Hi Everybody!

I don't know if people are still checking the blog, but I am thinking of you all and our experiences every day. I am slowly uploading my pictures to: http://taodisc.dotphoto.com
if you'd like to check them out. Here is a funny one of Wen Tao and Daniel.

Take care !
Miche

Moutaintop

Sometimes it can take the simplest things to bring peace back into your life: a smell, a sound, a taste. During our only day in the She Jong village the four of us took a walk along the mountain trail (through rice paddies) that led us to beauty beyond belief.

We first came upon the soothing look and sound of a waterfall. We looked out over the mountainside and observed the graceful step-like pattern of the terraced rice paddies winding their way down the slope. We forged on. The higher we went the more the valley revealed and the closer the distant mountains seemed to get. At our feet we could hear frogs croaked a welcome. Above us birds chirped out messages to others about our approach.

The trail opened up to reveal the mountains across the way, nearer still, their tops below us now. The valley below was larger and the now distant village smaller.

Resting by a neatly groomed rice paddy at the top of our mountain, we enjoyed the majesty and peace of the surroundings, and allowed the stress of our travels to dissolve.

Near the bottom of the slope we came upon a group of farmers working their rice crops. I wondered what these men thought as they saw four American women emerging from their paddies.

Thank you Anja, Emily and Michelle for sharing this experience.

-Sandy

Survey Results & Emily's Observations

Survey Results:

Best Dressed: Eric (aka Jia Wei)
Best Drinker: Bruce
Miss Congeniality: Kate
Mr Congeniality: David
Best Shopper: Linda
Best Bullshitter: Bruce
Best Prankster: Sandy
Best Dancer: Emily
Best Singer: Anna
Most Improved Chinese Speakers: Ron and Michelle
Best Eater: Ron
Most Athletic: Anja
Best Sleepers: Anna and Ron
Baldest: Bruce
Baldest Runners-up: David and Paul
Gentlest Critic: David
Most Flexible: Teresa
Most Adventuresome: Anja and Linda
Funniest: Daniel
Hottest: Wen Tao, Chris and Bruce
Vest Organizer: Wen Tao
Most Organized: Wen Tao and Linda
Least Organized; Ron
Fastest Hands: Anja
Took the Most Photos: Sandy
Most Devoted to Tai Chi: Anja
Most Likely to make you Turn Red: Daniel
Most Bubbly: Kate
Most Lost in China: Paul
Cue Card Queen: Kate
Most Improved Chopstick User: Teresa
Most Motherly: Teresa
Most Fatherly: Wen Tao, Chris and Bruce
Heaviest Suitcase: Daniel
Closet Shopper: Ron
Most Accomplished Quitter of Tobacco: Daniel

Emily's Observations: 
To Eat or Not to Eat?
Visiting another country always involves confronting
difficult decisions about ethics and etiquette.
Living with host families in a culture that is not
your own presents even more of these dilemmas. Here
are some challenging questions group members reported
facing. Some of course are more serious than others.
With our host families:
-Do you go to the hole in the ground behind the house
in the middle of the night or use your "chamber pot"?
If you do use your pee bucket, how do you dispose of
it in the morning?
-Do you risk offending your host family by refusing
food and/or alcohol or do you overstuff yourself?
-Do you risk eating foods you might not like or that
might not agree with you in order not to offend them?
-Do you wait until 6pm when the hot water comes on or
do you use the special water heater they are offering
you (when what you really want is a cold shower at
5pm)?
-Do you compliment the wine when they ask you how it
compares to what you drink at home?
-Do you lie to your host family about living with your
boyfriend without being married?
-Do you sit and watch TV with your family or get up
and do your own thing?
-Do you ask political questions even when you can tell
it makes them uncomfortable?
-Do you let the 8 year old in your house beat you at
Chinese Checkers when her father is there pressuring
her to win?
-Do you ask if you can turn on the air conditioner in
your room?
-Do you push yourself to stay up and make conversation
even when you are exhausted?
In general:
-Do you get up early for Tai Chi?
-How do you know when to put toilet paper in the trash
and when to put it in the toilet bowl?
-Do you use the stall with the toilet bowl without
enough room in the stall for your legs or use the
stall with the hole in the ground?
-Do you wear a bike helmet and stand out among the
millions not wearing them?
-Do you go to tea with 4 local women who invite you
(as the only foreigner)?
-Do you let strangers take photos of you with your
camera when they offer?
-Do you give stickers and trinkets to kids in the
street?
-Do you give money to the beggar with one leg
following you around the market on his cart?
-How much do you bargain with the person who makes
less than 1/10 of what you do and you are clearly
wealthy in comparison?

Language as Symbol
Travelers in China today notice a lot of English words
and phrases on signs, t-shirts, and used as
advertising slogans on billboards and tv. Perhaps one
day Ron will show you his fantastic collection of
poorly translated signs from around China. It is an
odd phenomenon. Not in the spirit of mocking, but in
the spirit of wondering about the meaning of language,
I jotted down some of the English words and sayings
members of our group reported finding written on
Chinese t-shirts. (Of course, the Chinese might say
the same about Chinese characters on US t-shirts and
tattooed onto US bodies. They may also say the same
about translations on signs in the US...)
-"Clot Fantasy"
-"Juicy Love Surfers"
-"Sailer" (On the sailor outfit of one of the girls in
Haui Shu Wan)
-"Feelings are Fulfilling"
-"Free Frog"
Quotations
"We have to go back down to hell."
-David, in reference to going to the Walmart
underground at People's Square in Guiyang
"We have a Miao on the bus." -Guixian, local guide
"I could spend all day in the bathroom."
-Miche about the bathroom with mirrors, upholstered
seats, lotion, etc. in the Seaport Restaurant in
Guiyang
"My teeth are swimming." -Cici, young Chinese girl
about being full
"You would have been happy enough to have a girl."
-Professor at Beijing Normal University during our
lecture on Chinese culture
"The Japanese people are not normal." -David's hostess
in Xi'an
"It's like the ER."
-Kate, about the way the carvers rush in with face
masks and duck on platters to serve Peking Duck
"What do they feed the duck?" -us
"You know. Normal duck food."
-Wen tao, our national guide, avoiding any further
questions about Peking Duck
"Chi ba!" -Our host families commanding us to eat
"Did you get enough to eat?"
-Bruce and Wen Tao
"How many cases of food poisoning do you see?"
-Anna, in the nurse's clinic in Huai Shu Wan
"I'm sorry our daily food is not as good as the
restaurant..."
-A paper given to our host families with phrases in
English and Chinese to help us communicate with each
other
"I like to ride horses, chase women and make them
scream." -Daniel, local guide in Beijing
"The largest water show in Asia." -Everyone in Xi'an
"When you have free time..." -Bruce
"So ba! So ba!" -Bruce
"So ba! So ba!" -Eric (Jia Wei) immitating Bruce
"I need a massage." -David and Daniel
"How much did you pay for it?" -anyone after anyone
buys anything
"Oh good. She's got the calculator." -Sandy, while
shopping
"Day 19 I learned to say 'cold water.'" -Paul
"Does anyone know what this is?" -us, around the lunch
and dinner table
"I don't want another fish looking at us." -Teresa
"Have you been to Nantucket?" -Seemingly friendly US
traveler to Chris, wearing a Nantucket t-shirt
"No." -Chris
"Well, I have a house there." -Now seemingly snobby US
traveler to Chris
"It looks like a golf course." -members of our group
about the terraced rice paddies
"Where's the Starbucks?" -David
'Who has sleeping pills?" -members of our group
"What do you want most in life?" -Emily
"I have found it many times in that it has either
disappeared or changed." -David

A Different World

Well, here I am, writing from cold, freezing, rainy California.

Yesterday was a long day of travel of Shanghai to San Fransisco. After arrival, Anja, Sandy, and I stood on a sidewalk outside a Motel 8 not only wondering what day and time it was, but also wondering where the heck we were. It felt so strange to be back, so suddenly back to a world we thought we knew.

I was definitely in a different world last night my father took me to dinner with a friend at a trendy restaurant. It was dimly lit, and a soft techno beat oozed from surround sound speakers. Abstract crystal chandeliers and paintings of flowers created a trendy atmosphere. Young professionals in suits sipped martinis, while I stood staring with my 2 day-old clothes, uncombed hair and rain jacket (it wasn't raining). When they dimmed the lights half-way through the meal, I was definitely the only person in the whole place to make the sound: "Oooooooooo."

It is surreal and strange to be back. In a matter of days, we transitioned from the rural Miao village, to urban Shanghai, to home. It all happened so fast, my mind is still catching up, unable to accept the idea that I am in a place where I don't have to bring toilet paper with me to the bathroom.

I am relishing my freedom and the now decadent idea of having a whole house to myself for the day, yet missing the crowded busy streets, my travel buddies, and I can't stop looking for our guide Wen Tao! Really, after 3 weeks, I feel lost without him! How else will I know what is happening today?

If you'd like to keep up with my travels in Mexico, check my blog: http://michellesteele.blogspot.com/ I'll be posting there from Mexico for the next few weeks.

Thank you Paul for all your hard work making this blog so great! Thanks to Wen Tao, Eric, and Bruce for organizing such a phenomenal trip! Thank you all my fellow travelers, I will be thinking of you and missing you. Be well and keep in touch!

Michelle

Honest Interpretation

After many years of doing this trip I am still amazed at the differences and new things that I have experienced.
We had a new national guide on this trip, Shi Wentao. From the beginning I was impressed with Wentao’s people skills and experience as a guide. It did not take long for all of us to trust him to help us navigate and interpret the places we were visiting.
Most of us are limited mandarin speakers and our voice is basically the voice that the national and local guide translates for us. Wentao has been great at not only making our needs and thoughts understood but also giving us an honest interpretation of how we all should act to best negotiate Chinese culture.
I am writing this entry as we are driving to catch the plane to Shanghai. The group of teachers has done a great job of melding together into a strong team. In the beginning we had a group of nice teachers. After three homestays and much traveling together the group has become a tight team that respects individual differences but is also sensitive to people’s needs and protective of each other.
It is always enjoyable for me to get to this point with the group. Each has had a different homestay experience, but they all have experienced China together. This common experience has created a bond that will last forever.
The roots of this program grow deeper each year. On this trip in Huei Shu Wan(our first homestay), I was surprised by a young friend, Dong Da Ming, who was a host brother six years ago in Liu Fu Cau, the program’s first homestay village. Da Ming had just graduated from college and was on his way to France to start a Master’s degree program in International Quality Management. Da Ming and I have communicated for many years through e-mail. He also brought his fiancé along for me to meet. It was one of those special moments. I was enjoying an old friend who acted as my unofficial translator years ago. As we wee talking two other young Chinese friends, Wang Dan and Xing Po arrived and introductions were made. They were cousins of my present homestay family and they were already more confident in their English than the two previous days when they started working with us in the village.
And the beat goes on.

Bruce

The Arena

It’s Market Day in a small rural village in Guizhou Province. As we disembark the bus I can sense the excitement in the air. The women are in full dress, colorful outfits and hair done up with oil, comb and a flower on top. The main road is crowded with cars, bikes, people and animals. As a water buffalo walks by with blood on its head I notice the main attraction, a bullfight, is occurring steps from where I am standing. Kate, Anna and I begin plowing through the crowd to get a view of the action. Cutting through the throng, climbing the steep bank, negotiating the narrow walkway we jockey for a good viewing position. Hugging the bank of the hill and stuffed in between a Miao family, we are ready for action. The scene is like something from a gladiator arena in a gritty outlying Roman town. The crowd is packed in on the side of the hill waiting…
The water buffalos enter the arena and the tension rises. It will be water buffalo vs. water buffalo. A handler prods one of the huge animals with a switch. They eye each other and one begins his charge. The two bulls crash horns and a loud murmur rises from the crowd. The bulls jostle for position, heads clashing and horns jabbing. Heads low, the bulls find their positions and the power pushing begins. It soon becomes apparent that the larger water buffalo has the advantage as the smaller bull valiantly tries to hold his ground but is pushed back, sliding on all four hooves. More jostling and the larger bull pushes the smaller one from the side and rides him toward the wall. He gains momentum and soon the smaller animal and soon the small bull is skewered into the side of the wall. The crowd lets out a collective gasp. The small bull shakes loose from the deadly grasp of his dominating opponent, takes flight and runs out of the arena, up the hill and out of sight. The winner lays chase, but not for long. The big boy is the victor.

Chris

Traffic

August 4th

Travel in China continues to intrigue, frighten, and amuse me. We have tried it all – from bus, to taxi, bikes, and planes. In the cities the traffic is on all sides of you as bikes, pull carts, motorcycles, buses and cars all compete to move. Bells and horns ring constantly to signal passing or rounding a bend. In the city and villages, only American ambassadors from Vermont and New York wear helmets when biking! It makes for much pointing and laughter! Taxi cabs prove to be an interesting challenge. Getting one to stop is manageable, but then they refuse to take us to our destination because it is inconvenient or they claim to not know where we wish to go. The trick is to get Anna in the lead as no driver can say not to her winning smile! Truly the traffic is like riding “Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride” at Disney World (quote by David) while at the same time it is also like watching synchronized swimming … each person knowing what the other’s move will be, and missing collisions by mere inches.
These last two days have been bus rides in the mountainous southern region of China. We have traveled narrow, often one lane roads, shared by toddlers, water buffalo, and mounds of dirt washed down the hills by recent rain. While I often dare not gaze out the window to see the crevices and valleys hundreds of feet below, our driver is unfazed. He toots the horn, rounds blinding corners, and maneuvers hairpin turns with adept skill. Often the road is eroded or vehicles can barely pass.
Yesterday a tire blew on the bus and he barely braked! He finally met his match when we came upon a cement bridge that had been washed away by flooding. We then crossed on foot and went to the village. Upon our return, he turned the bus around where there truly was no space – and he was off again!

Teresa

August 3rd

9pm. All we wanted to do was to go across the street to the only little convenient store in sight to get some orange juice. How much more innocent can you be?? Little did we know how much trouble such innocence could get us into. Buying the juice plus some ice cream as a special treat was not the question. But on our way out, we were amused and touched by the scene in front of us – sitting and standing around one TV on the sidewalk were about 25-30 villagers of all ages watching a movie. We decided we would fit right in and joined them. As if planned, the movie even had English subtitles ☺ so that laughing along was not an issue either. As we, however, took a look around we realized that now we were becoming the attraction for everyone walking by. We agreed not to let that bother us and kept watching until suddenly a very skinny nursing dog appeared from a dark alley searching for food. Back we went into the store to buy something to feed her. The only somewhat acceptable thing we could find was packaged preserved tofu. Ambitiously we went back outside to find the dog. In order not to scare her, we sat about 6 feet away from her on a stone, waiting for her to come to us. That was the mistake. With all our focus on the dog, we did not realize that we had entered dangerous ground: a group of 4 women was sitting around a small table eating barbecued fish and drinking lots of beer. Still too naïve to be alarmed, we opened the packaged tofu and reached out to give it to the dog. Unbeknownst to us, the women understood that as the signal. All four of them took the opportunity to convince us that it was them who needed our attention, not the starving dog. With loud voices and big inviting gestures they motioned us to sit with them. Culturally trained as we are, we did not want to appear rude and sat down in expectation of a nice chat amongst women. Our hosts, however, had a very different definition of cultural exchange. Faster than we could defend ourselves, they had forced chopsticks into our hands and ordered us to eat the fish. At the same time, they had in light speed already filled cups with beer and were holding them right in front of our mouths. We were in TROUBLE!! None of our survival phrases that had so far served us so well were working. They only laughed when we claimed: “Chi bao le. Bu yao. Xiexie!”
Sandy was looking at me with such terrified eyes that I knew I had to get us out of this as quickly as possible. But how, without insulting out “charming” new friends??!? As I answered the questions they bombarded me with – where we were from, how long we were staying, how I know Mandarin, … - I somehow managed to tell them that Sandy was not feeling well and had a stomach ache. They understood and immediately had a solution: they ordered barbecued tofu on the stick, just for us. That too was literally forced into our hands. Now, I knew that I had to come up with something else in order to outsmart them. Here is the conversation (translated into English) that followed:
Me: “We are full. We have already eaten. Please eat it yourselves.”
Woman A: “No, you need to eat it. It doesn’t matter how full you are.”
Me: “Yes, it does matter. One can get sick if one eats too much.”
Woman A: “What are you afraid of? This food is safe. We are eating it too!”
Me: “I know it is safe. That is not the problem. We are just too full.”
Woman A (now singing): “It doesn’t matter whether you have already eaten. If one offers you food or drink you must accept it. – That is a Miao song.”
Me: “That really is a song??”
Woman B: “She had a little too much beer. She is drunk.”
… laughter …
Me: “We really have to go now. Sorry. We don’t mean to be rude.”
Woman B: “Why do you have to go?”
Me: “We have to get up early in the morning.”
Woman B: Oh, so you have to go rest. Where do you stay? In that hotel?” (pointing behind herself at the newly built completely surreal Five Star Hotel in the middle of the mountains)
Me: “Yes, that is where we are staying. Thank you very much. Please eat more. Good night.”
Woman A: “You can only go if you try this tofu!!”
Me: (thinking) Oh, sh…!!!! If only this doesn’t get me sick again!!!! … as I take a small bite … “Ah, it is so spicy!!”
Woman A: “Oh, I forgot. You foreigners don’t like spicy food. We Miao people love it!”
Me: “Thank you. We have to go. Good night!”
Women: “Good night!”
Holding our breath, we walked away. Luckily, we were not being followed. Huge sighs of relief and a helpless look at the tofu-stick in my left and the opened packaged tofu in my right. The dog had not touched the piece I had thrown to her!! On the way across the bridge we encountered a group of kids. I decided to try my luck and asked them: “Do you want to eat some tofu??” “NO!!!!!” they laughed and lifted their hands in defense.

Anja

A Farmer's Glory

August 1st

Today was our day to visit the Terracotta Warrior Museum. It was as impressive as we had anticipated and certainly is the 8th wonder of the world. The artisans of centuries ago had such a fine sense of proportion and detail.
I found learning about the discovery of the tombs fascinating so I will share the highlights of this tale.
In 1974, a peasant farmer was digging a well on his land, over a mile from where the emperor’s burial mound was located. In his digging he unearthed the head of one of the warrior soldiers. This terrified the villagers and they accused him of bringing evil spirits upon them. The unfortunate farmer was banished from the village. The terracotta head was hung, battered and reburied. The story of this event was later reported to a journalist who had been a former villager and heard of the discovery upon his visit home to family. The farmer who had made the discovery then lost his land to the government as they began archeological excavations. Once the museum was established, Queen Elizabeth of England visited the sight. She requested a meeting with the farmer and asked for his autograph. Unable to write his name, the Chinese government decided he must learn to do so. After two years of practicing his calligraphy, his signature was refined. Today he sits in the museum signing books for tourists! Who could have ever imagined the twists his life would take simply by digging a well!

Teresa

The Magic Of Tao Xun

2 August

Xi’an. Thursday Morning, three hours before our departure for Guizhou. We have waved goodbye to our host families, our luggage is stacked on the bus. On the way to the airport we stop at the famous city wall of Xi’an and we are given two options for spending the next 1 ½ hours: climb and bike on top of the wall or stroll through the adjacent Calligraphy Street. In hope of bargains, most of us chose the latter. As we begin to meander through the alleys, we are enveloped in an almost picture book like atmosphere. We are the first visitors of the day and find the street in its waking hour. Instead of rushing in anticipation of a good sale, however, these artists and storekeepers simply smile warmly at us and quietly welcome us into their world. What a wonderful relief it is to be so casually and respectfully accepted and not treated as mere tourists.
Thoroughly enjoying and breathing in this peaceful and refreshing air, we slowly walk on, secretly wishing we could make time stand still for just a little while. As I am admiring the beautiful artwork and traditional architecture, I suddenly hold my step and stand as if bound by a spell. A sound has found my ears, so magical that it vibrated through every part of me. Curiously I look around until my eyes meet those of a middle aged man sitting on the sidewalk playing an instrument I had never seen before. It looks more like a beautifully crafted teacup but is closed on the top except for the small hole into which air is blown. The man, as I study his every move and delight in every sound, continues to play but watches me just as carefully. All of a sudden he stops to hand me one of the other instruments and motions me to play along with him.
Forgotten is everything around me as I follow his invitation and sit down for this unexpected lesson. I am amazed at the ease with which I myself can create this same sound that had just transformed me. By now his son and his wife have joined us, handing me other versions of the same instrument to try. My curiosity now gets the better of me and I finally ask for the name of Ocarina-like ceramic flute: Tao Xun. The son explains that it has a 7000-year history and is special to this area.
Needless to say, the longer I sit there and let myself fully immerse in this cultural experience the more I know that I cannot leave without taking one Tao Xun. But which one?? All of them are so beautiful with characters, trees, birds or bamboo carved on them. Only the scales differ, and with them, of course, the tones. Completely at a loss as to how to decide, I reach for yet another one, put it to my lips and breathe through the hole. Out comes a tone that not only goes through my heart, but also makes the whole family first stare at me in disbelief, then smile and nod in approval. The Tao Xun has found me…..
As I thank the family and slowly walk away, I feel like a magical friend is walking right beside me.

Anja

My Day With Linda

2 August

In Xi’an my homestay family has an eight year old daughter whose American name is Linda. We became fast friends and enjoyed each other’s company very much. On the third day my host family was in a bit of a dilemma due to a family matter that came up at the last minute and they were not sure what they were going to do with Linda that day. They asked if it would be possible for me to take her with me. I felt so honored. Our group was going many places that day: the Muslim Market Drum Museum, lunch, a high school, the Xi’an Provincial Museum. Along the way Linda became fast friends with Kate. They played Rock Paper & Scissors and drew pictures during bus rides between places. After our long day we came back and Linda’s mom and dad were not home yet. Because we both share a passion for painting we sat down together to do some watercolor painting. She gave me my first water color lesson, which was priceless.
Our time painting was quietand peaceful. As she was showing me how to mix my paint or use a certain brush she was whispering instructions to me. Even though I couldn’t understand her language I understood what she was teaching me and asking of me.
I loved my day with Linda and felt a tight bond form between us. I know we will be friends for many years to come.

Sandy

Dining in Caves

Two incredible meals in less than four hours! We clearly did not look hungry after eating much of the food presented over the last ten days. Hospitality is an art here. This morning was the first of four with my Xi’an family, the Liu’s. There were no less than eleven serving dishes (shredded carrots, cooked cabbage, green beans, corn on the cob, boiled potatoes, sliced cucumber, melon, ham and pork dumplings. Each place setting also had a large bowl of hot “cereal” which was a liquid, mushroom colored puree of rice, soy beans, sesame and peanuts. My first breakfast without MSG, yum!

Three hours later the sun was burning through the thick haze as we arrived at the cave dwellings. Our group was split into smaller groups. David, Teresa, three young Chinese girls and I were all welcomed by a young mother who continues to live in one of the existing caves.

We entered through double doors into a dark 18x24 ft. mud cave, lined with newspaper. A six foot section split the room in two. On one side was a ‘king-size’ brick bed, which can be warmed within by burning coal on cold November nights.

The other side had a small table and chairs for us to eat.(I think they were brought in especially for us). No squatting this time.

We were served our first Chinese noodles. Until today we had been eating fried dough, dumplings, rice dumplings . . .
Again there were at least eight serving dishes. Tissues were passed to wipe the beading sweat from our faces. (hot peppers in many dishes)

Yesterday I might have said “why veggies for breakfast?” Today I say, “why not?”

Tai buo le!

Linda

A Realized Possibility

1 August

Back when there was still a slight frost in the Vermont ground I sat watching a program about the Terra Cotta Warriors on The History Channel. Although I hadn’t heard from Bruce yet, it dawned on me that there was an actual chance I might see this newly named Wonder of the World. I felt the excitement of possibility grow. Today, the reality of that possibility was reached.
This morning we journeyed outside of the city of Xi`an to the mausoleum of the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty. This man, who is still regarded as a vital person in Chinese history, had built for himself an amazing tomb. In one pit there were once over 6000 soldiers, all handmade and once brightly painted. The Chinese are still finding more pits and carefully excavating and repairing the artifacts they find. The details included on the warriors, horses and objects are impressive for objects that are a little over 2000 years old. The rumors of what else lies in the inner parts of the Emperor’s tomb are also astounding and incredibly intriguing, yet I respect their desire to leave that part of the tomb unopened. When considering that the first Emperor not only built his tomb but also the majority of The Great Wall, and created many important changes to the ruling system and standardization – one is left to ponder what a busy time it was for the people of those times.
I wouldn’t say that the experience at the Terra Cotta Warriors was THE highlight of this trip for me (some personal interactions have been more meaningful, as have the unexpected stops along the way.) However, it felt symbolic to have a concept of possibility come true.

Kate

Elvis has left the building

31 July
Today we went within the magnificent walls of the fortress city of Xi’an, built over 600 years ago. 11.9 km in circumference, 12 m in height, and 15-18 m in thickness at the base. It is the most intact citywall of the world. It has never been breached, even with the modern artillery, or so our guide told us. Once within, we first went to The Great Mosque, a beautiful structure, devoted to followers of the one true god, Allah, and then to the Muslim Market, an amazing complex of hundreds of shops all selling fake this and fake that devoted to the one true currency in China, the Yuen. So many antiques, some made as long ago as 2005. If your interest is schlock, doo-dads, trinkets, what-nots, and especially the art of bargaining, this was the place to be. The one thing I was looking for was not to be found, at least not with the three hours or so we were able to walk the narrow paths filled with vendors: a velvet painting of Elvis. Not the fat Elvis in the white jumpsuit, there were plenty of those, but the thin Elvis, in sleek black leathers. Perhaps another day. The morning was capped off with a delicious Muslim meal with lamb, beef, fish, marinated garlic cloves, assorted breads, veggies and dates. Oh, yeah, beer.... always beer.
Tonight, off to the Ballet.

More Photos

For more photos of our adventures check out our website and specifically the page called 2007photos: http://absolutecomputingvt.com/eil/2007photo.html
-Paul

Observations

We had a bittersweet goodbye with our families. Some of us received various gifts from them, including pendants, an orange filled stuffed animal, fruit, socks, and dishwashing liquid. Although some of the gifts seemed odd, I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the families. Then we had a 6 hour train ride to Xi`an which seemed to go very quickly between our soul-bearing conversations, card playing, joke telling, guidebook reading, meeting various travelers and planning for a free afternoon we eventually didn’t have. I tried to do some research on the train about interesting observations people have made so far. Here are some of them:

About our homes in Huai Shu Wan:

• There were no mirrors anywhere
• There were few, if any, wastebaskets, but the families produced very little waste and used very few resources. For example, few of us were given napkins at the table and they didn’t buy things that came in packaging.
• Many of the rooms were large but contained very little furniture and few, if any, wall hangings
• The electricity was all external even though the buildings were recently constructed
• There were phones that never rang
• There were bars on the windows, but they seemed to know everyone in the village
• Each person seemed to own very few outfits, perhaps three

Other observations in and around the village:

• Babies and toddlers wear split pants causing many of us to comment that they don’t have the potty training issues we have
• Daniel added: “I’m glad to know 1.4 billion people aren’t using diapers. Think of what that would do to the planet."
• There is quite a bit of sharing that goes on. For example, Teresa saw 2 girls sharing one pair of roller blades going along arm in arm. Linda noticed that when she gave 2 kids 2 basketball cards each, they passed one to another kid
• Anja made several observations about dogs, since she is passionate about dogs and her host family had one that they kept on a leash for 23 hours a day, did not give any water to, and never petted, only occasionally hit. They said they were afraid of it.
• People are good at multi-tasking on mopeds. For example one woman was talking on her cell phone while maneuvering skillfully between bikes and buses. Another woman was sitting sidesaddle on the back of a bike while breastfeeding.
• Another woman was evening out the newspaper to be able to read it (in stilettos and a miniskirt) while driving across a bridge. Many men smoke while biking or driving mopeds.
• Kate saw an ad for a soap opera set in the Qing Dynasty about the Emperor and all his concubines
• I love the public exercise equipment. The same colorful, simple metal machines can be found everywhere and people use them.
• But one of the things that still makes the largest impression on me is that we produce so much trash that people follow us around to collect it. At the Summer Palace people followed us to collect our water bottles as soon as we finished them so that they could turn them in and make a few cents.

-Emily

Bliss for Palate and Soul

Friday, July 27
So many highlights today, but for me, two moments come to the forefront of today’s many experiences.

The first was a moment of bliss. Was it reaching a new level of consciousness or attaining greater Tai Chi skills? I can sum it up in one word – Coffee. Real, freshly ground, freshly brewed coffee, and I didn’t care how much it cost. Our visit to a Mall afforded me the chance to get rid of the caffeine headache and smell the beans. I will shop another day.

The second moment of the day came when, after traveling many miles and reaching across new cultures, we were entertained by a group of children at the village school singing “Merry Christmas.” It got us into the spirit of giving, and we returned their gift with a powerful rendition of “New York, New York.” China will never be the same.


Merry Christmas to all!
-David

The Meditative Art of Hacky-Sack

27 July

I had often watched students at our school with envy as they spent their time between classes trying to surpass each other with their hacky-sack skills. If only I could ever have the opportunity to try myself in this fun game! Little did I know that this secret wish would be fulfilled thousands of miles away.

China. Luoyang. 6 A.M. I walk out of the hotel and immediately find myself on a city square bubbling with energy and an atmosphere of community I have hardly ever experienced before. Everywhere adults of all ages practicing their particular art or sport; not only Tai Chi, but traditional dance, aerobics, badminton (with a racket in each hand!), kung Fu, even calligraphy (a large brush was dipped into water, the characters beautifully written on the sidewalk.) And then there were groups of adults playing what looked like a world championship version of hacky-sack, only that they used a feather with weights on the bottom. I could not believe my eyes when I watched these men and women play. “Now or never,’ was written all over my thoughts as I stepped closer and closer drawn by an invisible magnet. My question whether I may join them was immediately answered with open smiles, curiosity and a unanimous: “of course!” Within less than one minute, however, the group as well as every single person in sight knew that my skills were not only poor, they were non-existent. But luckily my determination to learn was greater than my shame in making such a fool of myself. Finally one of the women took pity on me and waved me to the side for a 1 on 1 lesson. Only slowly was I able to even hit the ball. Then, the issue became more complex: where exactly and how hard to hit it? After about ten minutes (I was now drenched in sweat) she must have decided I was hopeless and referred me to a man – the master teacher. Now I was under serious pressure. With his explanations and lots of stubbornness I began to succeed. My plus-points were rewarded with big smiles by the surrounding bystanders.

Needless to say, I had a most wonderful time and great workout. Before I left, the master handed me a Chinese hacky-sack to keep and told me to continue training. I ran back to the hotel and got an American style hacky-sack to give him. Laughter was the answer. I couldn’t figure out whether it was because of the strangeness of the ball or whether they realized right away the irony: it too had been “Made in China”
-Anja

images from internet -ed

Luoyong Thursday Afternoon

This morning, after a rousing round of Tai Chi, I returned to Li Kaili’s house and had a delicious breakfast of Sheep Soup with a bread so delectable its named cannot be revealed to you, dear reader. After the morning meal, we all got on bicycles and tooled on down to the Longmen Grottoes, about 5 kilometers. How cute we all looked in our cheap bicycle helmets. Of the hundreds and hundreds of Chinese we saw on bikes along the way we did not see one with a helmet on his/her head and they seemed to be doing fine, weaving in and out of constant traffic.

At the Longmen Grottoes, a collection of caves and niches carved out of a limestone mountain overlooking the Yi River, there were 15000 Buddhas, many as small as 4 cm., others ten stories high. There was a time when Emperors took religion seriously, not just a device to garner votes.

Back on our bikes we rode to the Guanlin Temple/Monastery, devoted to a Chinese general, where we strolled through gardens and saw many people lighting devotional incense and teaching their children proper participation in religious ritual. We followed our guide to a local market where some of us bought cool refreshments, others, still smitten by the shopping bug bought posters and trinkets. We rode our bikes back to our village we we were treated to a delicious lunch of cold melon, green beans and pork, peppers and beef, topped off with a huge bowl of what we know as Dim Sum, but called Jiao Zi here. At this point I need to reveal to you that my Chinese spelling could be completely off, so rely on descriptions and photos rather than names that could or could not be spelled correctly. I’m sitting in my bedroom now awaiting a lesson on calligraphy. Our day is packed with scheduled events allowing little time for rest or relaxation.
-Paul

My Favorite Story

Our first morning in Luoyang I woke up early and decided to go to the town square to find some Tai Chi. I arrived at the square at 6:15 and there was already a lot of activity. Badminton, a flock of women doing aerobics to music, boys playing hacky-sack, calligraphers practicing with water on the slate tile walkway, a man with his broadsword, and finally a group practicing Tai Chi. They looked very professional so I approached slowly and finally asked, “Keyi ma?” “May I?” They nodded enthusiastically so I jumped in. They were fluid, fast, and strong, and I did my best to keep up with their graceful motions, jump kicks, and quick footwork. I got quite a workout, and I’m sure I looked like a bumbling drunk next to them. Then the Tai Chi Master, an older man with white hair and eyes that sparkled with energy came over to me. We saluted each other in the traditional way: a fist for strength covered with a hand for friendship. “Xie xie, Lao She,” I said, “Thank you, Teacher.” His students continued on their own and he spent a few minutes with me, showing me the beginning of a more basic form. After a few minutes he left me to practice. In the square there was an older, poor looking and dirty man with a large broom and a bucket of water. His job was to brush the water across the square, perhaps washing it. As my teacher left me to practice, he went to the man, took his broom and finished the job for him. What a beautiful demonstration of non-judgement and compassion! ….. and that is my favorite story.
-Michelle

On The Train

Anja, our team’s Chinese language specialist, finally put her foot down and refused to teach Bruce for the fifteenth time how to bargain down bartenders. She requires him to move beyond the price of beer into more complicated things. He complained but was ultimately compliant.

The train ride itself, while long, was more comfortable and enjoyable than anticipated. Much talking, laughing, card playing. One of our best meals was on the train. There were many children playing on the train providing us with warmth and amusement. An English professor from Sezchuan Province sat in on Anja’s Chinese classes to provide help and sometimes confusion. We got to our hotel, another nice one, late. We crashed, got up early, got on the bus and drove to a very old part of the city, lined with tiny shops. No street vendors - a relief. Then to a small restaurant for a most delicious lunch and BOOM! On the bus – off to our first homestay.

Luoyang itself was a slower paced city with tree lined streets. Inviting and friendly, but only from the windows of our bus. Our time is so tightly scheduled that there is no down time that is not used in sleep. We are fed so much and so well and so often that it’s hard to believe we can even move, much less walk for hours from one amazing event to the next.
-Paul

The Summer Palace

Discipline finally broke today at the Summer Palace. Many of our troupe could no longer resist the vendors and the magnificent souvenirs they had to offer, so T- shirts and postcards, were bought. Of that I am sure. And I suspect that bric-a-brac, curios, ornaments and other indescribably beautiful items were purchased at really good bargains.
Times must have been pretty good for Mr. & Mrs. Emperor back in the day when this palace was built. Statues of Dragons, Phoenixes abound, endless beautifully adorned outdoor hallways, magnificent buildings, and I mean MAGNIFICENT, an enormous man-made lake all set in a garden of beauty and tranquility.
Today however, the tranquility was not in evidence because of the 675,000 people who were there to enjoy it. And the beauty was still overwhelming.
Our group has been so well behaved, following our tour guide, not tarrying at this spot or that spot, offering little resistance to the guiding hand of Bruce Garrow. He deals with our whining and endless questions with patience and humor. Or at least it seems funny to me.
We are still early into our trip, yet we have seen so much. Last night we all were released from structure to go out to Beijing and fend for ourselves. Bruce gave us each about $7.00 in Yuan for dinner which was plenty for any food one might want, from scorpions and centipedes, to beef delicately cooked with assorted tender vegetables, noodles and/or rice.
The Chinese people are patient and generous with us and we are all so fortunate to be here. We went to a teaching University today where we were treated to yet another delicious banquet and attended a lecture on….. I wish I could tell you but here I sit, lonely in my hotel room, blogging away.
Paul

The Great Wall

Upon arrival at the Great Wall there was much hustle and bustle- lots of people! It didn't really hit me that I was at the Great Wall until we were taking the gondola up and away from the street sounds. As you go to the top you can hear the sounds of the Cicada's which was loud but calming. The wall is amazing, massive and to me masculine, yet the tranquility and peacefulness that I felt from it was more than I could ever describe. While walking the wall I could almost feel the history that took place, it made me miss my husband for I knew he would love and appreciate the craftsmanship and would also be able to capture the historical feeling as well.
For the ride down we chose one my children would enjoy! We took a toboggan ride down (alpine slide). It was a lot of fun and a great way to end the day!

zai jian xian ( goodbye for now), Sandy

Hello from China!

Well, it's hard to believe I'm really here. China! I'm surprised by how much English everyone speaks here, and by the pollution. The food is wonderful. Beijing is unbelievably huge; there are so many people here.

Today we saw the Great Wall and it was truly great. Standing atop the wall on the mountain ridgeline with sweeping views in both directions, I felt the power and security the Chinese soldiers must have felt 600 years ago.

The wall is like a snake's back, or as the Chinese say, a dragon's back, snaking its way along the ridgelines off into the mountain haze. The mountains, jagged, layered and blue are truly stunning.

We took the tobogan chute(like an alpine slide) down the mountain back to the bottom. What fun! What an adventure! We're lucky to have a great group of people to travel with. I'll try and keep you updated on my adventures still to come!
Michelle

Forbidden City et al.

Today before breakfast David and I went for a walk in downtown Beijing, a city of 16000000. unfortunately I did not pay close attention as we twisted and turned thru streets and alleys and distracted David with my witty repartee` and we soon found ourselves lost. We decried our senselessness, threw the I Ching and got "Turn left four times and you will find yourselves at the beginning." Whew! We made it back in time for a delicious buffet breakfast at our classy hotel. We all boarded rickshaws and were off for a frenetic day of exploring(this time with a guide) the streets and alleys of Beijing's Hu Tong. After that, a visit to Sun Yat Sen's wife's museum, and a Dim Sum luncheon at a local family's house. Delicious. Then off we went to the Forbidden City. Our local guide revealed to us that his hobby is "riding horses, chasing women and making them scream." He was a jokester in the finest tradition and and excellent and informative guide. While at the FC in sweltering heat Bruce treated us all to popsickles. We then proceeded to Tianamen Square, dinner and uniquely entertaining performances at a well known Teahouse. We did so much today, ate so much good food and walked for miles as we got to know each other better. Our trip so far has been mind-blowing.