Category Archives: Trip Update

I’ve been home for 24 hours. My body is readjusting to a difference of 11 time zones, nearly reversing night and day. I woke up in the middle of last night, glanced at the clock which said 3:45, and panicked … Continue reading →

I thought about calling this my last observation or final observations but I know it won’t be. The many kindnesses shared by our Chinese hosts, highlighted by the drawing of the Terra Cotta Warriors, reluctantly given to me by a … Continue reading →

On the last full day in Xi’an, we visited the Farmer’s Painter in the afternoon.  The painter who hosted us lives in a small village, and he is a farmer.   He raises wheat and corn.  He and his wife … Continue reading →

“The test” in China is the National Exam, given to seniors, and others who wish to take it again, in late spring. It was administered the week that we were in Beijing, and the papers were filled with stories about … Continue reading →

We visited four schools all associated with Jiaotong University: a Kindergarten school – ages 2 – 5 years old; 2 Primary schools – grades 1st – 6th; and a Secondary school – grades 7th – 12th. I loved hearing the … Continue reading →

Today was the day we’ve been waiting for, our first visits to schools. We visited a kindergarten school of 500 hundred children, from age two and a half through five. They were delightful. They sang, danced, played musical instruments, recited … Continue reading →

Xi’an is an ancient city, established centuries ago. As was customary for many cities over the years, a wall was constructed to enclose the city as a protection from invaders from surrounding territories. The City Wall in Xi’an was first … Continue reading →

At the Forest of Stone Tablets and at both lectures on Chinese language and culture, we learned about Confucius. We learned that the Confucian concept of filial piety is larger than how we respect and care for our elders and … Continue reading →

I love food. I’m good at food. I love to read recipes, plan menus, shop for fresh produce, cook, and eat. Especially, I love to eat. So this trip has been a dream come true. We have eaten familiar foods, … Continue reading →

Yesterday was a former French teacher’s dream.  We got to learn about Chinese culture and language from a Chinese teacher who had spent two years at the Confucius Institute in Lincoln.  As she taught us how to count from one … Continue reading →