More Saturday pictures

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

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?"

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

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

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

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