News from China! Check out the photos!

Hi everybody. We have communication from Tom and Ann. Jessica is today’s reporter, see her report below. Here is what Tom has to say:

I'm sitting in the office of Foreign Affairs at Qufu Teachers University at about 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, at least I think it is Tuesday.

It has been a wonderful experience; tiring, but wonderful. We arrived quite late last night. Short one hour flight from Beijing to Jinan and then a two hour drive here (Qufu). People slept most of the way from Jinan and were able to sleep in this morning although many got up at 6 and went out onto the University grounds. We are staying on the campus but in a different building than I have ever been in before.

There are 51 foreign, mostly Korean and Japanese, college students here for a full year studying Chinese and they are staying in what I'd hoped would be our digs.

The weather here is in the mid to high 70s, like summer. This afternoon we visit Confucius residence, temple and the Confucius Forest, (cemetary). 

The kids will, no doubt, go on a minor spending frenzy when we go to the Forest as there are many vendors selling paintings, chops, etc, etc, etc. It's fun and the bargaining will be a real challenge for them. Good chance to put their Chinese to use.

We'll have a rehearsal for a couple of hours tomorrow (Wednesday) and our first performance is the day after tomorrow (Thursday, April 4).

Most of the kids seem to be taking everything in stride. No major problems, to this point. I'm going to run but you'll be getting more photos and hearing from us real soon. Tom.
 

REPORT 3 - March 31, 2002

Reporter: Jessica

Well, it’s the beginning of another day. We have only been in China for about three days, but I already love it here. 

Yesterday, Audrey, Mrs. L. and I went for a walk in the afternoon. We were wandering around and we saw this little market. We walked down the road, through the long rows of bicycles, and through a curtain of plastic flaps.  What we saw was amazing. There were rows of every kind of vegetable you could imagine. As I walked down the aisle, I looked around. It was funny: everyone was staring at us as we were the only non-Chinese there.  And I was the only blonde there. Some people said hello while others just stared. When Mrs. L. whipped out her camera, everyone looked at us with interest. We kept walking and then saw rows of meats and fish: So many different kinds of dishes….and spices, sauces, nuts. One thing that surprised me is that it wasn’t like a market at home where you grab what you want and take it to the front. Here you went to the table and asked for an amount of something. They bagged it and then you paid for it right there. 

We went to the Huijia Private School today. Everyone was partnered with a student from the school. I was with a 17-year-old boy named York. We learned how to do a little Chinese painting, and York taught me how to write Jessica in Chinese. Next we had a delicious lunch. It was so good! They even had chicken that tasted like KFC chicken. After lunch I watched a short game of basketball between the Huijia students and the JE II students. I’m not sure who won. At the end of the day we said goodbye and JE II rehearsed. All in all it was a good day: I really enjoyed it!

Sounds like they are having a great time! Will be anxious to hear about the kids’ experience with shopping in the Forest and to see more photos. 

So, according to Tom, and the itinerary, the group will (did) visit the Confucius residence, temple and the Confucius Forest today.

• Qufu
• Confucius residence
• Temple of Confucius
• Confucius Forest

Tomorrow . . . a day in Qufu.