2011+China+Trip

Student Survey (feedback for the trip)
==Group singing at farewell party at Shanghai At MICDS video 1(上外附中) video 2(MICDS) video 3 (上外附中)==

= Photo Bazaar( 你得用 MICDS a/c 登录 to upload 照片). Only accessible with MICDS a/c. = media type="custom" key="9918483"

Wednesday, June 29, 2011 (Day 14)
==It was hard to believe that it was our last day of the trip. Students had mixed feelings. One one hand, we felt sad to leave; on the other hand, we were glad to see family. We visited Beijing Zoo to see pandas, followed by walking around "hutong" and went souvenir shopping at the Silk Market. Perhaps the combination of the weather and the visiting time, pandas were all sleeping. One student commented that it would be nice to see pandas moving around. Oh, well.== ==Next stop was to see the traditional brick-stone houses in Beijing, called hutong. Walking in between the small alleys, people living in hutong share commune restrooms. There were hutongs in Shanghai too. In comparison to the architecture style in Shanghai, houses in Beijing provide antique tone.== ==Taking a taxi is not an easy job in Beijing. We heard that taxis can’t stop in some areas and some taxi drivers did not know where our hotel is, even showing them the map. So, metro is the alternative for getting around the city. Metro in Shanghai is based on distance while it’s by entry in Beijing. Another advantage for taking a metro is to avoid the traffic conjunction. Our final destination of the trip is “silk market” which is a seven floor plaza filled with small stalls. Haggling is a must. When we were in Shanghai, students had fun bargaining in Dongtai anqique market. Vendors were much aggressive here so shopping for good deals were not as pleasant. Last but not the least, getting five taxis at the silk market was difficult so we took metro and taxi from the metro station to our hotel instead. It was our first time experiencing the “sardine like” crowds in the metro, which one must push or squeeze to stay in.==

Tuesday, June 28 (day 13)
==It was our last day of an arranged tour, climbing Great Wall and visiting Ming Tomb where thirteen emperors from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 )were buried. It was an excited day because we would be one of the "hero" climbing the Great Wall. Our tour guide explained to us that The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built originally to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire against intrusions by various nomadic groups. Several walls have been built since the 5th century BC that are referred to collectively as the Great Wall, which has been rebuilt and maintained from the 5th century BC through the 16th century. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220-206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. The Great Wall stretches for 8512 kilometers (5500 miles). The distance from NY to LA is 2400 miles, so the distance of the Great Wall is equivalent of driving back and forth between NY and LA.== ==Badaling Great Wall is situated 43 miles north of Beijing. This section has the average altitude of over 1000 meters (3282 feet). The platform we climbed up to is 880 meters high, with the steep slop, about 50 degree. We all made it to the top, enjoying the breeze on the sweat after the hard work of climbing. One student commented that it was more challenging to go down, that one might need both hands on the hand rail to avoid falling.==



Monday, June 27 (Day 12)
==It was comfortable sleeping on the train. We arrived at 7:24 in the morning. Since it was too early to check in the hotel, we could only left our luggage there. Our first stop of the day was Tiananmen square, followed by Forbidden City. It took us over 3 hours to tour around the two places. In retrospect, it could have been better to have some downtime before the tour of Beijing. Lunch was served at a nice restaurant in a club where students could order their food. Then, we visited the Temple of Heaven where the emperors made offerings to the God for harvest. It was nice to have some rest before attending the traditional Chinese staged drama, Peking Opera.==

Thursday, June 23 (Day 8)
==It was hard to believe that we were half way of our trip in China. A Chinese saying goes "Rest is to walk further". Students were glad to sleep in this morning after a non-stop and fun day yesterday in Suzhou. It was a hands-on cooking class, making spring rolls and dumplings in the afternoon. Later in the evening, SFLS arranged a farewell party for us at a lovely restaurant, changyang gongguan长阳公馆. At the end of the dinner, students from both schools went up to the stage to sing. Our group sang "Firework by Katie Perry". You can click the link below to watch the singing.== ==Since it was the last night for students staying in school (students will go to host family Friday afternoon), we went to The Bund to see the spectacular night view of Shanghai. Taking a taxi there and back was not an easy job for the group of 17 but we made it. The night view along the Bund was amazing. Most buildings were lit up and you could also see the flashing Neon light on the ferry along the river.== ==Despite of the unforgettable "carnival of light" in modern Shanghai, after the long stroll in the humid weather, students were tired and hungry. So, we hopped in McDonald to refuel and enjoy the air-conditioning. Some students were talking that Pizza Hut and McDonald in Shanghai also sell noodles, not just fast food. Interesting observation. Learning is not limited to the classroom. Not only did students sharpen their skills of Chinese language, but also experienced the authentic culture by being around with local people.== == ==

= Wednesday, June 22 (Day 7) = ==Visiting Zhangjigang Foreign Language School (ZFLS), west of Shanghai, about 1.5 hour of drive is another highlight of the trip. ZFLS arranged their students to accompany our students around the campus. Not only do our kids interacted with their buddies, but also had a chance to meet a group of grade-level kids.== ==These little guys gave their "craft work" to us as welcome gifts. After classes, we all made wontons together as today was the beginning of the summer in the lunar calendar. Our kids did a good job of making wontons which are part of the buffet lunch. After lunch, we had a friendly basketball game before heading to our next stop, Suzhou where we saw the traditional design of garden architect. The history of Suzhou dated way back 2500 years. Today, a handful of the city's original 100 gardens have been restored. We visited the Tiger Hill which is a giant burial mound created for the king in the 6th-century BC. The leaning Yunyan Pagoda, built in the 10th century, stands atop Tiger Hill. Our tour guide said that Yunyan Pagoda is leaning half way in comparison to the Pisa Tower in Italy. The octagonal seven-story structure is built entirely of brick. Due to the rainy weather, it was hot and humid. So, everyone was happy to get back to the air-conditioned bus. On the way back to school, some students were singing aloud on the bus for entertainment, like a karaoke on the go when the night curtain dropped.==





= Tuesday, June 21 (Day 6) =

= Everyone was exhausted today after all of the activity yesterday and getting 15 kids out of bed this morning for 8 am breakfast was quite a chore. It was a light day today with introduction to tea and paper cutting class in the morning and Peking opera mask design in the afternoon. The culture classes have been a lot of fun for everyone and we continue to learn more about China everyday. =

= The kids were able to go to the bank and use their language skills to withdraw money from machines and human tellers. Later, the "parents" (Ms. Childs and Mr. Huewe) had an official dinner with representatives of the school and we gave kids permission to explore in the vicinity of the neighborhood in their groups, which is very safe. Some opted to snack at Pizza Hut and Starbucks while the more adventurous hit some of the street vendors. One lucky group of five was able to bargain their way to a discounted group rate for a one hour Chinese massage. It was apparently quite an experience. Tomorrow we have a field trip to Suzhou to see some more traditional Chinese settings. =

= Monday, June 20 (Day 5) =

=We started our day by attending classes. First, students were introduced to the diversity of Shanghai such as areas of attractions, local delicacy as well as some Shanghai dialect. Later, as you can see from the picture below, students were practicing calligraphy. In their class, they learned that high quality of ink smells nice and takes 8 years to produce. Then, the whole group took off to take the metro to go to the highlight of the day, Dongtai antique market where you bargain to get a good deal. Students practiced "bargain 101" ahead of time so they knew how to cut down price. One student in particular is so good at it that he is our "king of bargain". The buyer and seller talked back and forth for the best price. Even though they sound like arguing, especially the face of the seller turning upset, it was a happy ending and they took a photo together after the purchase.=





Sunday, June 19 (Day 4)
=Everyone arrived back to the dorm after a weekend full of activity with their host families. We were able to share with each other our stories and laugh hysterically at the wide range of topics (bathroom variety, exotic delicacies, karaoke, awkward moments, local dialect/language struggles and success). Overall it sounded like a weekend they will never forget. We are proud of how well everyone has adapted to the surroundings and made the most of the experience. We look forward to classes tomorrow and an excursion to downtown followed by the renowned Shanghai Circus.= = =

= Saturday, June 18 (Day 3) = =Students were staying their host family over the weekend while SFLS arranged a tour for chaperons to ZhouZhuang, a water town, north of Shanghai, about one hour away by car. Zhouzhuang has a nickname, Venice in China.= ==

Friday, June 17 (Day 2)
=We were scheduled for the tour of Shanghai, including The Bund (Foreign concession/British concession), the Global Financial Center for the view of Shanghai, lunch at Zhengda Square and a cruise ride on Huangpu river. On the way to our first stop, students learned how to say "sai che" in Chinese, meaning traffic jam. We were told that it is not easy to get around Shanghai by car due to the traffic jam even in off-peak time. June is the rain season here and it rained on and off through the day. Even though it was not ideal to have the city view from high above as we were not able to see clearly from over 400 meters down on the street due to the weather, it was a new experience to take the elevator up to the 94th floor (423 plus meters=1387 feet) in 66 seconds. Due to the fast speed, the sudden pressure change is like flight descending from high altitude. Before we headed down, we did a group picture. It took some efforts for the whole group to have a perfect picture. The girl who took the picture kept arranging our positions, switching in between front and back. When she finally clicked the button, we could not help laughing when we heard "whiskey" to show our smile.=

=SFLS had a reception for us, so students could meet their counterparts before going to the host family. Excitement mixed with uncertainty showed up on their faces as their adventure was about to start. Patrick and I were flying from one student to another to go through final reminders, making sure they did not forget important items. All of them kept our number on their cellphone so they can contact us anytime when needed over the weekend.=

Group photo at the Global Financial Center (the group photo will be scanned and sent once returning home)

Top of the World's Highest Observatory (The global financial center)



Cruise ride on Huangpu River



= Thursday, June 16 (Day 1) = = We are here safe and sound. Flight from St. Louis was delayed due to the bad weather in Chicago. As soon as we landed in Chicago, we jumped immediately to the international flight, then arrived at Pudong Int'l Airport on time. Even the flight took 13 hours, students were well-behaved, complimented by the flight attendant. = = SFLS had a tour bus taking our luggage while we took the the magnetic levitated train (Maglev) to school. One student was excited to take the train when she knew that the train does not touch the track and can reach the speed of 431 kilometers per hour, about 431 Kilometers per hour. =

= The first photo shows the speed 430 km/h and 385 km/h on 3:21pm. The second photo was taken at the Pudong international airport upon arrival at Shanghai. More to follow. =

==

= 外国语大学附属外国语学校 (Shanghai Foreign Language School, SFLS) = 上海市虹口区中山北一路295号 电话号码: 65423105 用 Google/Google Earth 看学校在哪儿.

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Reference website: http://www.crossculturaladventures.com/

中文wiki: http://chinese.wikispaces.micds.org/

Thomas, 手机：13818018825 办公室：021-65423105转635

建议： 1. AT&T 有国际电话package, turned off DATA to avoid roaming fee 2. 告诉学生别比较房间大小