Rain! Rain!

I would like to finish that song with GO AWAY! But i know the farmers need rain. This year has had so many frightening severe storms! Hail, Wind, Torrential rainfall! Most of the time they come in the middle of the night and we awaken to hail hitting the house or thunder shaking the walls. We have also been blessed. Many of the scary storms have approached our doorstep and then suddenly disappeared or changed directions. The worst storm for our house hit us the day Greg was flying home from China. It blew the neighbors tree over, flooded the streets and even snuck into a corner of the roof and leaked into out house. Not to worry. Our roof is being replaced in the next month so it will be taken care of! When the water started leaking in the house Jacob lost it! He ran around screaming...So here are some pics of that fun storm.

China - The People

In addition to the dining experience and cultural touring opportunities, the people of China left a lasting impression on me. I found Chinese people, in general, to be kind and hospitable, and many are good humored. 

 

My only previous experience traveling to Asia was to the Philippines as a missionary from 1998-2000. I lived in the Philippines for two years, walking the streets, meeting the people and sharing information about my church. This previous experience really helped me to appreciate and understand the people of China even though the countries and people are different. I noticed many things that were related or the same among the people and noted the influence of Chinese culture on the people of the Philippines. My previous experience in the Philippines helped me to understand many cultural aspects of China.

One main highlight of my trip was working with people from Jinan University. On one day we attended many different classes from University instructors. The first class was Tai Chi. We learned several different moves as part of our class and it was a pleasure working with an instructor who was passionate about the martial arts. He showed us many moves and how they can be used to overcome an enemy. I am glad that he didn’t hurt us too much. 

In another class, we learned Chinese painting by painting a Chinese tea set and a fishbowl. Our instructor didn’t know how to speak English so Anqi had to translate for us, but we understood well what was going on. Another instructor taught Chinese calligraphy techniques for painting Chinese characters. I found that painting Chinese characters was not something I have a natural talent for. My characters were legible, but just barely.


Our experiences meeting with Jinan University officials were also exceptional. It was a pleasure to meet with the University Chancellor and to tour Jinan University. They have some nice facilities and resources, especially in their engineering school. The head of international programs, Yanmei, was a pleasant host and treated us like friends. The best part of our University tour was meeting with Jinan University students and talking with them about their lives and their studies. It appears that Jinan University students have a strong work ethic. I especially enjoyed meeting with students who are planning on attending classes at Northern State University this year. I look forward to meeting these students on our campus in August. I shared advice with Jinan University students on how to advance in their career and how to continue to learn and be productive. 

Really the highlight of the trip for me was meeting with students at the middle school in Jinan. A few activities were planned on the morning we arrived, including a yard sale and Chinese knot tying activities. In the yard sale, students brought items from home to sell to us using their English skills. I found many students to be outgoing and good humored. I bought some items from students after bargaining a little with them and making them use their English language skills. At the yard sale I purchased a bracelet, a deck of playing cards, some small toys and a few comic books. I count these items as some of the most genuine of all of the items I brought home from my trip. During the yard sale a certain boy who was there kept trying to sell his folder. He really went out of his way to try to sell this item, but no one bought it. He even offered to follow me around and fan me with the folder if I would buy it. Near the end of the yard sale, I finally decided to buy this folder even though I didn’t want it. I just felt like he really wanted to sell it and had worked hard. So I made him explain the benefits of the folder in English one more time and I paid him three Yuen for it. He was happy. 

After the yard sale was over, students were asked to write and then share with the class a report of their experience. The folder boy was one of the students selected to share. He explained that he hoped to sell his folder today, and now that it was sold, his family would use the money to fix his toilet. At that point many of our delegation group changed our minds about bargaining with people and I wished I had paid him more for his folder than I did.

After the yard sale, our group attended another class at the middle school in which members of our group learned to tie some Chinese knots. I worked to create my own knots one on one with a pleasant middle school girl whose English was excellent. As with the yard sale, this was another choice experience that helped me to learn about and understand a young Chinese person. 

Overall, in my travels I have come to believe that there are more similarities than differences among people who come from very different cultures. Some of these similarities include love, family, hospitality, and a desire for peace and understanding. I count my dealings with people in China as the best part of my China experience.

China - Cultural Touring and Learning

Cultural touring and learning experiences were a significant positive aspect of our China trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the many significant historical and cultural touring experiences. Our experience took us first to significant sites in Beijing, and then we traveled to Jinan in the Shandong Province.

Among the first and most significant cultural experiences during the trip was the Great Wall of China. This structure has such a rich historical significance through many different Chinese dynasties. Our experience began with a bus ride from Beijing and then a walk up the wall. We only had a few hours to walk up the wall, so we got started walking up the steep steps and taking in the rich history of the wall. As I ascended the steps of the wall, I observed the decorations and structures created many years ago. I also climbed up to the top of the buildings that were built into the wall and enjoyed a fantastic view of the mountains surrounding the wall. The Great Wall of China is a massive structure exceeding 12,000 miles in length. It was terrific to be able to see such a great part of China and world history.

Our group also visited the Confucius Institute Headquarters and discovered the learning materials available for teaching Chinese language and culture. Some of the more significant items for me during this visit included educational technologies such as an iPad app for teaching Chinese and interactive posters that speak words in Chinese. We also noticed many different partner universities that have Confucius Institutes around the world. 

Another significant Beijing visit that our group completed was to the Emperor’s Summer Palace. This palace was a magnificent group of structures and gardens to which the Chinese Emperor would go to get away from the capital and to worship. The structures at the Summer Palace are well maintained and beautifully ornate. I was impressed with the beautiful paintings on walls, doors and ceilings. I took the opportunity to climb up to a large temple with Buddha in it and to view a more beautiful pagoda structure as well. As I toured the Summer Palace, I imagined the emperor’s children playing and having a great time as they wandered through the structures and courtyards. 

The 2008 summer Olympics were held in Beijing, and we visited the Olympic village as part of our trip. The structures in and near the village showcased some great architecture, including the natatorium and bird’s nest. We weren’t able to go inside any of these structures, but many good photo opportunities presented themselves as we wandered around.

 

When we transitioned to the home of our partner university, Jinan University, we also saw significant sites in the Shandong Province. Daming Lake in Jinan was a significant historic location for recreation and history. This was one of the first locations we visited outside of Beijing, so it was fun to notice some of the people who were not expecting to see Americans in their hometown. Some Chinese people asked us to be in a picture with them, which made the experience unique. I enjoyed watching Chinese children as they were appreciating the sites at Daming Lake. I noticed that since parents in China only have one child, they tend to treat their children well, and almost spoil them with nice clothing and treats. At the entrance to Daming Lake, I noticed a soccer team taking pictures, so I took a picture of them too and talked to them briefly. They invited me to their soccer game, but of course I wasn’t able to attend. 

In Jinan, we also attended the Shandong Museum, which features the history of China and the Shandong Province. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the museum and how beautiful it was. Some of the significant artifacts in this museum included the ancient Chinese Characters presented in historical artifacts. I noted that these characters are more curved and ornate than current Chinese characters. Also, I enjoyed viewing the ancient Chinese artifacts, like an ancient boat and paintings were beautiful and unique. 

Going to different markets was an important highlight of my China trip. I didn’t particularly like the silk market in Beijing because it was more focused on catering to tourists and westerners. The sales people were very pushy and also that prices were too high. But when we went to markets that cater to Chinese people, we had good experiences both interacting with people and purchasing items. Markets tend to be crowded and very busy, and a big part of markets in China includes bargaining or haggling with people. This is an uncommon activity in the United States, so for us to bargain on prices was quite foreign for me at first. After a while, however, most of our group increased in our abilities to bargain well. In the end, I tried not to bargain too much. I realized that in most cases, I am better off financially than many of the marketers. In the markets, I was able to purchase some great souvenirs, including Chinese fans, a military hat, jade rings, and a tea set. At the markets, there are also many very talented artists who create Chinese calligraphy and paintings. I purchased a beautiful picture of a horse in a poster from one such artist. 

Up in the mountains in Shandong, we visited a center for Chinese peoples and cultures. I compared this center to the Polynesian Cultural Center that I am familiar with in Hawaii. It has villages that represent the different minority groups in China. At this center, I enjoyed the peaceful mountains and trails as they took us up to different villages. It was informative to learn about the different minorities that make up China. I learned that the Han people make up over 90 percent of the people in China, but that there are a significant number of minorities there as well. In one village a man with a great singing voice sang some songs about China. In another, we witnessed a wedding dance, and in still another village, there was a water fight, which I was lucky to have avoided at just the last minute. 

Our group toured the Confucius home as well. Confucius’ family and home was within the Shandong province, so I was interested to learn about this world heritage site. Though the buildings and courtyards were not as well maintained as the Summer Palace in Beijing, the Confucius family home was still very interesting. I learned there how Confucius was a wise and moral teacher who became famous during his life. After his life was over, he became more famous and influenced the thought and action of many millions of people through the years. Confucius has become a worshipped figure in China. Of particular interest in the home of Confucius, were the many edicts written by Chinese Emperors on stones. These stones are up to 30 feet tall and they are placed on the back of carved Chinese dragon children who hold them up for all to view. 

The mount Tai was another important cultural site. To travel there, you have to get on a special tour bus and wind several miles up a mountain road to a cable car. Then groups of about six people get into each cable car to ride to the top of the mountain. After that, you hike a mile or so to the top of the mountain, which holds several stores, restaurants and sanctuaries. I thought the views were incredible as we rode up in the cable car and as we hiked to the top of the mountain. This mountain is one of the sacred sites for Chinese emperors to go worship and meditate. The mountain, because of its scenery and historical significance is really a jewel for tourism. I found the opportunity to get out of the city and up on the mountain refreshing and revitalizing. 

I would be ungrateful if I failed to mention the wonderful students that volunteered to accompany us to many of the cultural experiences. On many of the days as we toured, we had students who accompanied us to guide us and translate our communications. It was so great to have students to help us to bargain at the markets, order food, or tour sites. I am grateful for Toby, TienTien, Yixing, and the other many students who accompanied us to cultural touring and events.

Overall our cultural touring experiences were very positive. Some other sites and experiences of note included attending the Peking Opera in Jinan and attending a senior recital for Jinan University students. The many events that we visited and participated in were truly special and will be remembered for a lifetime by all who attended.