Reflections on Hangzhou

(Andrew)

Wow. I cannot believe it has already been a week that we have been in Hangzhou. So many things have happened that need their own separate blogs, so I will just give a short synopsis of what my first impressions of Hangzhou and its people are.

At around 10am on 2/14, our train from Luoyang arrived at Hangzhou’s train station. Ironically exhausted after our overnight train ride and journey throughout China, we were greeted by a smiling delegation, composed of administration members, faculty, and our host siblings.

A Tale of Two High Schools

(Allen)

Time has really flown by since our arrival here at Hangzhou. Since arriving last Tuesday, we’ve been at the school for over a week. During that time, I’ve grown to appreciate DSHS a lot more…let me explain.

Hangzhou Seniors

(Mel)

Saturday night we met up for dinner followed by a stroll around a night market with the group who came to DS last year. It was really great to get to see Swan, Kevin, SR and Wang Fei again and to hear what they’re all up to now. Here in Hangzhou we’re all being hosted by sophomores so it’s hard to compare their classes to ours but having an opportunity to talk to seniors really got me thinking about the two school systems in a way that’s more relevant to our lives as seniors. So here’s a warning to any seniors who are reading this if you’re sick of hearing about the college process stop reading this blog now (but I think this could be a new spin that might make the whole thing seem more manageable!).

Luoyang and Nanjie (from the past)

(Emily)

The last stops on our journey were a bit surreal, and made our final destination all the more welcoming. In Luoyang, China's ongoing and uneven transition into the present was obvious; while other cities we've seen have been shining and modern, and surpass those of America and Europe, Luoyang semed in some ways to be stuck in the previous century. ( Not the eighteen hundreds. No horses or telegraph lines.) We passed block after block of raw, dusty earth masked by temporary walls, and unfinished, wounded-looking buildings whose metal supports arched into the air like exposed bone. At first, we thought the weather as just overcast, but it turned out that the sky in Luoyang is permanently smoggy. The entire effect was rather dystopic. It is at times like these--well, all the time, but especially times like these--that I wish I spoke more Chinese. Luoyang, while not a prime vacation spot, is still home to millions of people who must have some affection for it. The language barrier bars me from the human interactions that I'm sure would round out my impression of the city.

To Eat or Not to Eat…

(Joseph)

To eat or not to eat…

...but there is no question about eating in China, where everything, including the kitchen sink, gets eaten.

(I apologize in advance. So much of our experience here has been about eating and, although I hesitate to write twice about the same subject, I am blogging once again about the food and eating culture here in China. I promise to find another topic for my forthcoming blogs.)

Lists

(Emily)

I found the answers to two question that had been bothering me:

1. Question: How could you possibly slice a fish into perfectly even cubes while leaving the flesh attached to the skin and then get rid of all of the internal organs?
   Answer: You turn the fish inside out before you cook it.
2. Question: Why do the Chinese set off fireworks all the time?
   Answer: Because they can. Apparently fireworks aren't just for New Years or other holidays--you can set them off when you get married or at the launch of a new business.

Chinese Flash Mobs and Other Strange Behaviors

(Joseph)

Our team, or the mighty G.O.A.T.s (Going Overseas Adventure Team), had an…amusing time in Kunming, where we met Mr. Randy Hoover, Dover-Sherborn Middle School teacher. Randy was kind enough to take time out of his vacation to be our guide for a day and a half, and it was great to see a familiar and friendly face—with a mouth that spoke very good English.

When Randy mentioned the option of biking around Kunming, I must admit: my stomach dropped and my pulse quickened. If you have not already read my previous blog about driving in China, please do to appreciate my anxiety here. The thought of biking amidst a bunch of drivers to whom rules seem non-existent was not a welcome one, but Randy assured us that it would not be so bad, and that we, unlike the Chinese, would wear helmets for protection.

Transcendental Terracotta

(Mel)

As someone with a keen interest in ceramics, today’s activities were so awesome I’m still not totally convinced it happened. Seeing as yesterday’s flight got delayed by six hours we had a late start for our first full day in Xi’an but nevertheless (and not surprisingly) we were able to cram in lots of sight-seeing. The day was essentially a voyage to the terra cotta army but we made a few stops along the way.

Surreal Bowl XLVI, China-style

(Ed. Note: This is a special posting from Randy Hoover, geography teacher at D-S Middle School and 2004 Exchange Group member, currently on sabbatical in China.  Last week, Randy spent some time with our group in Kunming.  He sent this piece to NPR's Only a Game, where it aired on February 11.  See their website or listen to the audio HERE!)

It was already halftime by the time I got up and out of my apartment, rode my bike across Kunming and finally found O’Reilly’s Irish Pub, which to my knowledge was the only public establishment in the city that was screening Super Bowl XLVI, a.k.a. the revenge match-up between my beloved New England Patriots and the nasty New York Giants. As if it wasn’t disorienting enough to be going to an Irish pub in China to watch American football – my first and only game of the NFL season since arriving in August to teach English here for a year -- it really seemed weird that the air was not cold on Super Bowl Sun…make that Monday; a 7:29 a.m. start, China time – the 15th and final day of Chinese New Year celebrations.

A Day of Amazing Food in Xi'an

(Emily)

Today was a day of amazing food. Richard took us to the Muslim quarter for dinner--highlights included sticky rice with rainbow sprinkles, deep fried persimmon cakes, and indescribably delicious eggplants that Mel and I determined we could eat forever. They were in some kind of sweet, spicy, tangy, garlicky sauce, and melted in our mouths.

Free Coptive Anlimals (sic)

(Emily)


I was rather afraid that I would experience furry animal withdrawal while in China, but the country has exceeded my expectations and offered many animals, furry and otherwise, for my enjoyment. In Lijiang we went to a market that featured more vendors for the Lantern Festival. There were turtles, both large and small, for sale, as well as parakeets and another kind of bird that looked like a large wren with long tail feathers. We also saw a cage full of small Russian hamsters, which I hope were for pet purposes only (I have been telling myself that they are too small to be worth eating). One street vendor was selling live chickens, and many others were selling live fish who swam little circles in buckets on the streetside. One man had a cart with a cage full of live rabbits. On our way home we passed a girl and her mother feeding lettuce to a fluffy white baby rabbit who was about the size of a fist. It was incomprehensibly adorable.

Cultural Revolution II

(Andrew)

The morning started with a highly anticipated breakfast. For days all of us have been craving a western breakfast. Although all of the Eastern breakfasts we have had have all been excellent, nothing beats fruit and/or yogurt. So, as Mr. Hoover, and team GOAT entered the dining room, we all headed towards the yogurt and fruit. And it was delicious. The yogurt tasted just like Dannon yogurt, and it hit the spot nicely.

After our satisfying breakfast, Mr. Hoover led us to Wal-Mart.