Where Are They?

LGUHS

ASOP

FREEMAN

One More Time!

Hey everyone,

Can you believe this weather we are having here in Southern Vermont? Could hit 80 this weekend! Just gorgeous! Speaking of gorgeous, you are in for a treat today. The JE gang gives their final performance of the journey and performs in Mongolian costume with their Mongolian “family” of friends. And, as Billy Crystal used to say, while impersonating Ricardo Montalban, they “rooked mahvelous!!”

A visit to the Muslim Marketplace started the day. The marketplace is filled with fresh, raw, and cooked food. It must be an exciting adventure to wander through the various stands and shops, not knowing what you might find next. The following are some photos of the people and the food from the marketplace. By the way, do you think these two ladies are twins? if they are not, one of them must be a shadow.
 

Next, it’s a visit to a Buddhist Temple. Dazhao Temple, built in 1580, is the oldest building and largest temple in Hohhot.

Dazhao Temple owns its fame to a visit by the third Tibetan Dalai Lama in 1586, when he came to dedicate the Silver Buddha statue. As a consequence Hohhot became a religious center for people from all over Mongolia who came to worship at the temple. Another notable event in the temple's long history was a visit by Emperor Kangxi during the early part of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Travel China Guide.

To tell us about the group’s final performance, who better to put it all in perspective, here’s Karlie:
 

APRIL 20, 2007 -- Karlie Kauffeld, Sophomore

Just like that: A huge chunk of our trip is over. Our final show in China—the last viewing of performance of “A Beautiful Journey” which begins with the reading of a Chinese translation of the plot Can it really be coming to a close? It seems like only a few days ago we were hopping around on stage for our first performance—the stage with large sunflowers glued to plastic vines hanging from the proscenium arch. Was that the show where we fried our piano and ended up singing random parts to try to cover for it? From the first show in China to the last—what an amazing difference.

It seems like the show tonight was what we’ve been working up to this whole trip. I mean, c’mon, Mr. Szulborski was there—we knew we had to impress Leland and Gray’s head honcho. So this was it—the moment of truth, the deciding factor for the oh-so-popular question: “Can 29 nine students with the help of dedicated teachers actually accomplish something like this?” The answer: Oh my word, yes. Tonight we were no longer teens. We had no gossip, no drama, no hormones. We had no I-pods, chocolate or gum (I promise: No gum on stage.) We were something bigger, something better. I don’t want to say that we were “one,” however we were as close as we could without actually being it. Such as sneezing is the closest you can some to dying without actually committing the act.

A friend once said, “Acting is the best natural high.” Well, it seems that tonight we hit that high. Everything was bigger, the voices stronger, the smile brighter. We were our characters. For real. I didn’t think, “OK, now cross behind Taylor.” I thought, “I’d better walk behind The Child[Taylor’s character]! ” I think this was true for everyone. There was an unbelievable focus, a crazy energy that brought everyone together. It was perfect timing, too, because the performance [at the Arts College of Inner Mongolia University] was for all the big wigs— principals, presidents, superintendents, bankers and Juefeis. It was a “make-it-or-break-it performance, and I believe we made it.

Our last show in China. The last time for most of us, I'd bet, that we stand on a stage in China and sing. “She travel far, she traveled wide, she learned a lot, now she feels alive…” Perhaps those lines should be applied to our own group.

We will remember this, of course. We will miss it terribly? Of course. Did we rise to a level which we’ve never risen to before? Why, why yes, I do believe we did. Performing China is not an experience like the Great Wall or the Gobi desert. It is a different sort of adventure. It is a gift.

-- Karlie

And now . . . Ladies and Gentlemen! Please sit back and be amazed as we bring you the final performance of Journey East 2007. . .
 

A Beautiful Journey
for the final time

And the Mongolians performed . . .
 

Poetry in Motion

And then they got together, dressed in Mongolian costume, and wowed the audience with an unforgettable performance!
 

Wow. I don’t know about you, but I get chills looking at these photos! This is powerful stuff. Check out Matt Martyn, our fearless music director. Incredible. Wow!

And, after all of the magnificent performing, a time to share smiles, hugs, and thank-yous among some very special friends . . .
 

And in the audience, for this final performance, were a couple of very special people: Dr. Juefei Wang, Director of the Asian Studies Outreach Program University of Vermont (right), and Lloyd Szulborski, Principal of Leland & Gray Union High School, Townshend Vermont (middle).
 

The gang is going to be planting a tree for Earth Day (Saturday) and the Hohhot farewell banquet will take place Sunday (talk about emotions running sky-high!).

When your kids get home, they may wish to use chopsticks to eat with, so you might want to pick some up. Here’s a little history behind those sticks, so you can show your kids that you, too, know a little something about Chinese culture:

According to About.com, here are a couple of “no-nos” when using chopsticks:

There are a few things to avoid when using chopsticks. Chinese people usually don't beat their bowls while eating, since the behavior used to be practiced by beggars. Also don't insert chopsticks in a bowl upright because it is a custom exclusively used in sacrifice. (chineseculture.about.com).

Learn how to use chopsticks.

We leave you with this . . .

T-minus 4 days and counting! (that’s right, four more days!)

Enjoy the day!