Rain, Rain, Go Away! Today was our first day of rain and it felt good and refreshing after all the heat we have been experiencing. The only downfall is walking in it! Counting was our focus in language class today so I can now count the rain drops as they hit the window! We were also taught the Chinese characters for each number so we can write and recognize numbers. I feel very accomplished for learning what we have in such a short time! We have an excellent and very patient teacher. 

This afternoon we traveled by bus 2 hours from the campus. We drove through beautiful, green, fog covered mountains. Houses and buildings are scattered about and built into the mountains. The fog gives the scenery an air of mystery and the shrubbery an ancient feel. It was great to explore outside of the city and I can't wait to view more! 

We have arrived in Shehong for the weekend to teach English in a local school. I'm am curious to see how it compares to the wonderful schools we visited in the city. So far the welcoming has been just as great! We learned a little about the school which is a K-9 school employing around 228 teachers! We were also able to meet with some of the teachers to discuss our lessons for the upcoming days and watch the flag ceremony at the end of the students school day. They treated us to a wonderful, very fancy dinner afterwards. There were over 25 dishes on the table at one point so there was definitely no way you could go away hungry! We exchanged toasts and pleasantries in the traditional Chinese style to thank our wonderful hosts. Afterwards we walked down by the river along the walkway. It was a very relaxing evening and the weather was perfect! 

We talked our new friends into letting us do a little window shopping and exploration of the area then we headed back to the hotel to partake in some mahjong. It is a game very similar to Rummy and is a game of strategy, which I really enjoy. It was a good way to get to know some of our new friends and they were happy to teach us. 

I look forward to tomorrow and the experience it will bring! Isaac, Mrs. Reitman, and I will be evaluating the 9th graders on their English. We will look at their reading, oral, and comprehension skills. They have had English classes for many years so it is a good year to test their knowledge. I hope I can encourage them to keep learning! 

Yet another wonderful day here in Chongqing! Language class was very fun this morning! We acted out a very simple scene and video taped it. After several takes and cuts we mastered our acting which, I'm sure, was nothing short of grammy award winning. It was a very interactive and good a way to expand our comprehension of our new language. I noticed today after class I was even able to pick up a few words in the conversations I heard on the street!

Yesterday, I learned the hard way not to wear flats (dress shoes) so today I dressed smarter for our school visit. We were able to visit an elementary school and what an experience that was! The school we visited was downtown and has over 1000 students. There are approximately 300 in each grade, and 50 in each class. We arrived right after the rest/nap time and the children were partaking in the singing of English songs. There was so much energy and enthusiasm in the singing and dancing! I heard songs ranging from "Little Indians" to "B-I-N-G-O" throughout the school. After they finished, children filled the hallway like we were famous! Surrounding us wanting to talk, shake hands, and give hi fives! It was crazy! We had to quickly make our way up the stairs after a few minutes of this! 

We observed in a 4th grade English class during our visit. The lesson was very well prepared and very engaging. The energy level in the classroom is very apparent and students were eager to learn. Students sat boy, girl, boy, girl in rows, and with only one signal students were on task and listening. The teachers do not have a desk in the classrooms, only a podium. Instead they have a teachers' office in another part of the school. The teacher was teaching the students about farm life and animals. She did so by modeling what she expected, having the students act out scenes, repetition, by playing the sounds of animals, songs, utilizing word families, drawing, and much more! It was great to see the children practicing out loud without embarrassment; students helped and encouraged one another.

We ended the school visit with some interaction with students in the library. They showed me how to write some calligraphy, sang some songs to us, and we taught different dances and games to each other. It was very enjoyable and the students really liked practicing their English and hanging out with us. It was interesting to see that they have different versions of some of the same games such as "Duck, Duck, Goose!" 

Some of our language partners visited the school with us and were then able to do a little shopping with us before dinner. The prices of clothes are very comparable to the US but for the most part other things are very cheap! We ate dinner in a restaurant outside of campus tonight thanks to the help of our language partners. Afterwards we met with a group of nutrition students expecting to answer questions about our diets but instead we engaged in conversation and went shopping again! It turned out to be a great night and some of us found some great buys. It is always nice to have someone along who speaks the language so they can bargain for us! We are making so many new friends who I hope to keep in contact with!

Tomorrow is another big day. We have our morning language class, possibly a school visit, and then we are headed a couple of hours outside of the city to teach English for the weekend! 

I don't even know where to begin today! It has been a very busy and informative day! I guess I'll just go in order of occurrence. So first off, in language class I received my Chinese name, Qiao Xuewen, which means snow, pure, and innocent. Apparently it is a very pretty name given to girls. Our teacher took a lot of time translating our English names, looking at the meanings and I think we are all happy with our new names! :) My vocabulary is increasing by the day and I am excited to learn more! I have also integrated into society and I now have a QQ account which is like Facebook for China. I can communicate with my new friends now! 

In the afternoon we visited our first school. We visited a high school which boards 2/3 of its 5000 students! It was like visiting a college! There were three dorms for the students to stay in, two cafeterias, many basketball courts, soccer fields, and other areas for activity. They have one large high school building and one large middle school building with many levels. When we arrived they had Tai chi classes going on and children were shooting hoops (such a contrast!). We were able to observe in a 10th grade English class and a 7th grade interpersonal skills class. 

There were about 55 students in the English class and it was taught by one teacher. I can't imagine having that many students! They were reading passages and answering questions, summarizing, and going over vocabulary while we were there. The desks were filled with books and small containers to hold belongings for more convenience. Students have lockers but like to keep everything by their desk so they have easy access as the students stay in one classroom for their lessons. The teachers are actually the ones who rotate through the school which is opposite of American schools. The classrooms contained a reading corner, projector, tv, rows of desks, and a few decorations on the walls. The students were really well behaved! They barely looked away from the teacher when we walked in! It was interesting and I was very impressed that the class was taught in all English with very little Chinese. Students were bashful at first but eager to talk when we approached them. They spoke in English very well!

In the 7th grade class, the students were learning how to interact with each other and to work cooperatively in groups. Apparently like most middle schoolers they don't have much experience working with the opposite sex, they like to segregate and often like to be alone. This class is designed to help them gain interpersonal skills. They were playing a game similar to Jeopardy and had to risk money in order to answer questions. They worked in a group and each member had their own job to do. Everyone clapped for each other and were very excited to play. It seemed to be a popular activity! We were swarmed by the students at the end of their class. They were eager to ask us questions and practice their English. Once again I was very impressed with their skill level! My throat was parched by the time I managed to squeeze out of the classroom! 

On the way out we witnessed part of the school's basketball competition going on. It was fun to watch the students interact and cheer! I think it is good that they have time for fun because a lot of pressure is put on Chinese students to be successful in school and to work hard. There are characters on the lawn that translate to "make your country proud" and "study hard." Students who don't board at the school can leave at 5:00 pm and those who stay have class until around 9:20 pm. They have very long days and are preparing for their very important college entrance exam. 

This evening we were invited by our language teacher to attend his class with his education students. The class was very welcoming and anxious to exchange ideas. We went in expecting to listen to his lecture on what makes a good teacher but were soon in the middle of deep discussion and conversation on the comparisons of the Chinese and American education systems. Jessica and I were able to exchange questions with the students about our two contrasting systems. Students surrounded us eager to ask questions and very engaged in what I had to share! Jessica talked to a group of about 15 students and I talked to the other of about the same amount. It was an awesome class and I hope to go back! It was interesting to learn that: 
- teachers are highly valued, their position is repsected above all other careers
- their is little to no parent involvement 
- mainly whole class instruction with occasional small discussion groups; teacher mainly stands in front of class and lectures while students take notes
- they said they would have liked to have the option of studying a foreign language or not, and which one to study; they think they had bad foreign language instruction (yet they spoke very well! ) 
- the education major students learn more about the theories of education and content rather than how to teach
- they only student teach for 6 weeks and are only in the schools a few times before that; their first visit was during their junior year
- they only teach one subject 
- evaluation of the teacher is based on grades and performance of the student, they can receive bonuses
- each class has a monitor, which is a student chosen by classmates to represent the class and lead, they are often called on to speak for the class

During part of the class we took a break and talked about some of the stereotypes of Americans and Chinese people and compared the two cultures. This was another fascinating topic! 

Some things about the culture:
- food and drink is always served hot or warm, coldness upsets their stomachs
- when at a party they stand in a circle, represents harmony 
- Grandparents watch the children 
- they don't want to be tan, lighter skin is better (umbrellas are used to block the sun) 

I survived my first language class! Basically I am fluent now! ;) It is very hard to hear the difference in what I am saying. My tone sounds the same to me and it is hard to identify when I am mispronouncing words. I have to say I am improving though because you can only go up when you start out as a blank slate and my vocabulary is increasing! Meeting with our language partners I was introduced to more words and phrases. It is very fun conversing with them and they are excited to share and teach us! I enjoy learning from them and am fascinated by their personalities. They were teaching us some phrases and ways that we should laugh in our classes so we can be sarcastic and joke with our teachers as long as we didn't tell who we learned from! I also survived my first culture class over the education system. It was interesting to hear about the history and how education has professed over time. 

Today at the market I had my first experience with the Chinese squatting toilet and I have to say I survived! It's really not that bad just an adjustment. I also got the chance to make a fool of myself playing a Chinese version of Just Dance in an arcade. I am glad we won't be seeing the people who witnessed that again because I wasn't very good! We also stopped by a McDonalds and I ordered a McFlurry all by my self with hand gestures and pointing to signs. The McFlurry was very goo! It contained Carmel, chocolate, and nuts and was quite refreshing! 

Tomorrow is another big day and marks our first visit to a school. I am excited to see how the classrooms are set up and to see some of the routines. 

The Welcome Ceremony was very nice this morning! It was set up like a formal meeting and speeches and gifts were given followed by a group photo. We also were able to meet with the dean of education and trade information on our different programs. They have about 3000 students in their graduating class in the field of education ALONE! It was interesting to hear some students have tuition paid for and in return they are committed to teaching in certain areas for 10 years. Students here also have the freedom to travel as far as they want to student teach. It was neat to compare and contrast our two programs. I think it would an awesome opportunity for students to come here to visit the schools and live for a few weeks! It is a great opportunity to be a part of this pilot program to help set that up :)

My Chinese is improving! Today I learned how to count to five, say "my name is," "what is your name?" And "not spicy! " I am now also aware that words take on new meanings with different tones and that there are specific levels of tones for each word. For example the word for "mom" in one tone is mom but in another it means horse. This just made learning a whole lot more complicated but very fascinating! I can also identify characters for numbers 1-3. It is easier to learn when you are emerged in the culture and may need the phrases for survival! I was surprised when I arrived that most everyone dresses like typical Americans. A lot of women dress nicely though and wear lots of heels. Its crazy that they are able to walk so much in their heels up and down the hills! I am jealous of some of the dresses I have seen and can't wait to go shopping! The sizes of clothes are very different here since everyone is so fit and healthy. An XXL here in China is comparable to a M in the US! The length of clothes are also shorter. Makes a person feel a little big! 

After lunch we took part in our first culture seminar over the past, present, and future of Chongqing. It actually flew by because it was so interesting. I think since it is all new to me it is more appealing. The history of Chongqing is very vast and colorful. We have been wondering why it is always so hazy and foggy and come to find out it is known as the foggy city. I know exploring the town will give me a better understanding of its present. Tomorrow we are scheduled for our first language class which I am actually excited about. In the afternoon we will also have a seminar over the education system here in China. 

Things I learned today: 
- hair appliances like curling irons heat up super fast and get hotter than at home. I learned the hard way and lost a chunk of hair this morning! :( 
- crossing the road by foot becomes easier with practice! 

Finally my jet lag has worn off and I am ready for the next few exciting days. Tomorrow marks the beginning of our culture classes and hopefully some new relationships! I think these classes will be very enjoyable and informative. I can't wait to try out my kungfu and cooking skills in these seminars!

The two girls, Vicki and Michelle (English names), have been very helpful in acting as our tour guides and translators. It has been fun getting to know them through conversation. Today Michelle took some of us on a tour of the campus and we got to see first hand how beautiful it is. There are all kinds of activities going on and we have gotten the chance to see a variety of events. Graduation was this weekend even though they have a month left in school so we saw lots of students in their gowns posing for photos. We even had people come up to us a few times taking our pictures! There were students dressed up in anime costumes on one of the soccer fields and they had booths where students could get their fortune read or play a game. There was also a small kungfu competition going on so we witnessed a few students trying their hand with the numchucks. (Seeing them compete reminded me of Americans going to basketball practice or competing in a horse show; everyone has their own skills and participates in what they want. I think I tend to over generalize when I think about who does what and assume that since a culture is known for something then everyone of that culture does it.) It all resembled a small fair and apparently they have activities like this every weekend. In another area we saw people participating happily in a game of musical chairs. 

The campus is very pretty with the mountains in the background and greenery everywhere you go. We have seen all kinds of vegetation and plants. There are gorgeous little parks to take a "rest." There are "playgrounds" with soccer fields, volleyball courts, tennis, badminton, ping pong, basketball, a track and much more. The apartment buildings of the campus are very close to the buildings containing the classes so it is hard to tell one from the other but the buildings have very unique architecture. It is a 40 minute walk from one side of the campus to the other so you can tell it is very large. Michelle treated us to a ride on the shuttle once we had walked quite a ways from where we are staying. 

I have to say my chopsticks skills still come and go but I am improving. You kind of just have to jump in and try things to learn! Tomorrow should be a big day with lots of new experiences. 

Things I learned today: 

- traditionally it is the boys job to drive and chauffeur the girls 
- there are only certain times during the day when we have access to hot water (cold showers are the worst!) 
- I can recognize the character for and say the word "water" in Chinese :) 
- the market is always busy on the weekend! 
- don't rely on wifi to communicate with family back home 
- traveling in a large group can  be slow 
- airports don't take good care of your luggage :( 
- the iPad camera works as a great mirror! 

Wow! Day 3! At least I think that's what day we are on. Traveling has put my time clock a little off and made the days blend together but now that we are to our final destination I think I will get accustomed quite quickly! I feel like I have traveled through time with the time change. I've already been exposed to many new experiences and have soo much to share. I can't seem to capture enough on my camera and our experience has only just begun! 

I have only traveled in a plane once before and it was just a domestic flight from Evansville to Florida but I can honestly say I'm an experienced air traveler now! I know now to always initiate conversation with the person sitting next to you so it's not an awkward flight and you can ask them how to lean your seat back when you can't figure it out. Grab a cart in the airport when you can to push your luggage or else your arms will be tired. Also flight attendants keep you more than satisfied with the frequent meals and beverages. I think my favorite meal was that from the Japanese airline. It included fish and rice, soup, a box of assorted japanese cuisine and it was topped off with frozen custard! Most of the meals were full meals like this; I think I would gain a lot of weight if I was a frequent flyer! It was like I was being pampered on the flights with the warm wash clothes being handed out, personal TVs, music, snacks, meals, beverages, pillow and blanket. I also liked how we had electronic maps displaying our location and how far we had left to travel. They also showed our ground speed (528 mph at one point!) and altitude (32000 ft). I think I could get used to the lifestyle of a traveling business man! 

I have to say the view from the plane was amazing! I was lucky enough to be near or next to a window during most of the flights. I found it interesting to view the mountains, icy waters near Alaska, and to be able to compare the different landscapes of America, Japan, and China. You can see a difference in the way the communities are set up even from above! In Japan fields seem to be separate from housing and look very organized and in China many red buildings stood out, even one in the mountains!

The longer we traveled the more apparent our tiredness became and was demonstrated through our corny jokes and tired voices and eyes. I was very grateful to have someone along who is fluent in Chinese and accustomed to the culture to make our travels much smoother and to gain easier access to important information. Also by seeing some of the different interactions take place I was able to watch facial expressions even if I didn't know what they were saying it was interesting. 

We were happily greeted by two Southwest University students in Chongqing who were eager to practice their english. Talking to them has been very pleasant and I was able to ask questions and they were able to view some of our habits during a trip to the market.  I think the funniest and most interesting question they asked me, real quietly, was why the boys weren't helping the girls carry their bags. I think there are a lot of cultural differences that  will stand out in the days to come that will make me think. The professor who greeted us and took care of us when we arrived has also been very friendly and actually quiet entertaining with his jokes and personality. I feel very comfortable here thanks to their warm greetings and eagerness to help. 

Being here I feel like I'm famous. Even though I know it's just because I am American and have blonde hair, I still enjoy the little kids pointing me out to the parents with big smiles! We definitely stood out in the market. Driving in China has also been an experience. I am told the rules of the road are similar to those in America but I get the feeling they are more of a guideline as everything seems to be organized chaos. Bikes, mopeds, pedestrians, and taxis all flow together. Horns are honked not in anger but as a curtesy for the safety of others. It's kinda like "I'll watch out for you if you watch for me." This shows me a sense of community. We tried out our luck crossing the roads by foot and I think we will soon be a part of the flow with a little more practice. 

I can't wait to get my luggage tomorrow (it was delayed in Japan when one of our flights was late, always pack extra cloths in your carry on!) and to get wifi set up so I can communicate with my parents and friends. I am also anxious to explore the city more, engage in more conversations with the students, and experience Chonqing! But first I am eager to get a good nights rest! 

Ni hao! I am pleased to have the opportunity to share my journey with you! My flight to China takes off in less than a week and I am anxiously preparing: learning essential phrases to benefit my travels, collecting information about the area, and calming my families’ nerves!

This opportunity has come about fast and I have been and will continue to embrace all that it has to offer. With absolutely no experience with the Chinese language or culture this trip is guaranteed to be a learning experience! I am particularly curious to see how the Chinese education system compares to the US system I am familiar with. Visiting the schools will provide me with a unique opportunity to see first-hand some of the classroom procedures and curriculum. I hope to use the information I learn to help me become a better, more cultured teacher/citizen in the future.

I get to share my experience with a wonderful team of USI students and we have two very supportive faculty members graciously guiding our experience. We have been equipped during weekly meetings and reassured all along the way. I am confident that everything will work out and that this will be a successful trip thanks to the careful consideration and preparations made for us. I can’t wait to see how our friendships develop and grow not only with my team but with those I meet along the way!

I am eager to learn about the culture I will be surrounded by and I have been reflecting on my own culture and traditions recollecting memories and stories I want to share. I hope I can successfully communicate my life, heritage and background with those I encounter in the positive way it deserves. I am a little nervous about being in front of so many people yet I am curious to hear about their lives!

I imagine the excitement I feel now will only be multiplied in the weeks to come! I can’t wait to celebrate my birthday over sees, walk on the Great Wall, and partake in all this once in a lifetime venture has to offer (cultural and language classes, authentic food, language partners, classroom visits, historical landmarks, the list goes on). All of the site seeing and tourist attractions are eagerly awaiting me!

My exciting journey to China commences in a short week and I hope you will follow along as we travel over 6837 miles to China and back!