CRR09 Day 16, Thursday - Homeward Bound

In about one hour we will begin our journey home to Portland. We will do the time dance and arrive home before our flight leaves Shanghai. The kids are roaming the halls waiting to settle in and watch movies for the next 12 hours.

Yesterday, after good-byes to our host families and LiDa we had the opportunity to experience real China traffic. It was so bad the bus driver was teaching us new #@!*%! words. Through the "haze" we could glimpse the skyline of Shanghai. It is a city like no other. Kojo explained that Shanghai is an experimental ground for architects as no other city has the cheap labor force to which enables architects to explore architectural boundaries.

We spent the day walking the Bund and shopping on Nanjing Road. Kojo promised the kids a surprise in the evening and he did not disappoint. We went to an acrobatic performance and saw some amazing feats. One (very) young girls twisted herself into a pretzel. In the last act motorcycles entered a giant globe. First just one road around the sphere then another and another. When we thought no more could fit along came another. Certain that four was the maximum we were all shocked when a woman in black leather rode on stage! It was a very exciting.

See you later today!

CRR09 Day 14, Tuesday - Last Day in Suzhou

Today was our last full day in Suzhou. The students spent part of the morning doing an evaluation on the field studies and preparing short speeches in their family groups which were to be presented at the farewell dinner and dance this evening. However, just like the previous two occasions this did not happen. We were again disappointed because the students worked hard preparing for the event.
Hosford students then interviewed LiDa students, ate lunch in the cafeteria and finished up their science inquiry. We all gathered for a group photo then waited for the farewell party. Some students were able to go home with their families to change clothes while others walked the 15 minutes to the Jinlin Hotel and Restaurant. There was a variety of foods from around the world including, Korea, Japan, Italy, China, and the good ‘ol USA represented by green salad, deviled eggs, and mashed potatoes which were reported to be hen hao chi (very good).
Our hopes were up that we would finally be able to present our speeches but the microphones at the front of the room were just a tease. The Hosford coalition were presented with elaborate gifts which included, a book on LiDa with a photo of Kevin Bacon signing the sister school documents, a pen, a photo of the LiDa homestay kids, and a beautiful string of pearls. The gifts were over the top and we still can’t believe how generous all of the families and LiDa have been to us.

It has been a wonderful experience here in China with all of your students. I am looking forward to going home tomorrow but good byes are never easy.

Zai jian So long for now.

CRR09 Day 13, Monday - Suzhou High School

This morning our breakfast included mian bao (Chinese bread), small cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced ham that we wrapped in lettuce. I enjoyed my java fix while Isadora had a cup of sweet milk.

We arrived at school around 8:15 expecting to have a signing ceremony celebrating the newly formed sister school relationship between Cleveland High School and Suzhou High School. Pam Joyner (VP at Cleveland) worked diligently on her speech as students waited to translate and then practice. While this was happening, Kelvin was interviewed by two school journalists.

After gathering all the troups from various shops around the school we walked to Suzhou High School. We were greeted by the staff and sent directly upstairs to meet with the principal and our high school partners. Just like our Welcome ceremony at LiDa, schedules did not allow us to have an official event. Kojo and Pam Joyner met privately with the school dignitaries to sign documents and have some discussion. Our students had worked hard on various speeches and unfortunately their work was for naught.

Suzhou High School has a history of over 1000 years with ancient statues and stone tablets throughout the grounds. With 3000 students is more resembles a college campus than a high school.

While the students were taken around town by their partners we visited the Master of the Nets Garden with our high school guides then had a fantastic lunch with the school administrators. We could barely get up from our chairs after many delicious dishes. Still full from lunch we were treated to a most magnificent banquet just a few hours later.

Tomorrow is our final day in Suzhou and I know there will be many tears.

CRR09 Day 7, Tuesday - Shanghai

Tuesday morning brought us to our first field study without guidance from the tutors. My family met at the KFC outside the Suzhou train station at early hour of seven. We purchased our round-trip tickets on a previous excursion to insure we would all be on the same train in both directions. This was a good thought. Perhaps I should have insisted that I hold all of the tickets. Upon arrival one of the students realized that she did not have her ticket. After some panic and discussion a new ticket was purchased and we found the waiting room. Fortunately, train fare from Suzhou to Shanghai is not expensive ($3.50) and the first crisis was resolved. The fast train delivered us to Shanghai in about 30 minutes with a top speed rate of 222KPH. Watching the landscape pass by at that speed was a little disorienting at times and I took notice of the little bag in the seat ahead of me. The “hard” seat car was very roomy and would have been a first class cabin up in the air.

My group had little trouble navigating the streets of Shanghai finding the many doorway shops along the way. It was slow going as everything was a potential bargain. Most of our time was spent wandering Shanghai Lao Jie (Shanghai Old Street) with its traditional shops selling antiques, crafts, fish in little plastic bags, tea, and novelties (junk). Starbucks was our meeting point should anyone get misplaced. We tried local snacks and Kelvin found an addiction to Shanghai cream puffs eating them all the back to Suzhou.

We walked across the “Bridge of Nine Turnings” named for its zigzags which is supposed to keep demons away as they are afraid of corners. The only frightening things we encountered were the thousands of tourists both foreign and domestic. We were supposed to enter Yu Yuan, the Yu Garden but were told by more than one person that Yu Yuan was not a separate place but was the entire market place area we were in. Kojo set us straight upon our return but could not fault the kids.

Our return home was a little complicated as the lost ticket once again gave us a challenge. Not wanting to separate our group Lisa and Jet tried to exchange the new return ticket purchased in Suzhou for one on the same train as the rest of us. The ticket machine broke just when they were next in line so an exchange could not be made. Starting to panic the kids decided to ask people if they would swap their ticket for the one we had on a car five minutes later. After many failed attempts, a young woman came to our rescue and said she would take our ticket. We were all very thankful and relieved for a second time. The rest of our commute was uneventful returning us to LiDa and our host families on schedule.

It has been a joy sharing a host family with Isadora. Not only is she not shy with the language, she is not afraid of trying new foods. Here she is trying to figure out how to eat a shrimp still in its shell. Don't worry Elaine it is quite proper to use hands! Isadora is a great interpreter and she does not laugh at my attempts to speak Chinese even though she has had plenty of opportunities!

CRR09 Day 12, Sunday - Tiger Hill

Fresh dumplings greeted me this twelfth morning of the trip. Woody joined us for a cup of coffee and off we went to Hu Qiu Shan/Tiger Hill. Hu Qui Shan is home to the leaning Yunyan Ta Pagoda. The seven-storey octagonal pagoda was built in AD 961 and is said to be sitting on top of the legendary grave of He Lu, King of the Wu dynasty during the Spring and Autumn period (770-464 BC). He is also the founder of Suzhou and his statues can be found around the city. Before its recent modernization, Yunyan Pagoda could be seen for miles from every direction. Now, one can see glimpses through the many high rises filling city streets. The upper portion of the pagoda was struck by lightening and re-built 300 years ago. Tiger Hill also contains many gardens including the beautiful Banzai garden which is home to the annual banzai competition.

Lunch today consisted of sweet and sour pork, ma-po tofu, noodles, eggplant, steamed egg, local river fish, and many vegetables. Fully satiated and rested we were ready to shop. Woody was scared at the thought of shopping with us so he escaped back to his hotel. Our host girls also returned home to do homework leaving the rest of us on our own. Not going into detail, let me just say that shopping was successful . Some alteration can be made on the spot while other more complicated changes are done overnight in the store workshop.

After a dinner of fried rice, soup, and many vegetables we had a lesson on cursing in Chinese and English. Many words were spoken that I will not repeat here. As the saying goes, “What happens in China stays in China.”

CRR09 Day 11 Saturday, Tai Hu Lake

Today Isadora and I spent the day with our family and Amy and Megan's family. Woody also joined us for a day of sightseeing and food. We started our day going out for breakfast which began with a climb up stone stairs. The restaurant was very modern with a wall mounted monitor that sent our order directly to the chef. It was helpful to see pictures of what we were about to ingest. I was familiar of course, with chicken feet but did not know about pigeon. The small bird was quite tasty with a crispy skin and very tender meat.

We visited Tai Hu Lake which joins three provinces. It is the third largest fresh-water lake in China and looks more like an ocean. Tai Hu is famous for its fragrant tea plantations. We stopped on the roadside to find young leaves but the bushes had already been harvested. All along the road vendors sell fruit grown on the islands and tea leaves are roasted in giant woks.

We went to the farthest of three islands in this area and wandered the ancient streets in Mingyue Bay. According to the wooden sign posted outside the alleyway the first street we traversed was built in the 35th year of the Qing Dynasty (1770). It is often called the “checkerboard” street because of the more than 4000 pieces of granite used to pave the road. A drainage system was built under the street so that one could “wear your beautiful embroidered shoes in the rain.”

The first house we entered was the Huang (Wong) Ancient Hall over 200 years old. The compound was very ornate with teak carved furniture and railings. The bas relief stone carvings on the eves were well preserved depicting everyday life scenes. The four museums houses we entered were interspersed among inhabited family homes. A woman tried to sell us roosters as we passed her in the alley.

After Mingyue Bay we had a lunch of snails, fish, a variety of vegetable dishes, noodles, rice, soup, and a dish of pork fat and fermented grass we put into bao zi/bread. I have yet to be disappointed with any meal I’ve eaten here in China. The food is everything I had hoped it would be.

The rest of the afternoon was spent sightseeing on the islands. Tai Hu Lake is very picturesque and we saw dozens of newlyweds posing for photos. We got a kick out of the Chinglish translations along the water walkways; one our favorites was “Be aware that life if precious. Danger. Deep water. No swimming.” After reading the sign Amy tried to push me in the lake! Another favorite was, “Mindsecurity, Cherish Livers.”
Heading back into town we stopped to see the world’s largest Ferris wheel that had flashing lights that changed colors and advertising in the center ring that also kept changing. The girls were disappointed that they could not ride the wheel as it was not yet open to the public having just had a trial run earlier in the day. Next we drove to the city civic center modeled after the Bird’s Next in Beijing that was built for the 2008 Olympics. The newly built “Little Bird’s Nest” was very spacious containing an IMAX theatre, movie screens, live performance halls, restaurants and huge open spaces. Out by the water we launched a red lantern into the night sky carrying our worldly wishes to the heavens.

We set a red lantern into the sky after making wishes along the waterfront then headed to an international dining street to find dinner. While searching for a meal that Meghan would eat Woody and I spied the Trailblazers and Rockets playoff game through a restaurant window. We all decided that this would be our last non Chinese meal.

Very happy and exhausted we drove home and went straight to bed so that we would be well rested for a day of shopping the next morning.

CRR09 Day 10, Friday - Tong Li

Our last field study of the trip took us to Tong Li, an ancient water town over 1000 years old. Located 11 miles from Suzhou on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake, it was home to many famous poets, painters, Confucian scholars and government officials. Today, it was home for five soggy Americans. Sloshing through the rain we swam our way to the bus depot and purchased tickets for the 40 minute ride back in time. The bus fare was just 8 yuan while the entrance fee to Tong Li was 72 yuan.

Upon entering the town we went in search of food. The first picture on the homework sheet from Kojo was pig's feet which was quite tasty. Lisa, being a vegetarian found the pig's feet pretty disgusting. I, on the other hand enjoyed it with rice porridge and a cup of lu cha (local green tea) at a tea house just inside the entrance. After we were seated upstairs our server asked if I wanted coffee! Little did she know I had a double espresso coursing through my veins. Another picture was of "stinky tofu" which was very stinky here. I have had it three times and only enjoyed it once. Surprisingly, most of my group liked it. We couldn't figure out the third picture so Jet and Lisa bought some sort of flat bread with black sesame seeds; not one of our favorite foods.

Further in the town was a beautiful garden. The students compared the town of Tong Li with that of Suzhou. As Tong Li is an historic place the government has tried to keep modern advancements such as vehicles off the streets but vendors bringing in income and taxes are welcome.

The Suzhou style garden was beautiful even in the rain. Climbing stairs carved into a rock we landed in a covered seating area with great views of the landscape. From here we could see the dragon-like curves of the rooftops.

Fortunately, the return home was uneventful; we caught a quick bus and got back to Suzhou in no time. We left Lisa at the bus station to meet up with her host family as they live near Tong Li. We tried to hire a taxi but either the fares were too high or the driver didn't know how to get to LiDa. In the end it was much easier to take the bus.

My host family and Amy's host family have been friends for years and we enjoyed a wonderful meal together at the Zhou residence. I learned that bullfrogs do indeed taste like chicken!

CRR09 Day 9, Thursday, Han Shan Si

I was able to sleep in a little bit today as I did not have to be at LiDa to meet my group until 9:00. Yu jia went by bicycle and Isadora was dropped off at the train station at 7:00 by Mrs. Zhou. I had a breakfast of warm sweet milk, fried bread (like a churro without the sugar), and scrambled eggs. The Zhou’s have an automatic espresso machine in the den which I automatically go to each morning.

I met my group at 9:00 for our orientation and to collect our funds for the day. Since our home-stays began the mornings are abuzz with conversation about host families, food, and of course SHOPPING. Both the boys and girls seem to be great bargainers, but the girls have definitely had more opportunities to put their skills to work. One girl was put on shopping and sugar probation by her chaperone until further notice.

Han Shan Si (Cold Mountain Temple) is a Buddhist temple about three miles west from Old Town Suzhou. The Temple was originally built during the Liang Dynasty (502-557), and was repaired in the following dynasties. It covers about three acres, representing the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).We travelled by public bus with one transfer and a long walk over the Grand Canal. We knew we had reached our destination by the numerous tour busses and guides with wearable audio equipment. Immediately upon entering the temple we were hit by the scent of burning incense. Trees and bushes were filled with red ribbons written with prayers that would be carried by the wind. They were very beautiful swaying in the constant breeze of the day.

The students lost no time getting straight to the task at hand; finding a monk to interview. We were warned by previous groups that the monks disappear during lunch and that we should find them before 12:00. The men were dressed in orange robes while the women were in faded blue/grey. We learned that monks shave their heads to lessen their physical cares of the world so that they can devote all of their time to prayers. They are strict vegetarians and will not eat eggs as they were once living creatures. Garlic and onions are also prohibited because of the bad breath they leave behind. With all of the chanting, it is best to leave this worldly scent as well.

I climbed up one structure with very steep stairs and was rewarded with a view of the Temple grounds and surrounding city. It never ceases to amaze me to see the modern and ancient in such close proximity.
Like any tourist destination or local attraction, Han Shan Si is surrounded by hundreds of little stalls selling trinkets, paintings, silk, and anything else you might want. The air is filled with the constant chirping of “looky, looky.”

We got a little turned around on our way back to LiDa and asked dozens of people how to get to the Scholar’s Inn as our previous hotel was just a short walk from the school. Luckily, we had heeded Kojo’s rule to keep the hotel card “with you at all times!” As we were hitting the pavement we ran into a group of excited wai guo ren. Fortunately, they were not foreigners to us! Amy turned us in the right direction and we all relieved. It was time to reward ourselves with ice cream as we had managed another day.

A driver pick us up after school returning us to the Zhou family. It has been customary for us to sit down to dinner right when we get home. I do not know the names of the dishes we ate but suffice it to say that it was delicious!

After dinner Isadora shopped for a camera and then we went to a grocery store which was located inside a HUGE mall. We filled the shopping cart with many drinks, fruit, and meat for the following evening. Isadora got to experience durian, the fragrant spiked fruit. I wish I was able to snap a photo!

CRR09 Day 6, Monday - LiDa Middle School

Monday we departed the Scholar’s Inn to be begin our home stays with LiDa Families for the next eight days. We were quite the sight; twenty-four “wai guo ren” (foreigners) with suitcases walking down the streets of Suzhou. After a fifteen minute walk we reached our destination and waited for the LiDa staff to show us to our new headquarters. Room 18 is now mission control where each family will meet with Kojo for the day’s orientation.


After settling in our first stop was art class where we learned about opera masks and face painting. The colors red, blue, black, gold, and silver each represent different emotions and characteristics. The color of the mask/face paint give the audience insight into the character’s personality. Creating the mask is time consuming and a rare talent. We then painted our own clay mask which was then sprayed with lacquer.


Following the art class we went directly to opera fan dancing where everyone learned the fine art of fan dancing and Suzhou opera singing. Our teacher had an amazing voice which carried throughout the room. The boys were very handsome in their flowing costumes. Amy, Elizabeth, and Isadora were dressed in Empress clothing and posed for pictures.


We were given boxed lunches of rice, vegetables, chicken, and breaded fried pork. Free time followed and we were sorry we ate lunch as the street food was so inviting. LiDa has an open campus so there were a lot of vendors readying for the lunch crowd.


Our next class was physical education where we learned a series of martial arts moves that was then followed by a short break. Fully rested we twisted ourselves into various yoga poses with many of us (Amy) falling off our mats. Again we had free time. This time however, Amy, Kevin, Woody and I were hungry and ready to hit the streets for some great Suzhou snacks. We gorged ourselves on dumplings and chang you bing (a pancake-like crepe made with flour and water, scallions, salt, and sometimes a layer of egg).


Upon returning to LiDa we were expecting to have a welcome ceremony but instead were sent directly home with our host families. Hopefully, all of the speech writing and translation will not be wasted. Gifts that were intended to be given are still sitting at headquarters. LiDa students are currently in exam week and are extremely busy.


Isadora and I are staying with the Zhou family in a new housing development in downtown Suzhou. The Zhou family house is designed around Suzhou garden architecture. Yu jia and her parents have been very generous with their time and home.

I'm back online

Hi everyone,

I just got internet back this evening and will attempt to update you all with our latest adventures. We are now with our host families and have had our first field study on our own. The kids are amazing me with their language skills. If you ever doubted that all of the hard work and family commitment was was worth it, believe it is!

It is now almost midnight on Tuesday the 21st so I am going to call it a night. Check back soon to find out what we've been doing.





Pam

Day 5, Sunday * Hangzhou*

If there is one thing I learned today it is that people are all basically the same no matter where in the world they happen to be. I know this is an over-used cliche' but by the end of this post I think you will agree it was well used.

First of all, the forecast called for temperatures in the low 70's with showers in the afternoon. The temperature was about right but I would beg to differ on the "showers." I think West Lake increased in depth about 3 inches today with another 2 inches in various pairs of shoes. With the worldwide down turn in the economy I suggest that we layoff the weather forecasters first.

Hangzhou on a rainless day is one of the most beautiful places on earth. On a wet, soggy day, it is still a sight to behold. As the saying goes, "Above is Heaven, Below are Suzhou and Hangzhou." Unfortunately, my pictures today do not capture this beauty.

Before the downpour hit we made it half way up to the Taoist temple in a steady drizzle. When we finally made it to the top we were rewarded with the tranquil peace and solitude a Temple offers. Photos were not allowed inside of the Temple so we had to be content with the Temple grounds which are spectacular.

We ate a lunch of vegetarian noodles and worked on the field study packet. The students asked the temple stewards various questions and we continued on our way to West Lake.

This would have been an enjoyable walk but as it was we were getting wetter by the minute. Kojo and the chaperones (who were threatening to revolt) decided to cut the day short and return to Suzhou early as it was apparent the rain would not let up and it would be hopeless to continue with the planned activities.

Once we located our bus which was "just around the corner" we settled in for the ride home and an early dinner with free time afterwards. I am sure we all know men in the US who would rather drive in circles (or around a lake) than ask for directions. This is no different on the other side of the globe. Kevin Bacon was ready to jump off the bus and ask directions himself which would have been more helpful than driving the wrong direction to a tea plantation. To make a very, very long ride home short, we did make it back to the Scholar's Inn for a quick dinner and "surprise" birthday party for Antonio.

Tomorrow we begin our home stays. We are all a little anxious and excited for the coming week.

I do not know what kind of internet access my host family has so my posting may be sporadic.

Day 4 Saturday, Old Town Suzhou

Today we explored the older areas of Suzhou gaining glimpses of life joining the old and new worlds. Canals built a thousand years ago are surrounded by original housing and new modern construction. Ceramic roof tiles weathered with age stand next to glass and concrete buildings lacking the character of its neighbor. As with the architecture, modern inhabitants of Suzhou are on the run with cell phones to ears while the old timers stroll leisurely in alleyways or play chess in the park. I was heartened watching an old couple holding hands while shopping at the food market.

The food market we visited was an incredible smorgasbord of smells and sights. One of students' tasks today was to find a fruit or vegetable not available in the United States. With the food traveling great distances to reach our grocery stores this was not as easy as it sounded.

Some students were caught off guard seeing the conditions chickens were kept in before being sent to the butcher block and then seeing them hanging from meat hooks out in non-refrigerated stalls. The vendors were interested in speaking with the students asking where they were from and what they were doing in China. I found them all very friendly. Many were camera shy until I snapped a photo of their neighbor then showed it to them. Some were surprised to see their picture right away and asked if it was a digital camera. Although many things may be made in China not everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the product.

Unfortunately, one of our family members became ill and needed to take a rest. Our tutor led us down a tree-lined alley near his house where we could sit in the shade.

It was a nice peaceful break giving us all a chance to take a breather from our busy activities. This detour was a good reminder for us all to keep hydrated and slow down and enjoy the adventure.

The rest of the day we snacked on local treats and did a little shopping through vendor-lined streets. Here we found stone beads, a man making sculptures out of boiling sugar, round wooden whistles and too many other trinkets to mention.

Despite the illness we had a fun-filled day and an evening of rest before we travel to Hangzhou tomorrow morning for a day of hiking, bicycling, and fun.

Day 3 -- Friday, April 17, 2009

Day 3 began for many of us at 2-3:00 in the wee hours of the morning. While some were lucky enough to re-enter dream land others stared at the ceiling.

We breakfasted downstairs in the hotel restaurant on boiled eggs, rice porridge, noodles, sticky rice wrapped in tiny banana leaf pyramids and various other delicacies. The hot Tang was interesting and hot chocolate shared by Kelvin was a big hit.

With stomachs full we retreated to the conference room to meet our college tutors for next two days and get instructions for the Great Race.

Our mission was to get acquainted with the city and learn how to manage the bus system. To do this we first needed to exchange money for bus fare. This was more complicated than expected as we were turned away from some banks for one reason or another until finally, the Bank of China filled our wallets and we were good to go.

If you have ever thought traffic in Portland was bad you haven't been to China. Lane markings do little if anything to keep cars, mopeds, bicyclists, busses, or pedestrians in order. Traffic is a whirlwind of stop motion and incredibly amongst the ceaseless honking of horns it moves and one eventually easies his way in and out of space.

I was very impressed with how my Family did not back away from the many challenges facing them today. Navigating a new city in a foreign language is a daunting task. With guidance from our host they were able to get us to the Suzhou Train Station where they purchased tickets in advance for our field study to Shanghai on Day 7. Having been taught at a young age not to talk to strangers it took a bit of convincing to ask people on the street or vendors for information. Once they got the hang of it there was no holding back.

After purchasing tickets we headed back into town to buy a dictionary and postcards at a book store. Famished we delved into our bowls of noodles then proceeded to the Silk Factory to meet up with the rest of the class. Here we learned about the process of making silk before returning to the Scholar's Inn for some down time.

Kojo promised the students a surprise at the end of the day and after a delicious dinner on the Suzhou canal he came through with a boat excursion. Those of us who managed to keep our eyes open were treated to a wonderful trip under lighted bridges through canals/streets built over 1000 years ago.

Tomorrow we continue the Great Race though it is not really a race but an adventure for sure.