SCE China Trip 2007

The End

2007-06-29T06:16:00.000-05:00

This is now the end of our China journey and our blog. I hope everyone who reads it comes away with a small sense of what a wonderful opportunity and adventure this was for everyone who traveled on this trip.

This blog would not be complete if it did not thank Barb Thomases for her extraordinary efforts to help plan and manage this trip. She did a tremendous job!

A final thanks must go to Jim Kull, for whom none of us would have had this truly enlightening experience. It was through Mr. Kull's vision and dedication to each of the students on this trip that we were able to enjoy this opportunity. This trip will change the lives and will be in the memories of all who traveled, for the rest of our lives. Mr. Kull has changed our lives in a profound and meaningful way. Thanks to him and his wonderful wife Jennie and his two beautiful and fun daughters for their time and efforts for all of us!!!

Thanks for reading!

Sue

More final pictures 6/28

2007-06-29T05:52:00.000-05:00

Our group touring the Forbidden City on our final day before leaving China.

One of the many throne rooms in one of the many buildings inside the Forbidden City.

On the plane trip home our flight path took us North of Alaska, we could see the pack ice over the artic circle as we flew at 33000 ft altitudes. I believe we were flying at about 538 mph when this photo was taken.

Upon our arrival home, we were greeted by many people, family and friends, who had gone to so much trouble to let us know we were missed. They can not know how touched we all were when we saw them and the wonderful welcome signs! Thank you all!

Final Day in China and welcome home pictures

2007-06-29T05:39:00.001-05:00

Apartment buildings and small living compounds are how the Chinese people live. In the cities these apartment complexes dominate the skyline, like these in Beijing.

There is smog and haze during summer virtually everyday. It is not fog, but a smokey haze that sits over the landscape. We were told it is sunny with bright skies in winter.

Our group touring inside the Forbidden City.

Courtyards and buildings inside the Forbidden City. This place goes on forever!

Final student blog- THE REAL CHINA

2007-06-29T05:35:00.000-05:00

The Real China
BY- Jeffrey LeFevre
After reading some of the posts, I’m sure you are thinking that the food and the Great Wall are well great, but you want to know the meaty stuff. What is China like? So, I am going to try to answer some of your burning questions.

1. What are the people like?
Everyone in China is extremely nice and friendly. They have big banners with “Welcome St. Charles East” at every hotel and performance; they give the soloists and directors huge bouquets of flowers after every concert, and people swarm around you for pictures. The Chinese people do everything they can to make you feel welcomed, and you feel like a famous movie star when you walk through the streets. Then they have twice as many employees at every restaurant and shop than in America, so there is always someone following your every move. It is a little weird at first, but after awhile you become used to it.
2. What do the people look like?
I know what you are thinking, “Duh, they look Asian,” but there is actually a lot of things about their general appearance that are quite different from America and the rest of the world. First of all, 100% of the population looks Asian. I thought that maybe I would see some Europeans living there or something, but everyone was rail-thin, without any facial hair, and dressed in modern clothes (at least in Beijing). On the trip, I only saw two African-Americans, two groups of European tourists, and three slightly overweight Chinese men. In China, it is considered beautiful to have pale skin and big eyes, so you will see people walking with umbrellas on a sunny day. Some even go to the point of having plastic surgery on their eyes.
3. Then there is the infamous question that every one of you parents has: did you feel safe?
Actually, I found that in China I felt very safe. No one can have guns except some police and military men, and the people are so no nice that I did not feel threatened by any means. The closest thing to crime was counterfeit money. I know one person got some fake money at the hotel and I think some vender tried to give me some fake bills, but I caught it beforehand. People are really paranoid about it though, and almost everyone checks your bills to make sure they are legitimate. Then there is apparently a big credit card theft scare in China. Of course, we did not know about it until someone’s card got shredded in the ATM machine, but otherwise China’s all good.
4. What is China like?
Most of the cities (other than maybe Beijing) are not as glamorous as Chicago or New York, but there is a lot of new buildings and shops on the streets similar to the US. Especially in Beijing, there are a lot of tall, modern apartment buildings and towers. I guess you need a lot space for 15 million people. The highways and schools are especially nice in China. Transportation and education are high priorities in the country, and a lot of buildings and national relics are being restored and renovated for the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics. Although China is evolving and changing, there is still a lot of poverty. As we drove though the cities and the countryside, we saw people living under highways and homes that looked like ruins, but I think there is poverty wherever you go.
5. What were the performances like?
The performances were in a variety of places including the Great Wall, a concert hall, a university gym, and a city square. There were each unique with different audiences, and even some press at the last concert (we were on TV and on the front page of the city paper), but perhaps the most enjoyable concert was at the university. Although it was not the best in regards to acoustics, the audience was absolutely wonderful. They responded well to our music, offered us huge flowers and a large scenic painting as gifts, and absolutely roared in applause after hearing Diana Yu (our student announcer) speak perfect Chinese (I guess an American speaking Chinese is a rarity there). Then afterwards, we were bombarded with the many Chinese college students with cameras and we shared a great dinner with them. It was very interesting to see how immersed they were in our American culture, and they could talk for hours. It was very hard to leave, but we plan to keep in touch with e-mail.
6. Was the language barrier difficult?
Actually, more people in China speak English than in the US, and the college students in particular have really good English. In fact, they are required to learn and study in English, and half of their textbooks are in English. Most of their signs are in English and Chinese too, but there is a little of odd spellings for things (we got plenty of pictures of them, no worries). Of course, there are many Chinese who do not speak any English beyond “hello” and “clothes in there” (see my previous posting), but luckily we had our tour guides to help us out.
7. Are things expensive in China?
Most things are very inexpensive in China compared to the US. For instance, three bottled waters are $1, and ice cream bars are $0.40, and the average car is $4000. With such inexpensive merchandise, it may seem like everyone should be living in grand, luxurious homes with fancy cars, but when people are making $100 a month, everything does not seem so cheap. In fact, the only real homes in China are owned by farmers with lots of land or millionaires who own villas in the cities. The majority of the population living in China lives in small apartments.
8. How is the food in China?
Generally, the meals are in restaurants are setup like banquet halls with round tables. Then you have a small glass for Coke or Sprite (no refills), a smaller cup for tea, a bowl and spoon ( like a small ladle) for soup, a small plate for food, and chopsticks (yes, we were able to eat without forks and knives). Then you have a big Lazy Susan in the middle of the table, and they bring out various dishes throughout the meal. It usually starts with nuts or light food, and then proceeds with several kinds of meat and weird vegetables that I have never heard of, and then it ends with soup and fruit (in other words watermelon). I cannot say that I liked all the food, but everyone tries it and finds something they like. Each meal certainly fills you up.
9. How was drinking out of bottled water?
As you know, we cannot drink the water from China unless you want to be sick, so we have to drink bottled water. It is annoying at times, but the hotels normally give complimentary water and you can get them cheap from the bus. Nevertheless, we had quite a few people who got sick in the trip for one reason or another. Luckily, we had Dr. Nelson to save us all from 10 days of diarrhea.
10. What is your least favorite thing about China?
Of course, there is the language factor, but my least favorite thing about China is the stairs. You think I am joking, but I am not. Everywhere you go there is huge numbers of stairs in certain increments, like nine for emperors. In other words almost everything affiliated with emperors has stairs in sets of nine. With all of the temples, buildings and the Great Wall, stairs are endless in China. Then at every ancient Chinese relic, they have this step thing at the door so you have to bow and show respect to the owner. Anyways, I am totally exhausted from the stairs, so I am going to try to wrap this up with one final question before you fall asleep.
11. What is your favorite thing about China?
There were some great thing about China that I really enjoyed on the trip like bargaining at the market, visiting the small factories and seeing the amazing stunts from the acrobatics show, but I think everyone on this trip would agree that the best part of China is its people. They are truly the nicest people you will ever meet. The Chinese are so warm and inviting, and they appreciated our work and music. From the welcome banners to the pictures to the deep conversations, they showed how truly generous and kind the Chinese people are. We have befriended a lot of wonderful people, and have many unforgettable experiences. It has been the best ten days of my life, and the fact that I could share them with my friends and classmates made it even better. This experience, as corny as it may sound, has changed my views on life and made me appreciate America. We are so special in that we are the “melting pot” and we are exposed to so many cultures, people, religions and food. Every day we live freely and we are capable of surpassing any obstacle, to follow our dreams. This opportunity allowed me to see that, and I hope I was able to give you a sense of the real China.

Back in St. Charles!!

2007-06-28T22:19:00.000-05:00

We arrived back in St. Charles this evening (Thursday June 28th) at 7:30 p.m. The flight was pretty much uneventful. When we arrived at St. Charles East High School there was a contingent of family and friends to greet us.

To the people that met us with signs, cheers and hugs--
thank you, thank you, thank you. We were all so tired and exhausted from our trip, but to see everyone there with smiles and waves and the great signs made us all feel so refreshed. Knowing that people went to that amount of trouble was heartwarming, I for one, was very touched.

To Julie Hepfer,who was my right hand gal here in the U.S., thanks for all your help throughout the week keeping people aware of where we were and what we were doing when we could not blog (Thank you also for the lovely basket upon our return, you are so thoughtful!), it helped so much having a contact here in the states!

To Connie Szorc- Thanks for the lovely card. I will place it in our album with all our China trip memorabilia, it meant alot to be remembered by the parents and to know everyone enjoyed the blog!

I will post some final trip pictures tomorrow from the last day of our visit.

Sue

Final Day in China

2007-06-27T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well we have been very busy since leaving Louyang.

The sleeper car was an experience we will all remember. We had the best accommodations (in fact there are 108 berths on this sleeper train and we had 96 of them, so we had all accommodations) and few Chinese are able to either purchase or afford this type of travel. Every thing we do requires us to remember this.

Upon arriving in Beijing we had breakfast and then off to the Temple of Heaven. This was beautiful and very interesting. Many elderly Chinese who are retired gather at this temple to exercise, play music, socialize, enjoy life. It is a great slice of Chinese life to see, along with this gorgeous temple.

We then went to a silk factory. I believe most of us had no idea how silk fabric is made. Incredible and amazing is the only way to describe how they take the fine silk threads from a silk worm and spool it, weave it on a loom or open and stretch it onto a form, and create various soft and beautiful items. Impressive!

After lunch we broke into 2 groups, those that wanted to visit a shopping market, and those that wanted to go back to our hotel and shower and rest abit.

We met up again at a restaurant for dinner. The stories from the Marketplace were so fun and many enjoyed their time there. It was an adventure, at least from the stories! It apparently wasn't just the purchasing, but the whole show of what was the Marketplace that made it such a fun time for those that went.

After Dinner we went to the Chinese acrobat show. Everyone was astounded by this show. We were told later that the people in this show start training at 6 to 7 and must step down from performing at 22. They can then be directors, teachers, or show workers in various capacities. If a show like this visits the U.S. and you have a chance to see it, GO! Words can not describe this performance.

It is now Thursday morning and we will visit the Forbidden City today. From that location we will go to the airport for our flight home. We leave at 4:20 p.m. on United flight 850. We are expected to arrive at 4:17 p.m. in O'Hare, so we will arrive earlier than we leave. Good trick, eh? I'm sure we will all be tired, but we will never forget the cities, the sites, the shows, the friends we have met here in China. It has been all we thought it would be and so much more!!!

One more blog to go- detailing our final leg and arrival home.... Sue

2nd series of pictures from 6/26 & 6/27

2007-06-27T01:55:00.000-05:00

Description of pictures above-

Boarding the sleeper car for Beijing.

Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

Silk Factory Tour, Beijing.

Pictures from Tuesday and Wednesday, June 26th and 27th

2007-06-27T01:24:00.000-05:00

Descriptions of pictures above-

Largest Buddah in the Longman Grottos.

Home of Cave Dwelling people just outside Louyang.

100 yr. Old woman from Cave Dwellering society in China. She has lived her whole life as a cave dweller and may be the last of her family to continue this tradition.

From Mr. Kull-

2007-06-27T01:21:00.000-05:00

BY-Jim Kull

As I write this, we are sitting on the sleeper train from Luoyang to Beijing, near the end of our great adventure. The kindness and friendliness of the Chinese people has been a real highlight of our trip, and the opportunity to interact with the people has been a great experience.

Both the groups played incredibly well, with great energy and enthusiasm. They have been wonderful ambassadors for our school and country. Special thanks have to go to all of the parents who have come on this trip with us, as we have managed to do every set up and tear down efficiently. I have never been prouder of our students and parents, and I wish every one could have gone with us to see their efforts.

We have seen amazing sights, as beautiful as the Summer Palace and Longmen Grottoes, to the poverty of the cave dwelling people, not ten minutes from Luoyang. We look forward to the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City tomorrow.

I will never forget the sight of literally thousands of people at the square in Luoyang, eating with the university students in Kaifeng, and their reactions to our music and culture. All four concerts have been highlights, with the Great Wall especially beautiful and the concert hall in Zhengzou having one of the best sounds of any hall we’ve played in. We have been the recipients of great generosity, with some beautiful gifts we can’t wait for all of you to see. It has been a life changing experience for all of us!

Attention all pizza places in St. Charles: Be ready for us on Thursday night!

Sleeping on the train

2007-06-26T08:29:00.000-05:00

The happy travelers are enroute to Beijing via a sleeper train. Since there isn't an internet connection, the blog posting are postponed until they arrive. They are all doing well!
Julie Hepfer

More pictures from Monday June 25th

2007-06-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

Pictures here include-

The sword factory we visited today, a real hit with the guys in the group!

The morning edition of the local paper with our Band on the front page.

The late edition of the day of the concert paper- the Louyang Daily- with our band also prominently displayed on the front page.

Pictures from Monday June 25th

2007-06-25T11:03:00.000-05:00

Shaolin Temple Buddhas inside the temple, our first stop this morning.

The mighty Pagoda Forest which was really incredible.

Kung Fu demonstration, holding up man with knives-YEOW!

Halfway to Christmas in China

2007-06-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

Ni hao. Goodness knows how you really spell that in Chinese... that means "hello" by the way. China has been amazing, but I'm sure everyone has figured that out by now! It's beautiful, wonderful people, and exquisite food. The sights are breathtaking! Not to mention, our performances were so much fun.

The Chinese people we've encountered were so kind - especially those at the Universities in Zhengzhou and Kaifeng. At Kaifeng, Kevin Mueller, Emma Maupin and I met a 20 year old student named Forrest - "like Run Forrest, Run" (direct quote). He was very interesting and we shared many laughs after he sang Backstreet Boys and The Beatles for us.

I'll focus on today, though. Woke up to a morning of Tai Chi. We did everything from intense tai bo like exercising to relaxing meditation. It was so much fun to see hundreds of men and women up at 6:00 AM to practice tai chi. The dedication in this country is unbelievable. We ate a great breakfast on the rotating tower (the hotel we're in has the 25th floor rotating in a circle, taking 60 minutes to make a full rotation). It happened to be my 18th birthday today, so I was serenaded and presented with a slice of (birthday) cake by Chris Billquist. I've found that everyone in the band has meshed quite well. Everyone can have a good laugh with other random people.

We took a 2 hour bus trip to Shaolin Temple. We were fortunate enough to take golf carts to the Temple. Instead, we would have had to walk 3 km. (I wouldn't have minded except for the 104 degree heat.) The Temple was amazing - there were "seven layers" (a building with a courtyard = one layer) and a Buddha or some sort of monument in each. We saw monks, and they seemed very kind. Didn't talk much, but still interesting to see.

Lunch, of course, was fantastic. I love eating off of a lazy susan with a small plate. The foods are so interesting - I can't pronounce half of the food names. I found a gorgeous horse painting on a silk tapestry (happy birthday to me) and I got to barter the price. As akward as it is (seeing as how we never do it at home), it was really fun. You get to propose ridiculously low prices and watch the vendors' faces drop. Rather humorous actually...

Next was Kung Fu! It was SO AWESOME!!! These young men were incredibly flexible - moreso than our drill teamers! A little boy about 8 years old was fantastic - he was jumping and bending and flipping all over the place. They were breaking metal and sticks on others' appendages. Emma and I were a little scared when they held one Kung Fu student up with knives.

Our last stop before returning to Luoyang was the Sword Shop (it deserves capital letters). The swords were amazing - very well crafted and excellent attention to detail. Of course all the guys were entranced - most of the females stayed inside to avoid the heat. The view was great on the way home - it was mostly farmland, but you could see farmers working in the fields, deep crevices in the land, and huge mountains in the distance.

Our dinner was great - the restaurant we ate in was beautiful and the food, of course, was different from anything I've ever eaten. I ate sea cucumber. It was disgusting - it jiggled. Enough said. But Diana Yu talked me into doing it. We received a painting from a man who was at the concert yesterday at Luoyang; he was so touched by our performance, he went home and painted until early this morning, and rode his bike 45 minutes to give us the painting. It was a beautiful peony - I can't wait to see it in the band room!

After dinner, Kevin Mueller, Liz Chadwick, Diana Yu, Jeffrey Paul LeFevre, Bus B's tour guide Derek, and I got a massage/accupressure. It was very low key (we got to keep all of our clothes on, thank goodness)- they pounded our arms and legs pretty well. We laughed and talked a lot - it was nice to relax after a long day.

China is such an amazing country. I'll never take toilet paper, ice, and cool weather for granted anymore. Oh, and they have squat toilets. Enough said. Everything has a story and some sort of history - I love hearing about it. The locals watch you as you pass - it's like we're famous. I wish I could describe all the wonders I've seen, funny experiences I've witnessed, and people I've met. Especially with the threat of having my piccolo almost burst into flame due to the fireworks seven inches from the poor thing - just to spice things up a bit.

So I think it's safe to say that with TaiChi, monks, more chicken I could ever ask for (which is a good thing!), Kung Fu, swords, and accupressure - I've had an excellent 18th birthday!

Miss and Love you Mom, Jonathan, Dad, Jennifer, Trev, Sean, & Chase!

-Alex White

China= Sooooo Awesome!!!!

2007-06-25T09:41:00.000-05:00

First, I really want to thank everyone who supported me and made this trip a possibility. This place is a whole other world. Some of it I suppose is due to the fact that we (everyone in the band) are foreigners but this place is something else. The first thing that got my attention is the weather here. Always hazy! There hasn't been a day where at least a good amount hasn't been thick with either pollution (in more industial areas) or just fog in the mountains near Xiaolin in DengFeng (pronounced: dooeng-fooeng). The next difference is just the cites themselves. Besides half the street devoted entirely to bikes, the buildings are somewhat haphazard and I swear there is no such thing as upkeep in China. Besides basic cleaning, there doesn't seem to be much new paint or rust control. Speaking of which, almost every single bicycle around here is rusty! I don't get it. They just are. And people in the city are different from people in our cities. They don't rush very often and it's rare that someone ever looks like they trying really hard to get somewhere. Mostly people just are sitting in the parks or on the sidewalk. Anywhere and it's so odd because I rarely see someone in America just sitting and enjoying life. Speaking of the people, most everyone is really, really nice. And if they aren't you can tell by the permanent stern look stuck to their face. The case has been for me that anyone who doesn't frown all the time is extremely nice and helpful. No matter if you are on the bus and exchanging waves or hunting through the hotel looking for the pool or spa. Chinese people consistently make an effort to help any person (well at least someone not from china).
Well it's getting late and I don't wanna be sleepy for any part of this trip. There's so much more to say about what's going on but it'll probably be better in person when I get home. Thanks again everyone!!

David Hepfer

Money

2007-06-25T02:27:00.000-05:00

Parents-

Your students should be able to add, divide and multiply by 7.5 much better when they return. The yuan is approx. 7.5 to the dollar, so math skills are a good thing!

The band made the front pages of all the local papers today along with many pictures. We are attempting to get a bunch of copies; no so easy, but know we are trying. They were also apparently on the local news, although we missed it. If we can't get copies for everyone, I will at least take pictures of the front pages, so you can see the celebrity status of these outstanding students. BE VERY PROUD, they conducted themselves so well and represented St. Charles in such a great manner.

Did you know that only 3% to 5% of the tourists that come into the Henan Province (the province where Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Louyang are located) are American? Many of these visitors are Chinese Americans visiting family.

Sue

Restrooms

2007-06-25T02:15:00.000-05:00

Some people may wonder about the infamous issue of restrooms in China. It is hard to imagine that a restroom facility visit could be so different from one in the U.S. Even in very modern facilities, in many cases, there are no western toilets as U.S. citizens know them. I am including a picture of a restroom facility for those who are unable to picture what type of toilet is available here. Chinese people have these same facilities in their homes, and all public restrooms have these facilities. Occassionally one gets lucky and there is a token western toilet also. Much bonding has occured over this one issue, especially with the women in the group. I might also add that this issue has seperated the good bladders from the bad.

Louyang #2

2007-06-24T09:26:00.001-05:00

The crowds were so big, it surprised us!!

The local dignitaries present Mr. Kull and the band with some beautiful artwork and awards from the Louyang community.

Louyand treated us like mini-celebrities. The local media took pictutres of every student, every parent, every instrument, from every angle!

Hope you enjoy the pictures! More tomorrow.

Louyang- Sunday June 24th

2007-06-24T09:11:00.001-05:00

Took the buses to Louyang today. It is unlike Beijing, Zhengzhou, or Kaifeng. Every year they have a big festival celebrating the beauty of the Peony Flower. The people of Louyang greeted us as minor celebrities. When we arrived in town we learned that the concert had been rescheduled and moved due to the heat (100+ degrees), and the fact that they were expecting so many people that the park they had originally planned on using would be too small.
We arrived at the concert location around 5:15 p.m. The crowds were already big, we had no idea how enormous this would be. As we all helped in the set up, we saw the crowd grow and grow. There were an unbelievable number of people. I wouldn't even venture a guess. The pictures here show the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Workshop during their performances. After the concert, a local group that does a Peony Dance during their festival, performed for us. Their costumes and their dance was incredible.
This was our last concert in China- what a way to go out for the seniors, eh?

Huh?

2007-06-24T01:08:00.000-05:00

By- J Bou ( Jake Boulay)
Given a holla to all my esses in St.Charles. Mom I love you and I haven’t died yet, so that’s good. Dad I hope your leparcy has ceased upon my return. Bean, thanks for the note: pigs. Steph, of course, I miss you. All the sights are nutso and the food is starting get a little greasy for my liking but its still dang deleesh. I love you all and ill bore you with my adventures at a later time. Peath Out.
-Hayabusa Breitling

Travels with Dustin

2007-06-24T01:06:00.000-05:00

By-Dustin Leatherman
I have spent 6 days out of 10 here and so far, have had a plethora of experiences ranging from eye opening to downright weird. China’s differences from the United States are few and many( more few though). For example, going through downtown Beijing is like walking through downtown Chicago, with ads and people walking about everywhere. The only difference, is they are mainly in Chinese. Although many things in China have the English translation right above or below which is different than it is in America. The modern Chinese culture is very much influenced by our own American culture. For example, In China, there are two main fast food joints, which are KFC and McDonalds. These two are always in competition and our trusty and faithful guide Derek has proudly stated, “if you find a KFC somewhere, you will most likely find a McDonalds not far from it. What I have also noticed is that Chinese Restaurants are actually pretty .close to what real Chinese food is like. Unlike other such Americanized foods as taco bell is as of now though I’m tired of eating things I cant pronounce or can’t distinguish whats inside of it or not. Coming to China has given me the opportunity to taste different kinds of foods that I wouldn’t normally have eaten. Theres this jello stuff that ive seen a few times which is made from fish eggs and boiling the life part out of them and that becomes the jello part. Its kinda gross. Another thing about China is that the style of driving is much different than the United States. If Mr. Smerz saw this driving, he might have a heart attack. People always cut each other off and people are allowed to cross the street at any time they want to. There are lane lines on the ground but in some areas, the people create new lanes. Also, you can drive on sidewalks to park your car. Its a lot different here. Also there aren’t any rickshaws because they have been banned but there are quite a bit of pedicabs, which are like tricycles with the thing on the back to carry people. One of the most memorable things about this trip have been seeing a fight in the middle of the highway. These cars parked on the high way and started a fist fight. Thje people were throwing each other around too. It was awesome! Alotbettger than the school fights ive seen. Also next to that is making it to the top of the great wall. The view is absolutely stunning but it doesn’t come without a price. The stairs are really difficult because there are so many of them and they are very uneven. Some are even a foot high. Our band has been hailed as internationally famous which I find humorous because ive never thought of us as a famous band. The Chinese people love our concerts and come by the thousands. After we are finished performing, they try and shake your hand and many of them come and take lots of different pictures with you. Its quite funny. One thing that is frustrating though, is not being able to communicate with the Chinese people that well. Many of them know English but some can hardly speak and it makes it frustrating, especially when you’re confused about something and would like clarification. Onemore thing before log off, if you happen to travel to China and something says a full body massage, yeah, it’s a FULL body massage. Just to let you know. Even though ive gotten this chance to come here, it makes me only yearn for home more and to go where my heart is. I miss home terribly and I am excited to return. I am especially looking forward to spending time with my girlfriend because I can be no happier when im in her presence. Shes amazing and I love her more than anything in the whole entire world (831). Alright well that’s it I guess. Adios

In China, Blog Represent Happiness, Family, and Longevity

2007-06-24T01:05:00.000-05:00

By-Jimmy Pittman
First off, I should preface this blog by stating that it will not be a detailed synopsis of every leg of our journey thus far, simply because the days have started to meld together and I can’t remember whether the pearl factory was in Beijing or…uh…Other Beijing. However, I’ve been utterly enamored with every second of this trip.
Okay, so I lied, here’s your synopsis: We arrived in Beijing, played on the Great wall on day two (most surreal experience ever-amazing), went to pearl, jade and cloisonné factories (Greetings American Consumer!), Tiananmen Square (Don’t talk about “Bad Day”), the Summer Palace (Gorgeous), and a traditional Chinese teahouse, mostly in that order. Then came the bullet train to Zhengzhou, a grittier slice of the Chinese pie than the (relatively) westernized Beijing. We played one concert there a few days ago and another outside Zhengzhou at Keifeng University. The latter was the biggest performance of my life, and went great, apart from the God of Tuning banishing me to the land of Quarter-Step Flat during the final song. Apparently the audience didn’t mind, as one strapping young student insisted on carrying my bass to the bus. Being a man of extreme sloth, I obliged. This warm reception carried on to dinner, where we had some fantastic conversations with the students. From speaking with them, I realized all the inadequacies of the American school system. They can carry on a conversation for 30 minutes after 3 years of English, I can’t remember how to order dinner after 3 years of Spanish. Yesterday will be hard to top, but we’ll see.
For the most part, China is exactly the same as portrayed in every American cartoon whenever a character falls down a hole to the other side of the earth, except with more bikes and indicators of an increasingly free market society. Also, there aren’t any rickshaws, much to my dismay. My thoughts now alternate between a desire for the comforts of home (1 billion people and not one damn slice of cheese!) and my impending melancholy when I leave this socialist paradise. Really though, I just miss everyone back at home, and look forward to you all assaulting me with questions about how big the Great Wall was when I’m really jetlagged.
Love,
Jimmy

Great Food, Better People

2007-06-24T01:03:00.000-05:00

By- Chris Billquist

It is now the morning of day seven and we are on our way to Luoyang, a three-hour bus ride from Zhengzhou. The differences between Beijing and Zhengzhou are very prominent, at least for us tourists. The people in Beijing seemed to, more than in any other city I’ve visited, want us to buy everything we saw. We visited the legendary jade factory for near about three hours and then proceeded to play forty-five minutes of music on the Great Wall and use our remaining hour to climb it. The next day we had lunch on the second floor of The Cloissone Factory and were then thoroughly encouraged to visit the gift shop on the first floor. The day we visited the pearl factory I finally got suckered in to buying a nice pearl bracelet for my dear sister. I guess the moral of the story is even those of us who are set against being persuaded to overspend will finally be suckered by “ancient relics” and “Chinese culture.”

When we arrived in Zhengzhou the trip really began to take off for me. We were warmly greeted at the train station by Derek, a very knowledgeable and humorous man. He told us that being a tour guide was a very respectable job in China and required a lot of schooling in order to understand the thousands of years of Chinese history plus be fluent in English. In Zhengzhou we played our first concert for a real audience which was one of the most exhilarating feelings I’ve ever felt. While Workshop was playing Matchell (Michelle Cox) and I talk about the fact that one of the highest dignitaries in the Henan Province was watching our concert and the fact that we were being treated so warmly here. I’m pretty sure I shook hands with some very important people after that concert and I can’t even begin to explain how privileged I felt.

Last night we played a concert at Kaifeng University and afterwards the students came up to us with prepared conversation starters and the menu for the meal we were about to eat translated into English by the students themselves. I spent the meal with some first year English students who want to teach English after they graduate. They kept commenting on how bad their English was but I understood them perfectly! We played basketball with the students and just spent a good two hours just talking. This was what I had been waiting for the entire trip!
To sum up China: great people, cheap massages, and Jackie Chan in his element (action movies actually in Chinese). Who could ask for a better way to spend ten days?!

More Saturday pictures

2007-06-23T12:04:00.000-05:00

The images above depict the concert at Kaifeng University. This place was packed, and the crowd was really enthusiastic to hear the music and talk with the students. We could not have imagined that the local government official (there was a whole table of government officials) would present the band with a BEAUTIFUL piece of scroll art! We were surprised and amazed. Wait until you see this wonderful gift!

Finally we ended our visit at the university by joining the university students for dinner in their cafeteria. Everyone spoke with students on many subjects. The Chinese students were so friendly and open. This was an enjoyable time for everyone. We have made some new friends here!

Sue

Pictures from Saturday June 23rd

2007-06-23T11:50:00.000-05:00

Okay, it's time for the pictures, now that all the students have posted their say to the blog.

The top picture depicts the grounds of the Song Dynasty Riverside Park in Kaifeng. This was a historic recreation park with ceremonies and performances featured during the Song Dynasty in China. Beautiful and interesting, but very hot this day. You can see that your student's health and well-being are in good hands, Dr. Mark Nelson was seen at the park getting ready to hone his surgical skills on a patient, if only he could find one (2nd picture)! Finally, we visited the Iron Pagoda in Kaifeng as well. Some brave travelers, our students amongst them, actually ascended to the top of this structure to see the sites from the top.

"A Foot Massage?"

2007-06-23T10:01:00.000-05:00

The day started off a normal day with good food, a concert and long bus rides. Then finally we arrived back at the hotel at 9:30pm, with two hours of free-time. Our guide had mentioned that the spa at the hotel was the best in the city, and very well-known. I asked at the front desk, and they said that foot massages were $6. Since I had never been to a spa or had a massage before, I thought this would be a good opportunity to get a good inexpensive massage. So, I went to the Men's Spa Room and got an electronic key, and was motioned around the corner of the fancy room to a locker. They opened the locker which contained two hangers, and then they said, "clothes in there." I was taken off guard, and I thought that maybe I got confused. I said, "I want a foot massage," but of course none of the four workers spoke English. They found a Chinese businessman who spoke English, and I tried to ask him how much the foot massage was. I pulled out my Chinese money, but he did not understand. Then I looked to the room ahead to find a bunch of other East guys butt naked. I was horrified, and just told the men I would be right back. I went upstairs to find some of the other guys here were planning to go there and ask if they knew what was going on, and then I saw two of them walking in robes from their room (I am still not sure if they had anything underneath). Anyways, I saw Diana Yu (the East girl on the trip who speaks Chinese) who said she would talk to the Spa people, but I thought it was awkward enough. I ended up finding our tour guide who said that you had to take off your clothes, put on their sandals, and take a shower. Then you can put on the spa shorts and go up for your spa. By that time I had had enough, and a $6 foot massage did not seem worth it. So instead I am writing this blog. Hope it was entertaining!
Jeffrey LeFevre

Hotness

2007-06-23T09:39:00.000-05:00

So today was about 28 degrees celcius in China. It was so hot! We were outside for a good majority of the day and it was very warm. Then we were in our concert place and it was unbelieveably warm with about 2000 people or more watching us. Now tomorrow our tour guide said its supposed to be 38 degrees celcius so if we all melt... this is your formal warning. Good news is we get to sleep in until 7:45 instead of 5:45 before we melt! YAY! Everything else is continuing to be such a great experience.

Kevin Mueller

Barb's blog

2007-06-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

Hi there,
It is Saturday night and we are all exhausted after an incredibly steamy hot day walking around a theme park, a tilted temple and a Buddist temple in addition to a concert in university gym and dinner with college students learning English. I just want to take this opportunity to praise all the females in our group who have, in the short time we have been here, joined the elite society called "I Squatted in China."

Barb Thomases

A Day To Remember

2007-06-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

Wow. To start off I must say today was the highlight of the trip for me. Russ Chinn here, by the way. Yesterday was our first day in Zhengzhou after spending a few days in Beijing. We picked up a university student that morning who is spending a few days with us and helping Diana with the announcing during our performances. He started off by introducing himself with his English name, King. He hit it off with our group right away by telling us his hobbies of playing basketball and counterstrike(video game). Then I was fortunate enough that he sat down next to me for the bus ride. We spent the day talking about hobbies and interesting cultural differences and then exchanged email addresses. Some interesting things: Driving school consists of mainly driving backwards in a course the size of a couple driveways-and driving out here would be impossible for most of us Americans as people don't signal and freely change lanes while bicycles and motorbikes dart across the road. Many people love basketball and of course, Yao Ming. While discussing hobbies I told him that I spend my time skateboarding. He didn't quite understand this until I showed him a picture of me skating that I had on my camera. So I taught him the English word skateboard. Anyway, back to today. We spent today performing at a university in Kaifeng and while packing up afterwards, King took us over to a basketball court and we played a pickup game of basketball with some Chinese students. Of course, my team was victorious. Then we ate at a dining hall with some university students. King told me he'd introduce me to some pretty girls which was quite a success. The students were so friendly and one of the girls told me I was very handsome. Another girl followed us from the basketball court to the dining hall and talked with us. Following dinner, King went out and bought me and my friends some Chinese ice cream. He is quite an awesome guy. We walked back to the basketball courts and Brian Benhart and I played some 4 on 4 with some Chinese students. Not after long, students started gathering around and surrounded the basketball court taking pictures and watching intensely. Of course I thrived off the attention and after draining 3 pointers and stuffing shots the crowd would ooh and applaud. Brian and I ended up winning(we had a bit of a height advantage) and had the highlight of our trip. Well, I must be off now, as I kinda played basketball in by performance polo shirt and dress slacks and they could use some washing. I also told King I'd take an English exam for him tomorrow and I could use some sleep. So long from China!
RUSS CHINN

Long Day In Zhengzhou

2007-06-22T11:53:00.000-05:00

Students relax at the rec center in our hotel.

Group photo at the Zhengzhou Art Center where the students performed a concert to a full house.

St. Charles East students interact with students from Zhengzhou University.

This picture was taken during our visit to the Henan History Museum. When the students arrive home, ask them about this picture and what it depicts.

Today we had a long day, as the comments from all of the above posts have stated. We went to the Henan National Museum, which was great for those of us that like museums. We saw a musical performance using ancient Chinese instruments. Wow! The musician we very good and their costumes were incredibly detailed and beautiful. I think I have a new idea for Marching Band uniforms (lol).

After the museum we returned to our hotel and had lunch and a birthday cake and sing along for Kirsten Benjamin. How cool is it to spend your 18th birthday in China?

Into the buses and off to the University of Zhengzhou University. A very important government official (the governor of the province?) gave us a tour of the University. He took us to the library (guess who loved that?) and invited the students to go around and talk with university students about their lives/interests, etc.. We spent about an hour doing just that. It was a great experience.

Finally we left for the Zhengzhou Art Center for practice before the performance. The performance was wonderful, the students were just a treasure to be with. This was a long day, they practice for quite a while after visiting the museum and university, and then they performed. he concert started at 8 and was not over until 10 p.m.. All the students were respectful, patient and helpful. Their talents shown through while being great ambassadors for St. Charles. Everyone back home should be very proud!

Tomorrow, another long day they tell us...
Sue

There's a caterpillar in my flower!!

2007-06-22T10:38:00.000-05:00

Ni hao from Zhenxhou!!!

Today was the best day if the trip. Last night we arrived in Zhenzhou from the bullet train. The city was quite impressive at night. When my roomates (diana and Alex) and I opened the door to our hotel room we just started screaming and jumping with joy. There were silk pillows, a glass bathroom and a flatscreen tv. I've never even seen a hotel room as nice as this!Today we went to a museum, university, and had a performance in the art center. At our hotel and the art center they put banners up to welcome us. At the university we got to chat with students un the library. Most of the students were very nervous about talking to us but they were very happy to meet us!! I like Zhengzhou a lot better than Beijing. Everyone is so welcoming and glad to see us. At our performace people brought flowers to the directors and soloists and one girl who I met gave me a little gift. At the end of the performance a few chinese government officials came to the stage and shook every one of our hands! Our tour guide told us that very rarely do Americans come to Zhengzhou. Some of the poverty we've seen-like in the country while riding on the bullet train was depressing, but I think it is absolutely amazing how everyone is willing to share so much. I'mlearning a lot of chinese, or trying at least...At the university I said "nice to meet you" in chinese to one guy and he was amazed and asked how many years I had been studying chinese!!! HAHAHAHAH. Well...I'm REALLY tired..and kind of hungry too...so I'm going to go to bed!!! It's almost midnight!

quotes du jour:
Kyle Graves: "There's a caterpillar in my flower!!!"
King: "Do you have a band aid? I broke my foot!"

Also, I just want to say hi to Matt, I miss you lots! international calling is very difficult...when I get a chance I will try my hardest to call!!! Lots of love!

Zhengzhou and Kirsten's Birthday!

2007-06-22T10:20:00.001-05:00

Hey everybody! Today we were able to go to the Henan National Museum and listened to a musical performance on ancient Chinese instruments-----one being my personal favorite, a bone flute 8,000 years old and perfectly tuned (like how Mr. Kull wishes all of our flutes could be :). We also were able to visit The Zhengzhou University (the campus is amazing!) and talk to the students studying in the library. Our concert tonight at the Art Center went really really well and everyone looked like they had a good time. It was also my 18th Birthday and it was awesome! The hotel was sweet enough to make a beautiful cake and Mrs. Thomases gave me a badge that said "Kiss me, it's my birthday." Mr. Kull announced that I would be giving out kisses for 1 yuan apiece. Mom, Dad, don't worry......Mr. Kull's words, not mine!
Mom, Dad, and Wes...thank you soooo much for the cards and the cute singing bear!!! It made me sad that I couldn't be there with you to celebrate my 18th, but I love you guys and we still have a few months before I go to college when I get back. Wes, your card especially made me teary...I'm really gonna miss you next year! However, I will always be your big sister and will always be around! Love you! See you all really soon!!!
Kirsten Benjamin

Zhenghou

2007-06-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

Today is Friday and our second day in Zhenghou. We arrived two days ago on the bullet train. The bullet train was not as fast as I had expected. It had a electronic board that would show messages in Chinese and English (which by the way was hilarious to read because the English translation was so bad), anyway it showed the speeds and the highest I saw was 179 km/h. I have no idea what that is in mph but it didn't feel very fast, it was really smooth though. We arrived at a really nice hotel, which is fairly new. Our luggage had to be locked on the train and I lost my key on the train so my luggage was locked and I couldn't get into it so I had to try everyone's key and none of them worked so the Chinese hotel workers had to break it off, I was freaky out. Anyway Thursday was great, we went to the summer palace on Thursday which was gorgeous, and we got to take a boat ride across a big pond that was there. We had lunch after that and I have to say I am getting really sick of Chinese food, half the time I don't know what I am eating. All this Chinese food has made me realize the varieties of the food we have in America. I can't wait to have American food again. This morning we went to a museum which was pretty cool but that is not really what I am into. Today we had a performance in this amazing music hall, which I think went pretty well. Anyway I need to let other people in here. And I need to go to bed because it is 11:15pm here and tomorrow we have to leave the hotel at 7:15am.
ANONYMOUS Student posting

Awesome Day

2007-06-22T09:48:00.000-05:00

You should be so proud of your students! They played at the Zhengzhou Art Center. I am so proud of each and every one of them. Their behavior was exemplary! They interacted with the University students today and the chinese students all spoke english very well. They communicated with each other and shared ideas and stories. ALL of our students talked with Chinese students. Many of them shared emails and information to stay in touch. I am blessed to be able to take part in this trip and I thank you for sharing your students with me.
Miss you all!
Michelle Fisher

Late night posting- Thursday June 21st

2007-06-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

We are posting this late (12:45 a.m.) just to let everyone back home know we arrived safely in Zhenzou this evening. We just settled into our rooms, and we are tired. I will have some students post to the blog tomorrow, but this evening we will just add a few pictures of our adventures from today (Thursday June 21st).

The first picture is one of people from our group boarding a the Bullet Train in Beijing this evening for our trip to Zhengzou. This was taken at 5:30 p.m. Beijing time June 21st.

The next image captures an view of the beautiful Summer Palace, which we found out is not a palace at all (I'm sure one of the students will elaborate on that!).

The final picture shows members of our group boarding a dragon boat for a lake cruise on the grounds of the Summer Palace.

Enjoy these pictures and know we are all fine, if a bit exhausted from all our travels. More student postings again tomorrow!

On their way to Zhengzhou

2007-06-21T10:07:00.000-05:00

There will not be a posting from China, today because at 10:00pm the group was on a bullet train traveling to Zhengzhou. I was asked to post a note to reassure everyone that the weary travelers had had a busy, fun filled day with hopes of reaching their destination by 11:00pm. They will check into their hotel, get a good nights rest and share their adventures with all of us tomorrow. If you're like me, I look forward to the new posting, so tune in tomorrow!
Julie Hepfer (home base)

The day of the Great Wall visit

2007-06-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

So its hard to remember how long we have already been here after a crazy 13 hour plane ride and the major time difference. The time difference is probably the strangest thing so far, the day of the plane trip most of us were awake for eh say 30 hours-ish. A few of us got some nap time in on the plane ride (mostly those of us in Economy-PLUS!) who had extra leg room.

This morning we were supposed to wake up around 6:30 but Barrett and I ended up waking up at 5:30 Chinese time without realizing we set our clocks to the wrong time. We just wandered around the hotel at like 6 in the morning and ate our early breakfast.

The Chinese food here is AMAZING! I was a little worried it wouldn't be as good as the Americanized Chinese food we all love at Panda Express back at home. At all the restaurants we basically sit down at giant circular tables, about 10 people to a table, and we are served by about 3 of 4 waiters at a time. They bring dish after dish of delicious Chinese food that is served family style on a round center tray that spins around. The first food I tried the first day we got here was duck. It was actually very very good. We have all tried so many new things already, its been great! Using chop sticks has been a challenge for some people... including myself.

Our first performance was on the Great Wall today. It was very exciting for all of us. There was a small crowd but I really think they enjoyed our music. After playing, most of us began our hour journey up the wall. There were so many steps! For those of you back in America who never really had the chance to learn or appretieate the Great Wall (like myself, until today), it is so beautiful and can stretch from New York to LA. Just looking at it is jaw-dropping! It was another very smogy day so it was hard to get some good pictures, but it was still really great.

Well you already heard the mention of our massages tonight from Dave above. He made the huge mistake of not getting one. Barrett and I did and it was amazing. It was a one hour body massage for 200 chinese moneys (Yuan) which is about 25 US dollars. Talk about a great deal. It included lots of pounding, stretching, chopping, foot soaking in tea, and other stuff. I have never had a massage before so I dont know if what they were doing was some cool Chinese thing or just a normal massage.

Well that's all for now,
Written by Kevin Mueller, (edited by Barrett Abraham)

So Hey!

2007-06-20T09:12:00.000-05:00

so hey whats up parents
this is not from the actual person that this blog is being sent out from
today we did some wacky and crazy things
first off we went off to the great wall and all got tattoos of our names in Chinese symbols
it was awesome
the girls mostly got it on their rear ends
the guys pretty much got them on their biceps.
we went to a vase shop where we where forced to make copper vases to be sold at high prices
the worst part was the scorching heat in the rooms used to melt the copper
before we became partial slaves
we went to a jade factory where large pieces of jade where thrown at us till we would dance like little monkeys for the Chinese people
well off to bed
we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow
full of harsh punishments.
POSTED BY CHASE SZORC

Group Photo from the ju yong guan Great Wall access point

2007-06-20T08:50:00.000-05:00

Great Wall of China Concert June 20, 2007

2007-06-20T08:45:00.001-05:00

The First REAL Day

2007-06-20T08:02:00.000-05:00

So...we finally got a real day in China. What I mean by that is that we weren't flying for 13 hours straight, and we weren't so tired that we acted like 5 year-olds and did a lot of really strange, unfocused things. We got to wake up today at 6:30, which, for you Central Time Zoners is actually 5:30 at night. So, you ate, and we were waking up. Anyway,. we had breakfast in the hotel, which featured these really good rolls that we dubbed "cloud" rolls, because they tasted all light and fluffy.

After that, we shipped out on ther bus and went to a jade factory. We saw the construction of the 2008 Olympic stadiums on the way! (Honestly, not THAT interesting. It was just your everyday construction site.) So, we got to the jade factory, and got a short tour, followed by some time to shop in the store. I bought a little jade turtle. I saw that it cost 160 yuan. Well, that was the product number or something. It cost 300 instead. Oops...

Then we drove off and went to a factory that makes copper vases. It was pretty amazing, and EXTREMELY detailed. We ate lunch at the factory too. While we were in the shop afterward, there were a lot of odd things. For example, a copper horse. 2,678,000 yuan. Divide that by 7.5, and that's how much it costs in US dollars. I think that would cover all 4 years of college for me...There were also some Chinese health bells, which have a special place in my heart. Anyone reading this that went to Scotland last summer? Sorry...had to ask. Also, there were some fancy looking silk pajamas that Chase bought and almost wore to dinner tonight. More on Chase later.

We left the second factory, and bussed over to the Badaling section of the Great Wall (of China, that is). We played our concerts, which we were told were good, but come on, you don't want to hear about that, you want to hear about the wall. We climbed (those of us who have youthful energy that is, which excludes my mother) hundreds of steps up a mountain on the wall, and got some awesome pictures. I'm sure you'll see those eventually.

We returned to the hotel for a short break, and then went to dinner, which featured dancing and singing entertainment. Chase fully enjoyed that, which was kind of creepy. At the end, most people (except for Russ, because he's boring) got up and jumped over some bamboo sticks to a beat. By the way, there's still more on Chase. Next paragraph.

We came back to the hotel, and now have some time to hang out before we go to bed. Some people (including Chase) ordered massages. Mostly, it was the guys...Russ and I are going to knock on their room doors after I finish this. As for what else we'll do, we don't know, but we're having a good time. Tomorrow, we take the bullet train!

- David Thomases

Internet and China

2007-06-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

To answer the comment to the above post, it has not been an easy task. There are some difficulties with access, not the least of which was that all sites come up here in Chinese, which of course I do not speak or read. I have found a work around to that and the other "issues" regarding the blog site. As of tomorrow, I will be recruiting students to post on the blog. I hope to have 2 to 3 volunteers daily. I look forward to reading their observations. Tomorrow we are visiting a Jade factory after breakfast. From there we will have lunch, then on to their concert on the Great Wall of China. Frankly, everything we have seen here so far has been great. I'll let the kids do the rest of the elaboration on the sites...

Peking Duck Dinner, end of day 1, June 19

2007-06-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

A few pictures of our arrival

2007-06-19T09:12:00.000-05:00

This is a night shot of the buildings lit up in Tianan Men Square. Those of us old enough thought back to the history of this place...
In Beijing the countdown for the Olympics has begun. Beijing residents are very exicted about having the Olympics here!

We are in Beijing folks!!!

2007-06-19T09:04:00.000-05:00

We arrived around 2:35 p.m. on Tuesday (Beijing time). We visited Tianan Men Square and went to dinner at the Peking Duck Restuarant. Delicious! We have had a LONG day (hardly anyone slept on the 14 hour flight). We are in our rooms, some kids are downstairs swimming. We will have the kids post some thoughts and observations tomorrow evening. Tonight, we are all going to sleep! Just wanted to let everyone know we arrived safe and sound.

Blogging from China?

2007-06-17T22:13:00.000-05:00

I have read conflicting reports regarding access of blog sites from within China. China has restrictions on many Internet sites, so we may or may not be able to post directly to this blog. Some information points to an easing of these restrictions, as Google has worked through the concerns expressed by the Chinese government. In the event that we are unable to post directly to this site, we have set up an alternative solution. We have made plans to email the posts and pictures to a third party, and the posts will be made through that source. Hopefully we will be able to send and receive email during our travels. We leave in the morning and already our adventure has begun...

Welcome!

2007-05-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

This blog is to communicate with family and friends while on our trip to China.

It is our hope to post items of interest from our trip, including pictures, during our travels to Beijing and the Henan Province.

Hopefully we will have different students/travelers writing and posting descriptions and their views and opinions on what we encounter during our trip. Our trip begins June 18th...

Sue D.