from Xian to Pang Liu to Cheng Du...

Bridge China Families,

Get ready! Just in from the Bridge China Group is March’s free-writing style blog update for Xian, Pang liu village family homestays, and the first couple of days of our earthquake service project in Cheng du.

Hi everybody! Okay! Here’s the rundown on the trip since Beijing:

Xian

…arrived in the hotel after a long train ride…same day had a wonderful time out at the terracotta warriors…students loved it…the whole time in Xian was great…kids got to walk around the city and pick and choose their own food…ordering for themselves always… leaders loved to see everyone getting comfortable with the new surroundings…lots and lots of fun biking the city wall…some students were so happy, they rode two circles around the city…group found the best beef noodle place in town behind the calligraphy market…inexpensive and good…Xian was a wonderful time…kids also got great deals on paintings at the calligraphy market…oh almost forgot! our mmt was a success! kids completed nearly every task assigned to them…the Muslim quarter was a hit…spent time exploring there three days in a row.

Village Homestays

…on the 16th we travelled to Pang liu village for our homestays… it was also Joelle's birthday! leaders got her a cake and the group celebrated in the village…when we arrived, all the local kids were at the school to welcome us…the scene was truly heartwarming.

…our stay in the village was eventful…all the families were truly wonderful, and all our kids loved their host families…the bond between our kids and our host families could easily be seen…we learned calligraphy, chinese chess, and majiang…the group fell in love with chinese chess! chinese chess, or xiang qi, truly became a big part of our group culture…many students bought chess sets and the group is still playing the game as we speak.

…we worked really hard in the village…our kids worked in the watermelon patches…we worked with corn and helped out our host families with their daily chores…just about everyone cooked an American dish for their host families…we played a lot of ping pong.

…a group of kids from Tianjing also came to the village…we spent some good time with the Tianjing group…our kids sang “I'll Make a Man out of You” from Mulan and “I Believe I Can Fly” at the village farewell ceremony…Sebastien juggled ping pong balls! Brandon and Harper did the Soulja Boy dance for the village…that was a hit! on the last day, all the village kids and host families were there to see us off…nobody wanted to leave.

Cheng du/Earthquake site

…our train ride to Cheng du was fun…the kids talked politics the whole way…we bonded on a completely new level…some played cards…some played xiang qi…some just chilled…Tanisha and Daphney got everyone's attention by braiding hair…the train crew gathered around Tanisha as she proceeded to braid Daphney's hair...nice spontaneous cross-cultural exchange…got some much needed rest when we arrived…basically chilled for one day…Cheng du was cool because it rained that morning…group called home and we went out that night to get a taste of Cheng du street food…WE LOVED IT…really spicy, the really good kind of spicy…next day our group went to see the earthquake site…extremely rare opportunity as we had connections with local officials who led us into the site…our kids were completely shocked by what they saw…totally blown away, all of them…the long ride back to the hotel was filled with silence as the kids came to terms with what they had just seen.

…at evening meeting our students expressed their thoughts on what they experienced at the earthquake site…everyone said they realized that they were taking everything they had at home for granted…they were truly shocked by what they saw…some voiced amazement at how nature makes what we call human achievements seem insignificant…some wished their families could be there to see what had happened near Cheng du…everyone was thinking of their loved ones…the leaders told the group that they wished for everyone in the group to take stock, and to truly love and appreciate themselves, their families, their lives, and the vast potential that all their futures hold... the group had a wonderful evening meeting…the kind that only a trip like this can generate.

…the next day we went to one of the best schools in the city called De Yang… our students spent the whole day with the Chinese students there…then the leaders allowed the students to explore that area of town in small groups of three or more...this was a true testament to all that our kids have learned up till now…they all came back on time, happy, with many wonderful stories to tell…they earned it!

…overall, everybody, the group is doing great, and the trip has been awesome! We can’t wait to head to Hong Kong on Wednesday!

OK! That’s it for the general trip update. Student Notes to follow.

Student Notes

Daphney is a wonderful person. She is the person you want to talk to or be with when you are not feeling your best. She'll find a way to lift your spirits. Everyone just loves her personality. She is always looking for gifts to buy for her family!

Tanisha is really nice and cool. She is very kind and honest. The boys treat her as a sister. She is hard working. Even when she isn't feeling her best, she is able to give her best in the field. She’s a solider.

Joelle is a gifted Chinese learner. She always finds Chinese students to talk to. She is doing well with the fact that she is a vegetarian. She is always there when the leaders need her, and she always offers a helping hand to her fellow group members.

Harper loves hanging out with everyone. She is always with at least 3 or 4 other kids. She loves to play all the new games she is picking up on the trip. If you need someone to start an activity or lead a fun game, Harper is the person you want to ask!

Sebastien is a very smart person and a truly gifted ping pong player. He was finally defeated by a Chinese boy from the Tianjing group. He picked up Chinese chess very quickly. Within a week, he beat March! Sebastien is a really fun person to be around.

Jacob is a really helpful guy all around. The leaders love him—he always wants to help out with anything that needs to be done. He’s energetic, like the energizer bunny. He never complains about anything!

Alex is truly a wonderful person. He is always interested in learning new things. He is a very thoughtful young man. He has already been able to process and internalize much of what he has learned on this amazing journey through China. He was very moved at the earthquake site.

Brandon is a wonderful person. He’s like the leader’s third hand! He woke up early to help the leaders get the group moving so they could catch the train to Cheng du. He has been there for us so many times we’ve lost count! He had to make many adjustments coming to China, and we simply have to say he has done a great job.

Cole is a real trooper. He was under the weather for several days, and we were amazed at the maturity with which he handled the situation. He never complained! Cole is truly mature beyond his years. We can't thank him enough for the positive attitude which he has maintained throughout the entire trip. And one more thing about Cole that just happened today—a bunch of Chinese girls fought over who got to sit next to him during lunch!