelter's attic. Women and children often come to the shelter without much beyond the clothing on their backs. These donations help women start to rebuild their lives after having to leave their homes due to domestic abuse.

In the afternoon, students in the Lewiston/Auburn area came together at the Trinity Jubilee Center, a resource center that serves the Somali refugee community in Lewiston.

Kim, the Executive Director, and Julia, a staff member, gave the students an overview of the conflict in Somalia and the kinds of experiences the refugees have endured.

This background information gave the students valuable perspectives on the students they would tutor later on through the after school program Jubilee offers. Here are a few snapshots:

Jamie, Matt, and Trevor worked with one of the first students to arrive at Jubilee for assistance with her homework.

Alex worked with a boy on a reading assignment.

Nick played a flashcard multiplication game with a group of energetic boys.

Rose helped a girl with her language arts homework.

Alyssa helped a girl with her assignments.

Ellie helped a student with her language arts homework.

Many students commented on what a great day they had helping in this way within the community.

The reward of helping others was experienced by all. No doubt today will be a highlight recorded in the students' Four Point journals.

Sunday in Bethel

2010-02-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

After a sleep in, we all gathered in dining hall to eat lunch and start our day of talking about personal wellness. We got into three groups: the Spice Girls, The Backstreet Boys, and N*Sync. We spend some time getting to know the people in our groups a bit better. We were also serenaded with renditions of 90s pop songs.

After these warm-ups, we regrouped to have a discussion about how tobacco and nicotine affect the body and how "big tobacco" works on advertising to gain new customers. At the end of the presentation, the students were asked to come up with their own advertisements encouraging healthy living and personal choice.

Ja Min and Mirina working on their ads.

The students came up with some great advertisements. Some were funny. Some had clever puns. One even managed to quote The Tempest!

From there we were split back into our Pop Groups, and had sessions on Sex education, Drug and Alcohol education and Nutrition. I think everyone learned quite a bit today about personal choices and taking care of our bodies.

N*Sync in a session.

After dinner we shifted gears slightly and talked about our plans for tomorrow. We will be working on 7 different community service projects from helping on a local farm to learning about the Somali community in Lewiston and then working with young Somali children in some after school programs tutoring and doing arts and crafts.

After the students had the opportunity to sign up for service projects, we watched a documentary about high school life called American Teen.

Our final event of the night was snacks. WHOOPIE PIES! The student learned what they would be doing tomorrow and we broke up into groups to go over last minute instructions and needs for the project.

The class watching the Olympics and eating whoopie pies.

Tomorrow will be an early morning and a long day of lending about 120 helping hands.

And we're off!

2010-02-20T16:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had a meeting as full class to kick off Sophomore Four Point. We gathered in the Trustees' Auditorium for a few get to know you's and to go over the schedule for the week ahead.

Tutu successfully names the entire sophomore class by first name!

Ms. Manning and Ms. Head talk to the full group and
introduce the themes for Sophomore Four Point: Community and Creativity.

Milk and cookies were tonight's snack. Yum!

Tomorrow we look forward to a day of learning about personal wellness after sleeping in late.

Memories

2009-06-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Here is the video of this year's 4-Point trip. Thanks again to Lorenzo for organizing the trip and putting together this video.

More Photos On-line - Chengdu 1

2009-03-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

We are all home now and thinking back to the fond memories of our time in Chengdu. Using the Google web page translator on the host school's home site, I was able to find these web pages of photos posted by our host school.

Some of what we did is lost in the Google translation of the narrative, but the photos are great to see.

Copy and Paste: http://74.125.67.132/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://www.tangwai.com/sitehtml/news/xn/2009/45757.htm&usg=ALkJrhhqaPUAdtqB5BUUzL3p4jtF62ZTQg

Copy and Paste: http://74.125.67.132/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://www.tangwai.com/sitehtml/news/xn/2009/45832.htm&usg=ALkJrhgnycgMCycF1R2kjOjqcN6POkp1hg

Copy and Paste: http://74.125.67.132/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http://www.tangwai.com/sitehtml/news/xn/2009/45822.htm&usg=ALkJrhihv3dm4kNPGM6OWdW-TvIOIDaSrA

Please let me know by email if you are not able to see the photos if you copy and paste in the above URLs. Thanks.

Farewell Xi'an

2009-03-02T06:17:00.000-08:00

We’ve just returned from the farewell banquet hosted by the Head of School, Mr. Liu, and all are (hopefully) busily packing for our return to the States. What a last day it was. We began with a trip to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in the 7th Century AD to house Buddhist scriptures brought from India by a Tang monk, by way of the Silk Road. All made it to the top of the Pagoda, including those a bit squeamish about heights, and at least one Gouldie was heard to say “I’m thinking about becoming a Buddhist.”

From the Pagoda it was off to lunch and then a trip to the Ming Dynasty City Wall. Although the Ming established their capital in Beijing, Xi’an was still seen as an important city. In its heyday it was the largest city in the world, bigger even than Rome at its peak. The wall is intact, having been rebuilt many times through the ages, and has a total circumference of over 8 miles. We know because we road bicycles around the entire distance, taking in Xi’an from a very different perspective. After a successful circuit the kids hit the ice cream stand on the top of the wall while waiting for those of us who were a little slower to finish. It was a well deserved treat.

There was still time for a bit more shopping so we headed for the Muslim market street behind the Drum Tower. While some looked for last minute bargains, others had their names done in Chinese characters. The prize of the day has to go to Damian and Evan who somehow managed to get massages while the rest of us were in the market. After witnessing their efforts together on a tandem bicycle it is no wonder they were in need of massages.

We returned to school for another round of English corner and then it was off to the farewell banquet. We each sat with our Chinese hosts and by the laughter coming from the students’ tables stories of the week were being shared by all. What an experience.

We look forward to returning the hospitality in the fall when a group from Xi’an Foreign Language School heads to Maine and we would all like to thank our host one last time for treating us like family. So from Pete, Molly, Kristian, James, Eliana, Ellie, Evan, Jesse, Whitney, Jaimey, Damian and the Whittingtons: Xie Xie Xi’an.

Never Say Goodbye

2009-03-02T05:50:00.000-08:00

Fresh off the home stay weekend, the students were full of stories this morning. One student attended a baby shower. Others went to Mt. E'mei, a Buddhist and Taoist Mountain famous for its hot springs and golden Buddha statue at the summit. It is one of the world heritage sites. Others went to see the Giant Buddha in Leshan. Still others explored more of the city of Chengdu with their host families. All were full of stories that reflected the bond that the students have developed with their host families.

To start our final full day in Chengdu the students went to visit primary school classrooms. Our students were the first foreigners these students have had the opportunity to meet. Students played games with the fifth and sixth graders, sang songs together, showed one another dances from our respective cultures, and answered questions about life in America.

Once again we had the feeling of being rock stars as the children asked for our signatures and email addresses. Truly, the students were rock stars in our eyes as they joyfully shared with the children their interests, talents, and culture.

After our visit with the primary school children, it was off to see the pandas at the research habitat.

We were all overcome by our love of these endangered species. They are so cute. We saw the black and white giant pandas as well as the smaller, raccoon-like red panda. The kids could not stop taking pictures and cooing at the sight of these bears. Even more panda gear was purchased to remember these special creatures.

Another amazing multi-course meal kicked off our afternoon in the ancient town of Huanglongxi. We all enjoyed looking at the classic architecture and doing some shopping to spend our last yuan before heading out of the country tomorrow. Our growing comfort and familiarity with the country is evident. One student remarked, "This feels like home. I'm not even surprised to see some of these things now" or when responding to a question about "your family" first taking this to mean "host family."

All the host families and students came together for a classic Sichuan meal of the hot pot. It is a boiling cauldron of hot oil, spices, meat, and vegetables. A trip to this area would not be complete without enjoying this local favorite. The Chinese characters that we translate into English as hot actually mean fire. This is not only because the cauldron is heated from below with a flame but also because of the fire within that these spices create. The energy in the room was delightful as we all came together for our last group meal in Chengdu.

Tomorrow we set off early for our long journey back to see our friends and family. We are wiser, more worldly, and full of stories to share with those we love.

Monday...Monday

2009-03-02T05:39:00.000-08:00

This morning we came together again after a weekend with host families. Many students were treated to special events like barbecue restaurants and Chinese opera, and others were fortunate to be folded right into family life as a part of the family – foot massages, shopping, ice skating, hiking in the mountains, even a memorial service for a family member. We have been the recipients of such a tremendous outpouring of kindness from everyone. Grandmothers have doted on us, clothes have been washed, special meals prepared, lunches packed every day, it is difficult to imagine that just one week ago these people were all strangers to us!

First thing this morning we headed north to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System, about an hour’s drive from school. A twenty seven hundred year old engineering marvel, the system was created to send water to Chengdu by diverting a river. In order to do this, a mountain was moved. The mountain was removed by setting the trees of it ablaze, and then pouring cold water on the heated, scorched earth. The cold water shattered the stones so they could be moved. This process took place many years before the invention of gunpowder. The shattered rocks were then removed to create a channel, and the rocks were moved to create an island. The water can be diverted seasonally through a system of weirs made of bamboo strips which incase stones. The system works perfectly to this day and the water is diverted for agriculture annually on April 5^th of every year. To say that the mind boggles at this ancient achievement is an understatement. The system is so magnificent that the river’s bed, which was modified by human labor, cleans itself of debris, silt and sediment as it moves toward Chengdu. The system also withstood last year’s earthquake, although several ancient buildings at the site did not. They are under repair. It was sobering to see many broken buildings and many cracks in structures in that area from the earthquake. Many buildings are slated for demolition, and the inhabitants are living in temporary shelters that were described to us as “cold in winter, hot in summer.”

We ate lunch nearby at a restaurant along the river. The students quickly made the connection between the vegetables and livestock on display outside the restaurant and lunch itself.

After lunch we returned to Chengdu to visit the Jinsha Site Museum. In 2001 a construction company was excavating a site for a new building when it unearthed an astonishing number of gold, bronze, jade and elephant tusks in a previously unknown encampment, dating back at least three thousand years. The museum sits on this site, and you can walk among the excavations, and walk above many components be walking on glass floors. The museum opened last year, and it is elegant and informative. Our English speaking guide was very helpful.

We returned to school and participated in English Corner, a weekly meeting where students test their English speaking skills by speaking with one another for about an hour. We were the distinguished guests- you might say the experts from out of town. We were very popular! We were mobbed with friendly students who asked us questions like “Have you forgiven Michael Phelps for his indiscretion with drugs?” and “Have you seen High School Musical?” and “What is your opinion of Chinese education?” and “Has the economic downturn effected you personally?” and “What is your favorite movie?” Having your photo taken with us was very, very popular!

We ended the day with a delicious farewell dinner with our host students, and then back to host homes to pack. We are meeting at the airport tomorrow to head to Beijing, and then back to the US. It has been a wonderful journey, and we have learned so much about this place and one another, and Mr. Baker and I would go anywhere at any time with Tutu, Stephanie, Zach, Nick, Ben, Alex, Izzie, JaMin, Jonathan, Will, Marguerite, Nicole and Mitchell!

Sunday in Beijing

2009-03-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

This morning we had a bit of a later start, up and out by 9:15. We hopped on the subway to head up to the northern part of the city and the 奥林匹克 (Aolinpike) Stadiums, 鸟巢 (Niaochao) and 水立方 (Shuilifang) [The Olympic Stadiums, The Bird's Nest and The Water Cube.]

After three transfers and a little over an hour on the subway, climbing the stairs, and getting a first view of the stadiums and the throungs of people around them was a pretty amazing site. They are a huge tourist attraction now 6 months after the Olympics; I wonder how much longer they will continue to draw the crowds...

The first view of the Bird's Nest from a distance.

The Water Cube, our first destination. After some adventures in ticket purchasing, we were in to the cube.

The sign reads:

The Timeless Art of Water

Art reflects life

Water

the source of life
a form of art

and the woman somehow is interpreting that in her body language.

Where history was made!

A cross sectional view of the walls of the Water Cube. The ticket is worth the price if for nothing else but to see glimpses of the way the structure is put together.

After grabbing a quick lunch, it was off to the Bird's Nest.

A view of the Water Cube from inside the Bird's Nest.

We went in just expecting to be able to look around, but we were actually able to get right down on to the field. It was incredible!

The group standing on the field of The Bird's Nest!

The group with the Fuwa, the debatably cute mascots of the Beijing Olympics. The Fuwa's names (Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, Nini) when put together form the sentence Beijing huanying ni (北京欢迎你, Beijing welcomes you). Each of the Fuwa has a great deal of symbolism and represents different aspects of the Chinese culture. [And as a side note, I, Colin Penley, am somewhat scared of the blue one, Beibei.]

A group shot in front of the Bird's Nest.
Merritt and Sarah, and all of the American students, were asked to pose for many pictures today with various individuals and groups of people. And when ever we stopped to take a group picture for ever one on my camera, at least four strangers also took our picture. We are famous! ;)

After the Olympic Venues, it was off to the silk market. Bargaining and gift buying were the order of the day. The silk market is four floors of "designer" clothing, arts and crafts, silk (obviously), tailors, bags, shoes, tea sets, games, swimsuits, sunglasses, watches, Buddhas, pearls, and much much more. The women work there selling stuff are aggressive. You can hardly walk three feet without someone asking you to look at their ties, or buy a pretty scarf for your wife (my "score" for the day was 4 wives and 6 girlfriends.) And then once you look at something and want to buy it, then the game of haggling begins. At some of the more touristy places, they attempt to up prices a few hundred percent. Items that you end up buying for 40RMB start well over 300RMB.

Once we were all shopped out, it was on to the Chaoyang Theatre for an acrobatics show. The skill and artistry of the performers was spectacular. It was well enjoyed by all.

A photo of one of the acrobats in his costume for the finale. I was able to snap this picture in the lobby. The big thing on the floor is his headdress.

Tomorrow morning we are up early and out the door by 7:30 so we can make it to school on time. We are going to be visiting The Second Middle School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University and spending a day visiting their classes. It should be an interesting day for our students to see what the average Chinese high school student's life is like. Then in the evening, we will feast on 北京烤鸭 (Beijing Duck) to celebrate our last night in Beijing and Mitchell's Birthday.

Tea for Two

2009-03-01T02:09:00.000-08:00

Well, nearly two full days with only one student sighting. We ran into Eliana with her host in the Muslim market, doing a little last minute shopping. Our day started and ended the same way, with a delightful visit to a tea shop just a few doors down from the school. We stopped in to check out the tea and were in for a treat. After discussing the attributes of various teas, with help from Ms. Li, our host for the day, we were invited into the back of the shop by the owner to sample some flower tea. He was a gracious host who just kept pouring. Eventually we had to tear ourselves away to get to the primary business of the day, some last minute shopping our own. We agreed to pick up our tea at the end of the day, rather than tote it all over downtown Xi’an.

After a quick breakfast (more than we could possibly eat for less than $2, total, for all three of us) and the relaxing atmosphere of the tea shop, it was a quick trip to the other extreme of human existence, Chinese traffic. Imagine a country with over a billion people, a rapidly growing middle class, and very little experience with driving. Now imagine a crowded city sidewalk with people streaming in both directions, ducking and diving in and out of the tightest gaps imaginable. Only in this case, instead of people on a sidewalk it is cars, buses, scooters, and bikes in the middle of the road. The lines mean next to nothing as our taxis regularly crossed the double yellow line into oncoming traffic in order to gain an advantage on the bus or Audi just ahead. Apparently the only rule is that if your nose is ahead, even by a few inches, you have the right of way. Just when you think you can relax, a scooter will be cutting across four lanes of speeding cars going the wrong direction in an effort to make a side street, all while dodging the ever present pedestrians in the middle of the street. Liberal use of the horn, and a fearless willingness to do whatever it takes, seem to be the only requirements for driving a cab in China. It is truly an experience that has to be seen to be appreciated, though it is not for the faint of heart.

Anyway, we survived the drive and had a successful day of bartering. Martha and Nora (Ms. Li) had lots of laughs as they exchanged shopping stories. The folks from Xi’an Foreign Language School are such wonderful hosts it feels as if we have known them forever.

As I said earlier, our day ended as it began, in our local tea shop. We returned to pick up our tea and were once again ushered into the back for another cup (several actually) of tea. This time it was green tea, a fitting end to a wonderful day and the perfect tonic for Xi’an traffic.

Chengdu

2009-02-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

Bartering in Beijing

2009-02-28T04:04:00.000-08:00

Today we rode the bus to the Dirt Market. There was merchandise galore, but it didn't look anything like Walmart! Bartering skills were honed and gifts were purchased for family and friends. Everyone enjoyed the prospect that the price could be negotiated.

Eli contemplating a purchase at the Dirt Market.

After shopping we headed to lunch and then to the Temple of Heaven. It was amazing to see the beautiful buildings

Sarah and Dawson at the Temple of Heaven.

While at the Temple of Heaven we were able to witness how native Beijinger's spend their Saturday afternoons. Tai chi, cards, Chinese chess, Tai chi paddle ball, jianzi, singing, instument playing, crocheting and dancing!

We then went to the Hong Qiao Pearl Market across the street. More shopping and more bartering! Mrs. Swan was very thankful that Mr. Penley showed her this area of Beijing.

Time after dinner will be spent journaling and resting up for another busy day tomorrow.

Beijing Day Three in Pictures

2009-02-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

Today, we were up early and out to the Great Wall of China.
Here we are, sitting a top the Great Wall. This particular section of the wall, Simatai (司马台), was build sometime during the Ming Dynasty, 1368 to 1644 to protect the northern boarder from the Barbarians of the North. (Of course in 1644 the Manchus, one those groups of Barbarians of the North that the Great Wall was built to protect against, came storming into Beijing and set up as the Qing Dynasty, the final dynasty of Imperial China.)
Dawson wrapped in Gould's supportive arms (or flag for warmth).

Sarah "jibbing" the Great Wall.
Mitch is enjoying himself.

Eli over looking the reservoir next to Simatai.
Jianqiang gloats over now being a "好汉"。 In China there is a famous saying: 不到长城非好汉, Those who never go to the Great Wall are not true men.
Merritt is trying to blend in... if not with the people why not with the landscape?
Jeb is king of the world.One more panorama of the Great Wall fading off into the distance.

The group after we finished hiking. If you look up on the ridge you can see the Great Wall preached up on top.
We got them really tired. They couldn't make it home without a nap.
In the evening we went to a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony (茶艺). We learned about all of the steps and processes of this ritual. Everyone seemed to enjoy the tea too.

After the ceremony, we got down to some journal writing. It was great to have our cups refilled as we sat writing away.

Tomorrow we are off to Pan Jia Yuan (the Dirt Market), the Temple of Heaven, and the Pearl Market, yet another busy day!

Buddhas and Basketball

2009-02-27T06:13:00.000-08:00

Friday-

We boarded the bus this morning with our hosts for the day, Kitty and Marie. We drove out of the city to a smaller city, Xindu, home of the Baoguang Monastery. The Zen Buddhist Monastery contains the Arhat Hall which contains 557 statues of Bodhisattavas and Arhats and ancient venerable monks. Each five foot tall statue has a different facial expression , pose and details. You enter the hall, women turn to the right and men to the left and begin studying the statues. You look them over carefully, and when you find one that is pleasing to you for whatever reason, you start counting statues in order, working your way down the hall. You count statues for the number of years you’ve been alive, and then you add one, and then you read the number that statue is assigned. You remember that number and go outside to a counter where you pay 5 yuan to buy a card with your fortune. Everyone had a terrific time having their cards read.

After a wonderful tour of this tranquil place with a great tour guide, we lit incense and headed for lunch. Buddhist Monks are vegetarians, and we ate at the Monastery. The food was delicious, and everything was either vegetables or tofu. Tofu in every shape and color and texture and flavor.

After lunch we had a chance to secure our happiness for the coming year by walking the length of a courtyard with our eyes closed and touching the red Chinese characters written in the middle of a very large wall. Most of us will indeed have a happy year, although it took a good deal of “left, left, now right, now straight!” from the crowd.

We spent two hours on Jin Li street, a shopping area that specializes in traditional crafts. The Starbucks (yes, Starbucks!) was popular because it boasts a western style toilet, a sink with soap, toilet paper, and heat! Woohoo!

Two brave students, Tutu and Will chose to do a very Chinese thing- have their ears cleaned on the street by men with tuning forks and a variety of tools. As with any endeavor that takes place in the street, it drew a big crowd!

After Jin Li, we returned to campus for a game of basketball. We drove into the schoolyard to find 500 students standing in their school uniforms around all four sides of the basketball court. Zach, Will, Alex, Jonathon ,TuTu and Mr. Baker put on their game faces, and with the rest of our group making up a very small but earnest cheering section, we got down to business. Their students were good, They even had a ref- this was serious b-ball. Back, forth, 2 points here, two points there, mostly two points there. It was all about friendship, and everyone had a great time. Meanwhile girls were talking to those of us who were not playing. The students are always anxious to try out their English conversation skills, and more than a few girls were quite fascinated by our boys!

A seventh grade girl approached me and asked me what I thought about Holden Caulfield’s feelings and thoughts in The Catcher in the Rye. We then talked about Pride and Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities, Emma and The Devil Wears Prada, all books that she has read in English under the covers at night with her “torch”, but “shh, don’t tell my teacher, I should be sleeping!”

After the game everyone left for the weekend with their host families.

Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dry Bones

2009-02-27T04:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we went east so today we headed west and the theme of the day was bones. Our journey took us 110kms from the city, and with yet another change in the weather (it was a bit warmer and we even saw the sun for a few minutes) the kids were lively and chattering away. Our first stop was the Famen Buddhist Temple, located at a site along the route of the Silk Road. The Temple is best known for having one of Buddha’s finger bones, a holy relic much revered by Buddhists. Emperors came to the Temple to worship and Buddhism persists as the most popular religion in China today, followed by Islam and then Christianity. The Temple includes an impressive 13 tier pagoda. The current pagoda is the most recent in a long line of pagodas, with the previous ones destroyed by fires or earthquakes. Underneath each was a hidden underground palace where the holy relics were hidden for 13 centuries, before being rediscovered in the 1980’s during the construction of the current pagoda. The kids got a great introduction to Buddhism as they witnessed practicing Buddhists praying before the statues of Buddha, and they seemed particularly drawn to the urns of burning incense.
Next came a trip to a Tang Dynasty tomb complex. The most impressive tomb was the dual tomb of Emperor Tang Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian. Empress Wu was a former concubine to two Emperors, and claimed the throne herself after both had died. She was the only female monarch ever to rule China, and apparently she ruled with a combination of shrewd political savvy and ruthless intolerance of those who opposed her, including her own flesh and blood. Among the unfortunate to cross Empress Wu was her granddaughter, Princess Yongtai, who by some accounts was executed by the Empress at age 17 for criticizing some court favorites. Now that is a strict disciplinary system. We visited the Princess’s tomb, one of the few that have been excavated in China, for lunch and tour. It was so frequently invaded by tomb raiders that the government figured it should just go ahead and open it up. When they did, the only bones they found were of a raider. The theory, based on the fact that the skull and skeleton were separated and an axe head lay nearby, is that he was double-crossed by his partner for his share of the loot. Of course this got everyone’s attention, and the kids were keen to finish our descent into the tomb. They had lots of questions for our guide and learned a fair bit about the Tangs, tombs, and looting.
We finished our day at the much grander main tomb mentioned earlier. Since this tomb has never been opened, there was no opportunity to go in. So, some settled for a quick climb up the mountain, while the rest took a leisurely stroll down the Spirit Way, under the watchful eyes of 36 stone guardians.

Then it was back to Xi’an, and the talk on the return trip was about plans for the weekend. All seem to have connected well with their hosts and are looking forward to whatever the weekend may bring. At least some are gathering to wish Evan a happy birthday on Sunday. We look forward to hearing the stories come Monday, but for now it is time for some peace and quiet as we each go our separate ways for a couple of days.

Our Country Excursion

2009-02-27T03:32:00.000-08:00

We set off this morning after another delightful evening with the host families. Haley's story of being served Pringles for breakfast made us all start the day with a smile. We traveled to Dujiangyan, the site of a historical wonder of a 2000 year old irrigation system that still provides water for the Chengdu Plain. We anticipated being impressed by the engineering, but no one foresaw the natural splendor that would surround us for the morning. Lush gardens, aqua green water, and ancient temples set in the mountains were in every direction.

We crossed the giant river over a suspension bridge to look more closely at the temple there. The kids loved the challenge of balancing on the swaying bridge.

Much of the temple was being restored due to the recent earthquake in the area. It was hard to not be awestruck by the impact of this natural event when regarding this national treasure. Earlier we had noted the effects of the earthquake on modern buildings in the downtown of Dujiangyan. Many windows were broken and the walls of the buildings had large cracks. Many buildings had been abandoned and are waiting for reconstruction.

Following our tour of the irrigation system, we dined at a local restaurant. Students were hungry after all the walking. Our chopstick skills prove that we have been in the country for more than a week.

There was an Orchid Expo taking place in a town nearby. Upon entering the orchid fair, it was clear we were entering yet another world. People enthusiastically snapped photos of the flowers and were appreciating their delicate and rare beauty. Our group was even filmed for the local TV channels. Our celebrity status seems to continue.

This was our first opportunity to see life beyond the city of Chengdu. The students enjoyed seeing the fields of bright yellow flowers, the rush of bicycle and motor scooter traffic, not to mention vehicles laden with various materials. Sites of rural living gave us a new side of China to consider. We returned back to the school where host families greeted the students and took them home to start their weekend together. Our next blog post will be on Monday after the weekend.

Thursday-The Giant Buddha of Leshan

2009-02-26T07:37:00.000-08:00

This morning we took a bus to Leshan, a city about an hour and a half from Chengdu. It is at this point where three rivers converge and the turbulent waters have always been treacherous to watercraft. A Buddhist monk called Haitong decided that the waters could be quieted if Buddha were to look over the site. He began the undertaking of carving a giant Buddha out of the sandstone cliff. It was begun in 713 AD and completed 90 years later. It is 71 meters high. We walked up to the top of the Buddha, then descended a very, very, VERY steep set of steps carved into the adjacent wall to the base of the statue, and then climbed back up the other side, through passes carved in the sandstone.

Before the visit to the park, we took a boat ride to the base of the cliff, and then had lunch in a popular local establishment.

The road to Leshan provided wonderful views of the countryside- high rise buildings give way to terraced fields of vegetables. Much of the land is in bloom with the yellow flowers of the rapeseed plant. Oranges are being harvested now and they are plentiful in local markets.

Everyone in our group is trying new things, eating what they are served at home, taking lots of photos, and being the travelers we knew they would be. Tomorrow, Baoguang Monastery, a little shopping and some basketball with the CDEFLS students…

Cultural Immersion 101

2009-02-26T05:35:00.000-08:00

Today we had several lessons at the Chengdu Experimental Foreign Language School Affiliated to the Tanghu Middle School. We started the morning learning how to speak Chinese - just the basics: good morning, How are you?, very spicy, delicious, American, and how to say each of our names. The teacher also offered to teach students sentences or phrases they wanted to learn. "I love to ski", "Will you marry me?", and "The food is delicious" are just a few of the students' requests.

During a short break, we discussed the happenings of the previous night: an outing to Pizza Hut with several of the host families and strolling down the historical street of shops were some highlights.

Following the short break, students moved into one of the classrooms to learn hand crafts. We folded origami birds, an elephant, a lantern, among other shapes. Students had fun following our teacher who taught solely by demonstration since he did not speak English. It was effective in making the kids really watch the teacher so as not to miss a fold.

The students went home with their host siblings for lunch and a rest before returning for the final lesson of the day in calligraphy. The teacher was very skilled in this art and reminded us by comparison of what it was like to learn to print English. We learned phrases such as Happy Birthday and Chinese and American friendship. The teacher even presented a few of our students with his beautiful artwork. Trevor received a special gift of the teacher's work wishing him a Happy Birthday.

Following our calligraphy lesson, we headed over to one of the school's dining halls for a hands-on dumpling making experience, which was to become our dinner. Our hosts complimented Aaron's fine skills, who knew he has such talents lurking within those hands! The dumplings were added to a tasty soup.

Some students jumped at the chance to play basketball or soccer out in the large athletic field with the Chinese students. Many Chinese students remembered our classroom visit and were eager to talk again. Students met up with their host parents for their third evening of a home stay.

Tomorrow we look forward to more stories from the home stay. We will travel to Du Jiangyan, an ancient irrigation system that still serves the community. We've heard that it is a sight to behold.

Beijing Day Two In Pictures

2009-02-26T05:07:00.000-08:00

The Morning View outside my window. Sunrise over Beijing.

The group at the Beijing Planning Exibition. They are standing on a picture map of Beijing and behind them is a 3-D model of the city.
Mitchell taking a picture of a lit up model of Beijing's CBD (Central Business District.) Also at the Beijing Planning Exhibition. We also got to see a 3-D movie about the history of Beijing and a 4-D movie about the transportation systems.
Next Stop: The Beijing Zoo
Panda. Eating.

Video of a Panda. Eating.

A Peacock shows off for the crowd.

This rather embaressed young fellow's mother and aunt really wanted to have a picture of him with Sarah and Merritt. He was quite reticent, but finally allowed himself to be dragged into a shot.

This is a Asiatic Brown Bear. While the Panda's and a few of the other exhibits are well kept and fairly humane. The conditions in much of the Zoo are quite terrible. This poor bear and his cellmate lived in a small enclosure of cement and rock and spent their time playing with trash that people had dropped into the enclosure.

Cotton Candy.

Sarah just wanted a bite of Merritt's cotton candy. Merritt was very sad when she took the whole thing.

Jianqiang and Dawson.
Dawson wears his pack really low. So we all did too.
Dinner Before Shot.
After.
Post dinner snack. Yes, that is a scopion on a stick. Yes, Jeb is eating it. Fianl words for the day: Tastes like popcorn!

Army of the Afterlife

2009-02-26T04:44:00.000-08:00

Well we hoped for a change in the weather and we got it. Instead of rain today we had snow. I guess we can’t be too upset when you consider how badly the farmers need the water. Anyway, today it was off to world of the afterlife. Qin Shi Huang was the first Emperor of unified China, uniting warring factions under his rule in 221 BC. During his reign he standardized Chinese writing, weights and measures, and currency. He also connected separate sections of the Great Wall into one, more or less, continuous barrier. While he was a powerful leader, he was also ruthless. He initially ascended to be emperor of this region at the age of twelve. Preparations began immediately for his trip to the afterlife, and it was the fruits of those preparations that we witnessed today. Of course I am talking about the Terracotta Army. The Terracotta Army is a force of over 7000 life size clay figures, each with unique facial expressions, buried in battle formation, east of the Emperor’s tomb. The tomb and the army took 700,000 laborers and 37 years to complete. Some historians believe that Qin Shi Huang expected to continue his rule in the afterlife, and that is why he wanted an army to protect him. Whatever the reason, the sight of rows upon rows of warriors, lined up in the archeological pits, is awe inspiring.

Imagine an entire army lying just beneath the surface, unknown for over 2000 years. Then in 1974 five farmers were digging a well (during yet another Xi’an drought) and dug up part of a warrior. Since it was during the Cultural Revolution, when the “old ways” were frowned upon, they didn’t report it to anyone. Eventually a journalist from the area heard of their discovery and reported it to the party officials. One thing led to another and the excavations finally began, continuing even today, as much of the area is yet to be uncovered. In an interesting twist of fate one of the farmers that made the original discovery was signing copies of a book about the Army today, and Martha got to shake his hand. Of course she bought an autographed book.

After yet another delicious meal it was off to visit Qin Shi Huang himself. Actually he is buried several hundred feet underground, but we did visit the site of his mausoleum. According to historical records, written a century after Qin Shi Huang’s death, the tomb includes a map of the known world in stone, with all of the rivers of China formed with mercury. Recent tests confirm the soil around the mausoleum has extremely high mercury levels, suggesting that the account is accurate. Buried with the Emperor were all manner of treasures and weapons, for his use in the afterlife. Supposedly there are also crossbows positioned to fire automatically if the tomb is disturbed. It all sounds a little Indiana Jones to me, but it is said that truth is stranger than fiction, so who knows.

Our last stop of the day was the Huaping Pools. This is the site of the Tang Dynasty era winter palace. The pools are fed by hot springs poring from the mountain side, providing a welcome relief from the winter cold for the privileged. As the day was cold the group thought about jumping the railings to take a dip. We all managed to resist this temptation.

Then it was back in the bus for the trip back to XFLS and to meet up with host families. Tomorrow we head out of town to the Famen Temple and the Qian Mausoleum. The amount of information that we have been given from our guide has been staggering. Who knew that we would be studying over 3,000 years of history? Today’s look at the Terracotta Army was such a highlight as it is considered by many to be the 8th wonder of the world.

The kids are having an incredible experience as they adjust to different food, new friends, and being on the other side of the world.

Beijing Day One

2009-02-25T14:54:00.000-08:00

(After the first attempt you saw we asked another
tourist to help us, and, although he claimed no knowledge of how to use a camera, he at least managed to keep his fingers out of the photo!)

So our first day in Beijing started with a quick breakfast in the hotel. And then we were off to Tiananmen square. We thought about going to see Mao in his Mausoleum (or the Maosoleum as it is frequently referred to.) But then we saw the line wrapping more than half way around the building. 6 people wide, bodies cramped closely together. Although we were told it moved quickly, it was decided that we didn't need to wait and we kept moving forward. Tiananmen is the largest open square in the world. It is also one of the major sights for domestic tourists in China, and they were out in force yesterday morning. After weaving our way through the square, we crosses the Avenue of Eternal Peace and head to the front gate of the Forbidden City, Heavenly Peace Gate.

Pictures galore with the imposing gate and world famous portrait of the Great Helmsman, Chairman Mao. (Above is a picture of Sarah and Merritt and a Chinese Tourist and his friend photographing them outside of Heavenly Piece Gate.) We then crossed the moat and started in to the first courtyard of the Forbidden City.

We didn't get to far. Instead we doubled back and climbed up the Heavenly Peace Gate. A short, STEEP flight of stairs later, (although put to shame by the Bell Tower stairs we climbed later in the day) we were on top of the gate looking out over the city and Tiananmen Square. Seeing the choreography of large groups of Chinese tourists out on the square, instantly recognizable by their monochromatic hats, was sight. Large groups all trying to work their way forward over the large square, trying to work their way to where we were.

More pictures and then it was time to head into the Forbidden City proper. The imperial home of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Lived in for about 600 years. It was the seat of power and the prison of the Emperor, his wives, concubines, and children, and the eunuchs that served the imperial family. A palace of almost 1000 rooms. Now one of the largest museums in the world.

The size of the Forbidden City is so mind bogglingly large. The best way I have to describe it is with this: There are two buildings for the Emperor to rest in during his walk from the housing complex in the back of the palace to the receiving chambers in the front.

It took us about an hour and a half to walk just along the central axis of the palace complex. We only went into one of the exhibits and took one little detour from just a straight walk front to back. An hour and a half. That is big!

(My computer battery is about to die. I need to pick up an adapter today... so I will continue day one and add day two tonight. But info on the rest of the pictures:
Picture 1: The group showing school pride in the Forbidden City.
Picture 2: A moment of rest sitting looking at a resting chamber.
Picture 3: Jeb being "studious" during an afternoon tea and journaling break.
Picture 4: A new sunglass purchase and something over my shoulder?!?!
Picture 5: The remains of a great dinner... I'll try to get a picture of food today before it is decimated.)
Signing off for now. Colin Penley.

Classrooms to tea rooms

2009-02-25T06:15:00.000-08:00

We reunited with each other after our first night of home stays. With tales of power outages, dining by headlamps, cold showers, and unique breakfast foods, our group started the day bubbling with energy and excitement for what else the day would hold.

First we attended classes in which Chinese students interacted with us in small group discussion about what school is like in our respective countries. The subject matter varied from being able to choose classes to dating to how get into good American universities. Each group also enjoyed demonstrations of the students' talents in dancing, singing, pantomime, and recitation. Our students responded in kind by June sharing his "beat box" skills and our singing two songs we all knew: the Sponge Bob Square Pants theme song and a song from High School Musical. Our students were treated like superstars. Can I have your autograph? What is your email address? The students were eager to connect with each other.

The warm reception in the classroom led the way to a heartfelt official opening ceremony. Jackie and Luke spoke on behalf of the students and contributed to the relationship that is developing by sharing what they appreciate about China so far and the importance of our visit. The ceremony was attended by host families, teachers, and school officials. We received a gift on behalf of Gould Academy and presented them with a gift from our school to theirs. Each student was presented a unique gift from their host families in addition to a gift from the school.

After this ceremony and group photos, students returned to their host families for lunch and a rest. Chinese school children of all ages have a two hour break in the middle of the day before returning to school commitments that will go until 10 pm. Following lunch we headed into downtown Chengdu where we visited a Buddhist temple where we saw people practicing their religion by lighting incense and bowing out of respect for the figures. Some of the buildings were built in the late 1600s. The figures were said to be some of the most revered in the country.

The trip to the temple concluded with a relaxing visit to a tea room in a lovely courtyard. Budding magnolia trees, goldfish in a stone vessel, and carved wooden gates are just a few of the details that stand out vividly as well as the delicious, flavorful tea.

We appreciate all that the host school has done to make our first full day here so memorable. Tomorrow we will experience lessons in the Chinese classroom - Chinese language, hand crafts, and calligraphy await us.

Pandas in person

2009-02-25T05:07:00.000-08:00

After the first night with host families, everyone met at school this morning to compare notes. Nice host families? Yes. Recognizable breakfast? Not really. We spent some time in classes this morning, then we stood on a podium in front of the entire school. The students were lined up in rows, all four thousand of them, in their uniforms, on the central outdoor quad. Mr. Baker and Mr Wen, the head of the school, each gave brief speeches that were translated by students. Our students were then given uniforms from the school.

After lunch at school we were off to see the pandas. The Chengdu Scientific Research Station is home to the largest Giant Panda breeding program in the world. Fortunately for us, we were there during feeding time, and we saw many pandas gnawing on bamboo. The pandas are separated by age and gender because in the wild they are solitary animals and the males would fight if they were all together. There was another panda research station about 30 miles from Chengdu, but it was heavily damaged in the earthquake last spring, and those pandas were moved to Chengdu. The pandas live in large, natural enclosures, and we were fortunate that they were near the fence during our visit.

After the Panda Station we went to a man made lake and had a rest in a pavilion. We had glasses of tea, sweet tofu, spicy tofu and cold noodles. We took a horse drawn ride around the lake, and then headed back to school.

While we waited for our host pick ups, many students approached us to try out their English conversational skills. It was a lot of fun, and we got a tremendous amount of attention!

Many families were off to have hot pot tonight, can’t wait to hear the details tomorrow morning! Tomorrow we’re off to the Giant Buddha of Leshan…

Spring Rain Arrives

2009-02-25T04:26:00.000-08:00

We arrived safely in Xi’an last evening and were greeted very warmly by our hosts, the Xi’an Foreign Language School. Our arrival was seen as quite fortuitous by our hosts. Xi’an is in the midst of a 3 month drought, but it rained today. Headmaster Liu, in greeting us, told of the old Chinese saying, “Spring rain is as valuable as oil,” and then he thanked us for bringing the spring rain. Our morning was filled with time in school. Our students attended classes with their hosts and found it interesting, though I think the explanations of factoring, given in Chinese, were lost on our kids. Following classes we attended a welcoming assembly, complete with speeches by students from each school. Each of our students introduced themselves and then Whitney gave a wonderful speech, on behalf of all of us, telling how she has learned so much already and will never be the same again.

After lunch it was off to begin our tour of the historic city. We learned about Xi’an history, with a visit to the Shaanxi History Museum. Xi’an lies in the Yellow River valley, and is the cradle of Chinese civilization, tracing its history to a Neolithic culture around 5000 BC. It’s location in central China made it an ideal location to establish a civilization. The valley is fertile and provided food for the earlier Chinese, while the surrounding mountains protected them from invaders from the north. Chang’an (on the site of modern Xi’an) first served as a dynastic capital in the 11th century BC, with the Zhou dynasty, and was a capital city for 1100 years, until 1271 AD, when the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing. The name Xi’an means “western peace,” and is a reference to the hope for peace under an emperor’s reign.

The museum was followed by a trip into the inner city, surrounded by an intact nine mile wall that was built during the Ming dynasty. Our first stop inside the wall was the Forest of Stelae Museum. Stelae are stone tablets, and this museum has a collection of over 1000. At one time it served as a stone tablet reference library and still contains tablets with the oldest existing text of books by Confucius, samples of different styles of Chinese calligraphy, maps and other documents of historical significance. The teacher in me found the stone tablet textbooks most interesting. They were used to study for the imperial exams that one had to pass in order to become a civil servant. When our students complain about how heavy their books are I’ll remind them of the seven foot high stone textbooks they could be using.

From there it was on the Drum and Bell Towers. Their contents are fairly obvious and there function was to tell time of day and to ring out warnings. We saw a brief musical performance in each and got a spectacular (well as spectacular as you can have on a drizzly day) view of the city. As we left the Bell Tower we passed by Starbucks and it took all the willpower our students and we could muster to keep walking, without going in.

The day ended with a return to school for English corner. Usually held outdoors, but moved inside because of the weather, the English corner is a gathering of students, Chinese and American, to share experiences. We were seated in circles, and if the students’ experience was anything like mine, they were peppered with questions about school, sports, interests, you name it. The teachers’ questions showed just how universal the profession is, and included “how do your grade students?” “do your students feel pressure to do well?” “does your school encourage religion?” and the ever popular “what do you do on your vacations?”

All in all it was a very full first day in Xi’an and a great start to our visit here. Tomorrow it is off to see the terracotta warriors and we’re hoping for a change in the weather.

Beijing Day One

2009-02-25T04:18:00.000-08:00

Great, busy day... We are all bone tired. I'll am headed to bed, but with the wonder of jet lag hanging on, I will wake up very early with plenty of time to post before the day begins. Until tomorrow...
(The first of many group shots of the day. The lady who took this photo is not Ansel Adams or Sally Mann, but there is a nice artisty in the shot... or something like that. More pictures to come...)Colin Penley

They Leave... We Arrive

2009-02-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

Hello All, The final group touched down in Beijing this evening.
We left Bethel with shin deep snow (that was still coming down.) By the time we hit Boston there was nary a flake to be seen. We had a bit of time in Logan airport and time enough for a quick snack/breakfast before boarding the plane for Chicago O'Hare.

(Above: The group waiting for our flight. Below: Dawson... I think ;) )

Once we touched down in O'Hare we prepared to go looking for our departure gate. Luckily, it was right across the terminal, only 50 feet. So another meal of airport food, and ready for our 11:40 boarding time. (Below: Our plane to Beijing)
For those of you playing along at home, yes our flight did get in quite late, but what is an extra two hours on the plane? After boarding it was announced the because one of our two High-frequency Radios was off-line, we would not be able to fly the polar route and needed to be rerouted over Alaska and Siberia. So with extra time on the run way and extra airtime, our "short" 14 hour flight turned into a 16 hour event.

Once we hit the ground in Beijing, we were off and running. We breezed through customs and hit the timing right to grab our baggage and head right out the main exit into terminal 3's waiting area. There, waiting for us, was out good friend, Dachuan. He had a bus waiting and we were off. Light traffic and a nice evening combined to get us quickly to our hostel.

After a brief moment to explore our rooms and "freshen up" we headed out to Goubuli (狗不理) restaurant. Goubuli is a famous chain restaurant from Tianjin, a large city just south east of Beijing. This particular branch of the restaurant has been open since 1858. We had a wonderful dinner of Baozi (包子 a type of dumpling with a doughy wrapper) and other assorted dishes, we headed out for a walk around the newly refurbished Qianmen district.
(Above: The group with one of the dragons in front of Tong Ren Tang [同仁堂], a famous Chinese medicine clinic and apothecary , first opened in 1669 and headquartered out of the building we are standing in front of since 1702.)

We walked around until ten and then headed back to the hotel to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day. I am going to be headed out for a walk at 6 am and then our day will start from there. Mao, Tiananmen, The Forbidden City and a tour of Hutongr. It is a day of the traditional side of Beijing. And now it is time for me to get to sleep to make sure I am up in time for that early morning walk!

"You say goodbye, I say hello"

2009-02-24T05:25:00.000-08:00

We woke this morning, ate breakfast in the hotel, packed our bags and cleaned our rooms and took a walk through a nearby hutong. Hutongs are neighborhoods of single story connected buildings, some of which are hundreds of years old. They are rapidly being replaced with modern high rises. Narrow, mazelike streets, open food markets and friendly people are all part of life in a hutong.

We said good bye to Beijing this morning, and to our wonderful friends Dachuan, Liang and Ryan. A new place is always so much better when you have guides who know the area, know the language and want to show you everything! Thank you again Dachuan, Liang and Ryan- you made it all so much fun in Beijing!

We returned to the Beijing Capitol Airport Terminal 3 for our trip to Chengdu. The airport was completed last year and is in the shape of a dragon. It is the largest airport in the world. We boarded our plane to Chengdu and arrived two hours later.

We were greeted at the airport, and off to homestays! Flowers and signs and smiling waiving families is a pretty good way to start a visit in a new town!

Chengdu Bound

2009-02-24T04:55:00.000-08:00

The group referred to as “Chengdu 1” (Ben A, June C, Helen C, Wyatt C, Matt F, Rose G, Abbie G, Trevor G, Haley I, Aaron M, Jackie S, Bryce R, and Luke S) with Lauren Head and Holly Tornrose started the day by walking through the Yingtao Hutong, an old Beijing neighborhood near our hotel. Here we saw what daily life is like for many Chinese. We went to an open-air food market, which tempted us with the scents and sights of various fruits, vegetables, bakery items, and meats. It was a feast for the eyes!

We flew to Chengdu and arrived to an overwhelming warm reception of host families and school officials right at the airport. They greeted us with flowers, name signs, and big smiles. Before heading off to our respective homes for the next week, all the host families and students gathered for a group photo at the airport taken by the Foreign Language Experimental School Affiliated to Tanghu Middle School. We hope to make those photos available later.

Students spent the early part of the evening getting to know the host families and their children. It turns out that all of the host families are teaching faculty at the school. Students will be living in either faculty housing or in the immediate area of the school. After a brief get to know you at their homes, everyone gathered at a hotel banquet hall for a special buffet meal which gently introduced us to the spicy cuisine of the Szechwan Province. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the challenge of communicating with various degrees of success. Students returned home with their host families for the night. Tomorrow we look forward to our first day at school where we will be officially welcomed before touring the campus and city.

Wall to Wall Duck

2009-02-23T04:55:00.000-08:00

After two days of steady walking, we started the day with a bus ride to the Great Wall. En route we stopped briefly at a cloisonné factory and shop—a few souvenirs were purchased, but mostly we admired the intricate artwork. Badaling, perhaps the best known section of the wall was windy and cold but the group braved the many steps and snow flurries to reach the 5th turret. At that point the group divided, with some heading further up the wall and others retreating to the bottom and the warmth of the local tea room. Panda hats were the purchase of the day-- they were cute, it was cold, the price was right!

Note Gould Class of 2020 in Front Row

We warmed up on the bus on the way to the Olympic venues— a look at a more modern Beijing. The bird’s nest and water cube were impressive, as was the size and scale of the Olympic Park. For the record, the water cube is not really a cube.

Our final bus stop was dinner at one of Beijing’s many duck restaurants. The official duck carver was a master with a knife and the food just kept coming! This was one of our most enjoyable meals and a fitting end to our Beijing visit. We waddled out the door and caught a quick bus back to Tiananmen Square and the hostel. Clear instructions were given for packing and cleaning—tomorrow morning we leave for the airport and flights to Chengdu and Xi’an.

From Dirt to Heaven . . .

2009-02-22T05:33:00.000-08:00

Today’s adventures began with a trip to the famous dirt market. In contrast to the silk market of yesterday, the dirt market is an open air shopping market full of all sorts of goods ranging in stalls specializing in brass figurines, silk handbags, swords, knit hats, jewelry, beads, among others that will not be named here so as not to ruin the surprise for folks back home! Students became savvier with their bartering skills and shared trade secrets over another wonderful lunch in a nearby restaurant.

After lunch we went to a Chinese grocery store to buy some provisions for tomorrow’s excursions. Students enjoyed seeing various familiar products with Chinese labels as well as buying rice puffed sweet treats recommended by the Chinese Gould students that are serving as guides and translators during our time in Beijing.

Riding the public transportation to and from the Temple of Heaven during a busy Sunday proved to be a way to appreciate close up the way of transportation for many Chinese. The Temple of Heaven is a sight to behold. Amazingly the entire structure is built without a single nail. The trip back to the hotel was a bit delayed as a few students went to the incorrect gate to meet the group. We are all safely reunited.
Students had a chance to relax before a dumpling feast at our hotel. The lazy susans full of delicious variations of dumplings proved a tasty ending to a full day. Tomorrow we’re off to climb the Great Wall (well, not all of it) and to visit the Olympic venue before a duck dinner.

Saturday...A day of supreme harmony

2009-02-21T05:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday- Our first full day in Beijing. We spent our first night in the King’s Joy Hotel last night, and we all met this morning for breakfast in the hotel dining room - noodles, broccoli and cauliflower, scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, yogurt and muesli.

After breakfast we walked through a hutong on our way to Tianamen Square. Hutongs are very old neighborhoods of narrow streets and one story homes and shops. They are a fast disappearing remnant of another time. They are being replaced by modern, more efficient high rise buildings.

We walked to Tianamen Square, the largest public gathering space in the world. Many pictures were taken by us, and of us. We crossed the street and entered the Forbidden City. The vastness and scale of the buildings and their decorations are difficult to imagine until you have walked among them. We all felt better after out time at the Temple of Supreme Harmony! After our visit at the Forbidden City, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant. Everyone was hungry, and we wolfed down the plates of food as they arrived. And arrived, and arrived! Dachuan and Liang and Ryan had ordered the meal in advance for us, and we didn’t know there would be so many different plates! Tofu, lamb, pork, chicken, seafood, rice, the plates just kept appearing!

After lunch we took a bus to the Silk Market, a four story building that sells just about anything you can imagine, and many things you can’t.. Everyone had an opportunity to hone their bartering skills as they shopped for silk dresses, chopsticks, UGG boots, t shirts, and plenty of “faux” designer goods.

Mr. Whittington guided us through the subway system and we arrived at our next destination. All forty five of us negotiated the crowded subway cars with the ease of native Beijingers!

All that shopping gave us an appetite, so we had Mongolian Hot Pot for dinner. We sat at five large tables and at the center of each was large cloisonné bowl. Inside the bowl is a chimney shaped pot that holds charcoal which heats the broth in the bowl. Many plates are brought to the table- raw beef, chicken, ham, lamb, mushroom, bok choi, cabbage, tofu and fishballs. These are placed in the boiling broth until they are done, and then fished out with chopsticks and served with dipping sauce. Wow! Imagine us all in a big room, with five round tables, steaming hot pots and freshmen reaching in with chopsticks to pick out their cooked food.

After dinner we walked through the night market and considered the delicacies- snake on a stick, starfish on a stick, scorpion on a stick, tang hulu- fruit on a stick dipped in boiling sugar!

After a brisk walk back to the hotel, we are off to a well deserved rest.

Safe, Sound, and Well-Fed

2009-02-20T04:51:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to let you know that we’ve arrived safely in Beijing, after 30 hours of more or less continuous travel. The trip to the airport was interesting, as snow blanketed the first part of the drive. With an early departure from Bethel we made it with plenty of time to spare. Then it was off to Beijing, with a stopover in Chicago, and a flyover of the Arctic. Five movies later and we finally had wheels down at the beautiful new Beijing airport, complete with a main terminal shaped like a dragon. A quick bus ride, a wash, and it was off for our first meal together at a local place, just around the corner from our hostel. The food was traditional Chinese, with sesame chicken, sweet and sour pork ribs, and Beijing noodles. Who knew that tofu and bamboo could taste so good? Everyone is tired so it is off to unpack and then a well deserved night’s sleep. Tomorrow will bring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and shopping at the Silk Market. More to come in the days ahead…

And they're off...

2009-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

This evening the majority of the freshman class gathered in Ordway Hall to leave for China!!!
Luggage was collected in the living room. (Picture- Kris Nammack giving the luggage a thumbs up!)

Spirits were extremely high. And everyone was really really ready to get on their way. A meeting was held to cover the last minute details. The biggest excitement of the night was finding out the groups with whom they were traveling.

(Picture 1- Tom Whittington addresses the group.
Picture 2- The Xi'an group with the Whittingtons
Picture 3- Chengdu 1 with Jan Baker [Lorenzo Baker is already in Beijing to meet the group when they arrive.]
Picture 4- Chengdu 2 with Lauren Head and Holly Tornrose.
Picture 5- Ryan Yu, one of the three Gould Academy Seniors who are Beijing natives and will be with the group while they are together in Beijing.)

After groups met and journals were passed out, it was time to pack the bus and get a move on.
(Pictures Below: The crew on the Bus and then the tail lights of the bus as it pulled away off to Logan and on to Beijing. )

The next post will be from the ground in Beijing. Signing off from Bethel, Colin Penley.

Third Freshman Meeting

2009-02-07T05:16:00.000-08:00

9th graders gather on Tuesday February 3rd after formal dinner to learn more about their trip to China.

Another Step on the Journey - Packing List and Other Information

2009-02-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well we've turned the corner into February and the date of departure is fast approaching. As we continue preparations it is time to start thinking about what to pack (and what not to pack.) Here are some guidelines to help you decide.

Luggage

•One medium size suitcase or duffel bag (to be checked through to Beijing)
•One carry-on (backpack for daily trips)

Carry-on Bag Restrictions

•No sharp objects
•No lighters or matches (you shouldn’t have them anyway!)
•No aerosol cans
•Small amounts (3 oz.) of liquid/gel-based products may be carried in a plastic bag (0ne quart zip lock!).

Clothing

•All clothing should be in GOOD CONDITION! No holes, tears, patches….
•Classroom dress is expected. NO JEANS, even for the plane ride. Boys' shirts should be collared. Girls shirts must be long enough to tuck in and stay in-- bare midriffs or low cut shirts are socially unacceptable. All shirts must have sleeves; short sleeves are alright as well!

Suggested clothing:
-3 pairs of pants (dark in color is best)
-5 shirts
-1 light-weight fleece/sweater
-1 heavier fleece for layering while in Beijing.
-1 waterproof/windbreaker jacket.
-1 nice outfit, skirt/dress/or nice pants for girls, tie and sweater for boys.
-Undergarments and socks for 10 days
-Pajamas
-One pair of comfortable shoes (you will be walking everywhere in China!)

Toilet Articles
-Toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, brush, 6 small packets of tissues etc.

Miscellaneous

•Journal (to be distributed on bus)….you may want a personal journal in addition to your school journal.
•Digital Camera, extra memory cards. Extra batteries!
•Books and magazines
•A small bottle of hand sanitizer (pack in suitcase)
•Small head lamp for reading at night
•Personal music system—may be used when traveling, but NOT on tours or group activities.
•Host gift—Please see one of the chaperones if you are having trouble finding a gift!
•No Computers
•No Cell phones
•Comfort food—granola bars, crackers, trail mix…

****Remember that you will need to carry all of your luggage during our two long traveling days. Pack efficiently and as lightly as possible, you will want space to bring things home!

2009-01-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

FexEx Driver picks up Passports and supporting documentation for Chinese Visas. We are getting closer to being ready for our departure on February 19th .

Let the Preparations Begin

2009-01-16T07:18:00.000-08:00

With the coming of January preparations for the upcoming Four Point experience to China kick into a higher gear. The past two Tuesdays the frosh have gathered to make ready for the experience of a lifetime. On January 6th the theme was to think about being travelers on a journey, not tourists on a trip. Dean of Community Life, Lorenzo Baker, spoke to this theme by describing how "traveling" is a deeper, richer, more educational experience than "touring." To emphasize this idea, and give the kids a taste (sorry about the pun) of China, we watched Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, China. This had the dual purpose of providing some stunning images of China and introducing the class to some of the cultural differences they will experience, including the very different food. Bourdain visits restaurants in Beijing and Chengdu, two of the cities included in Four Point, and samples the local specialties. In Beijing that means duck and in Chengdu it means Sichuan hotpot. On the 13th it was visa application time. Imagine working close to 50 kids through the process of completing a governmental form and you can picture what the evening looked like. Most made it through the process, from having their picture taken to signing the form in the end. Ah, bureaucracy. There is more preparation to come and we hope to see many parents, with their kids, on Parents' Weekend at the Saturday Four Point meeting.

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009 to all and welcome to the "Gould in China 2009" blog. Of course the Chinese New Year doesn't begin until January 26th, so perhaps this greeting is a bit premature. 2009 is the Year of the Ox on the Chinese calendar and will begin less than a month before we travel to China with the class of 2012. This blog will provide useful information as we prepare for this year's Four Point trip. Once we are on the trip you can follow our travels on this blog. So check back regularly. Please note that all posts are time stamped with China time so I really didn't write this in the middle of the night.