Created at Leland & Gray High School in Townshend, Vermont, supported by the Asian Studies Outreach Program (ASOP) at the University of Vermont (UVM), and funded primarily through a grant from the Freeman Foundation,

Journey East, as a whole, consists of the Asian Studies Academy and Sino-American Performing Arts Exchange at Leland and Gray Union High School; the integration of an Asian Studies curriculum throughout the Windham Central Supervisory Union, and the introduction of Chinese language programs into the district.

Dr. Juefei Wang, Director of the Asian Studies Outreach Program University of Vermont, is a recipient of the prestigious Goldman Sachs Award for Excellence in International education, on behalf of the UVM, Asian Studies Outreach Program.

The Leland and Gray Journey East program is deeply indebted, and extends its heartfelt thanks, to Dr. Juefei Wang, without whose effort and support this program would not even be possible!

Thank you Juefei!

T-minus 8

Hey Now! (As belted out by Hank Kingsley on The Larry Sanders Show.)

What a beautiful day here in Vermont! Supposed to top 80 degrees! That’s what we’re talkin’ about! And . . .

• Negussie and Ndereba win the Boston Marathon (men/women)
• Lance Armstrong to retire after this year’s Tour de France.
• Celtics are in the NBA Playoffs
• L&G Rebels (baseball/softball) host Green Mountain today

Thanks for that sports report. Now, let’s get back to our show.

We don’t have any student reports, but we do have a lot of photos for you today. And, as he has done for the past three weeks, the photo-master (Tom) has captured the kids and their surroundings in those “thousand words” moments.

Here’s Tom to share some insight on the day’s activities:

The kids had a great performance out in Helin County today. Nice tour of a park with kids at the Number One Middle School and lunch with them and a host of dignitaries at a hotel, followed by a performance in a very large room at the same hotel. There were about 500 people at the performance. Our kids continue to dazzle them; Elvis is still doing his thing, the Beatles still have the girls shrieking, etc. etc.

I know that parents will be anxious to see their kids when we return on the 27th. They will enjoy seeing loved ones on their return, I am sure, but they are truly enjoying themselves here. The Chinese are the consummate hosts; considerate, friendly, anxious to do all that they can to make our stay a good one. They have succeeded as our students will attest to.

We just arranged a party for Wednesday night with a good number of Chinese/Mongolian students and teachers. We have wanted to do some collaboration with Chinese and Mongolian instruments and our rock and roll band but have been unable to schedule it. The party will be a big jam session. Horsehead Fiddles, Sihus, Pipa, Yang Qin, combined with our drums, bass, sax, acoustic guitars and keyboard playing some pretty rocking music. Should be very cool.

Wouldn’t you just love to be at that party? In a way we will, as soon as get the photos. Rock on!

By the way, this is the Chinese year of the Rooster. If you were born in 1909, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, or 2005, you are of the year of the Rooster. Do you know what the “years” were for the ‘02 and ‘04 journeys east? Learn more about the Chinese (new) year.

Okay, class dismissed. First, let’s check out the photos of the visit to the school and tour of the park:
 

Uuuuh, that bridge looks a little shaky! Oh, and apparently, that photo (third from the left, top row) is of rocks. Yeah, looks like food, doesn’t it?

Now, let’s get to those pictures of their performance:
 

Performance No. 3*

Once again, it looks like a great time was had by all!

Every day in Hohhot is filled with exciting adventures and opportunities for learning, exploring, and meeting new friends. Tom gives us the scoop on what’s in store for the group today:

We have a collaboration in the [this] morning and then we are going to the top of a mountain this afternoon for a tree planting ceremony. Ecology is a major focus in these parts.

It is a harsh environment lots of wind, cold and dry in the winter and the ever-present sand coming in from the Gobi. Desertification is a major problem in Inner Mongolia and other parts of China. The kids will see, when we get near the desert later this week, just how the desert is moving in. Tree and grass, shrub planting is an attempt to hold on to the land. The tree planting ceremony this afternoon is also symbolic of the close and long term relationship between the American and Chinese students.

We will be visiting the School Year Abroad in Beijing on the afternoon and early evening of the 25th. —Tom

Can you imagine not having enough trees? Sounds like another interesting and unusual day.

Have you noticed how most of these kids have shared personal revelations about themselves? How this journey has helped them discover something about themselves they either didn’t know or didn’t believe they had?

I was thinking about how these journeys are very much like a popular movie we have all come to embrace as one of the great classics of all time: The Wizard of Oz.

Think about the similarities between the characters in the Wizard of Oz and the kids on their journey east. The Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion each wished for something they believed they didn’t have: The Tin Man wanted a heart, the Scarecrow a brain, and the Lion courage.

I’ll bet many of our students also believed, before this journey, that they too were lacking some personality trait or ability. This journey, much like that of the trip down Yellow Brick Road, will reveal to our kids that they not only DO have the things they felt they lacked. And the journey will also provide opportunities that will lead to discovery of other qualities, abilities, and talents otherwise left undetected.

Even though they won’t come back with a heart-shaped clock, a diploma, or a medal of courage (I suppose they could, if they luck out at one of the outdoor markets!), many of these young people will come back as different people (internally grown) with more confidence about the things they can do and achieve.

One thing for sure, when the kids are back home and settled back into their American lifestyle, they will often lay awake at night wondering if this was, in reality, just a dream. A magnificent dream that has left them  . . .

• more powerful than a locomotive,
• faster than a speeding bullet,
• able to leap tall building is a single bound.

I warn you though, while you’re trying to digest this food for thought, pay no attention to that man behind the screen . . . hey, get that dog away from that curtain! Hey! Come on! Here I am getting all serious and stuff and your dog is ruining everything!

Hope you all have a wonderful day. Enjoy the weather, and we’ll connect tomorrow.

*
They’ve actually performed four times, but one of the performances was an open dress rehearsal.