Teaching in CHINA

Monday, November 1, 2010

Visit to Xi'an (part 4)

If we had more than one year to spend in China, we would probably teach at Wendy's school, too.......But, we are feeling the need to be back in the states, closer to our parents, kids, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, and friends.

One year of teaching in China will be enough.....

The classes are smaller at Wendy's high school in Xi'an, with only 41 students. At our high school in Chongqing, we have up to 68 students per class!

Chris and Paula did two presentations (slide shows) for Wendy's kids.

Wendy's school had facilities for all levels, ages 2-18. We had a full tour. This is a pre-school class.

Chinese people love their precious children in the same way that we love ours.

Click here to watch the dance routine.

Practice English as you walk up the steps.

This is a fourth grade classroom.

Computers are available..........in the city schools.

These are the "school buses."

The latest technology: Teachers check into the campus using fingerprint identification.

At age 6, Wendy's son, Billy, is learning to play the violin.

We spent one rainy, blustery day exploring Xi'an. On this bamboo fence, people can post messages about themselves and the kind of partner they are looking for........

There is a museum dedicated to the story of this beautiful daughter of a rich man, who fell in love with a poor man, married him, and therefor had to live in poverty for 18 years (eating weeds and living in caves) until he finally returned to her. He had become a great general, famous for taming and training a most magnificent horse. Another very nice love story.

We visited the Tao "Cave People" Theme Park to learn about another life-style.

Billy at the well. This reminded me of the Tikki Tikki Tembo story.

Wendy was a gracious hostess. She says "Hi" to all of her friends at Battle Ground High School!

Here we are having Hot Pot with Wendy, her son Billy, her aunt, her nephew, and her mother.

On the cold, rainy day, Wendy took us to have 80-minute full-body massages. So nice!

Our Therapists

This is the LIFE !

Even the grass is now smiling in China....They've come a long way!

Saying "Good-bye" to Wendy and Billy at the Xi'an Train Station.....Sad, because we are not sure when we'll see each other again!

Heading back to Chongqing on the night train, after our week in Xi'an. The night train is fine because the train spends A LOT of time traveling through dark tunnels, anyway, on the 13-hour trip.

Visit to Xi'an (part 3)

The Chinese people seem to love dance, music, costumes, and dramatizations.....in a very big way! They have ancient stories to tell, and love to share them with tourists via elaborate productions.

This show was at the tomb site of the Qin Dynasty Emperor.

Click here to see a bit of the show.

This particular story seems (perhaps) most important of all......in Xi'an. The story is about an emperor of the Tang Dynasty who bathed in these hot springs with his favorite concubine. The beloved concubine supposedly bewitched the Emperor, causing him to neglect his duties, and eventually causing an uprising of discontent and violence. She hanged herself, upon demand of the Emperor's enemies. And then, the Emperor missed her incredibly......

One of the ancient Hot Spring pools

The outstanding, night-time, outdoor performance involved: Ballet, synchronized dance, extremely elaborate costumes, water fountains, fire on the water, people coming down from (and ascending into) the sky, projections on big screens and on the stone cliffs behind the complex, lighted pavilions, platforms that raised from or lowered into the water, moon and stars of the night sky illuminated all across the mountain behind the stage, a flock of doves that flew away at the end, and beautiful, acrobatic dancers. Best Show Ever!

Click here for another show.

This site is also where Chiang Kai Shek and the Communists had some big shoot-outs in 1936.

We took a cable car up to the trails of Hua Shan Mountain.

Granite peaks of Hua Shan Mountain

Click here for a cable car ride.

The view from the cable cars and the mountain would have been awesome, except that it was greatly compromised by thick air pollution. Apparently, farmers in the lowlands were burning corn stalks in their fields........on top of other air pollution problems.......

Linda was our guide for two days.

We bought a padlock (with key) and had it engraved, so that we could leave it up on Hua Shan Mountain with thousands of other padlocks along the trails......