On Oct. 4, we took a day trip east to Guang’an, the birthplace of influential Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) who led China into the era of “Reform and Opening”. The China we are visiting today might look very different had Deng not charted the course he did. A large…
On Oct. 2 we boarded a bus for a 2 ½ hour trip to Langzhong. In existence for more than two millennia, the small city has a picturesque, preserved/restored old quarter that attracts many visitors. The city is deemed to have an ideal feng shui location, nestled inside a meander…
This week we’ll document Monday’s introduction to taiji, a form of exercise that many Chinese people engage in regularly. Passing through parks or other public spaces, our morning landscape is populated with groups or individuals moving through one of several popular series of motions generally described as taiji. Many practice…
A cold snap had many of us shivering for most of this week. Language teachers helped us learn weather-related terms that distinguish among degrees of weather (rain shower, heavy rain, thunderstorm, etc.). The week’s lectures had us thinking about everything from education to geography to rural/urban issues in the New…
We started out last week with an introduction to Chinese folk songs. After helping us practice two songs, we got to hear other songs performed by several highly-talented CWNU student singers. Other lectures this week covered the role of women in Chinese society, contemporary Chinese history, and an introduction to…
Our first week of classes went by quickly. Rain brought a welcome break in the extreme heat of our first days here. We meet in the main classroom building on China West Normal University’s decade-old “new campus”. Most of us arrive by public bus, usually a 20-35 minute ride. Most…
We’ll start back with a few pictures from our Sept. 4 train ride from Chengdu to Nanchong. After passing the security checks at the entrance of the train station, we funneled into the waiting area designated for our train. There Becca seized an opportunity for cross-cultural learning and got a…
Continuing with activities from our first weekend: After Saturday’s lunch, we headed back to Tianfu Square in the center of Chengdu. There we met up with Chinese students and divided into four teams . We spent the next five-six hours with our Chinese hosts. Hopping on and off buses, walking…
Catching up with posts from our first weekend: The bus from the airport took us right to our hostel, located in a bustling neighborhood marked by the touristy Jinli Alley, the Wu temple complex, Tibetan shops and many stores carrying Western brand name camping gear. The first evening we took…
The first 48 hours in China were busy ones. This morning (Sunday) we boarded a fast train for Chengdu. We packed as much of our luggage as we could in Wang Ying’s minivan and then took a small fleet of taxis to the Haigui/Sea Turtle Language Learning Center. After a…
