Thursday, April 7
Our last full day in Beijing started out cool and windy. We travelled to the Summer Palace where emperors and their courts used to go to get away from the summer heat of central Beijing. We wandered the grounds and gardens, crossed the seventeen arch bridge and traversed The Long Corridor. We returned to school for lunch and free time to pack for our Friday flight. Later in the afternoon we attended the signing ceremony for Lake Shore and Haidian Foreign Language Shi Yan School's long term cooperative agreement. After dinner at the school, we took a bus tour of Beijing at night to see the Olympic builings all lit up.
Wednesday, April 6
We started our day with shopping at the Silk Market, where they sell silk, pearls, clothing, electronics - and everything under the sun. Then we walked down Wangfujing Street - an exclusive shopping area like Rodeo Drive. We enjoyed lunch at McDonald's, then walked down a side street selling exotic snacks and more souvenirs! We ended our day back at the school with a Chinese-American student summit.
Tuesday, April 5
Students returned from staying with host families today at about 2 pm. We all meet for dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe - Beijing and share stories about our experiences.
Saturday, April 2
We started our day at the fabulous Purple Bamboo Park. It was cool but sunny and thousands of Beijingers were in the park singing with an orchestra, practicing tai chi and ballroom dancing, learning to tango, etc. We joined in! After the park we visited the Beijing Zoo and saw the Giant Pandas. We finished our day at school - with a performance given by Hunter's class - our visitors from last fall. We connected with our host families and left to enjoy the long weekend with them.
*Since students are gone until Tuesday, we will post some of their pictures when they return.
*Since students are gone until Tuesday, we will post some of their pictures when they return.
Friday, April 1
It was cloudy and chilly in Beijing today, but we enjoyed a visit to the 2008 Olympic venues anyway. We toured the Bird's Nest and Water Cube with snack and souvenir shopping opportunities at each. Next we rode the subway to meet our bus which took us to explore a hutong (a traditional Chinese neighborhood.) Then it was back to the school to enjoy a little down time before dinner at 5:30. There was a fantastic musical performance given by different groups from throughout the school in the evening.
Thursday, March 31
The students started their day at 6:40, with exercise on the field with their host students. They shadowed the Haidian students all day, and finished the day with a championship basketball tournament. Lake Shore was the victor! Lake Shore teachers presented lessons to the Haidian students today, too.
Wednesday, March 30
This morning we visited the Temple of Heaven. After lunch at a nearby KFC, each adult took two students into the Pearl Market for an hour and a half of shopping and bargaining. Beats headphones were the big hit! After our shopping excursion we went to Jingshan Park which is north of the Forbidden City. Jingshan is a beautiful park with a hill overlooking the Forbidden City - great views! Then we headed back to the school to play basketball with our Haidian friends.
Tuesday March 29
We were up and on the road early to the Great Wall - it was a long hike, but well worth it. (read more about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badaling) After returning to school, we watched a tea ceremony with our Haidian friends.
Monday, March 28
It was another gorgeous day in Beijing - 62 degrees and sunny all day.
After breakfast in the school cafeteria, we gathered at the Haidian Schools' Welcome Center for speeches and a video about Haidian Shi Yan foreign language school. We all received a school jacket as a gift. We participated in the morning assembly and then went to classes with the Chinese students. After lunch we had some free time, then had Chinese dance and singing classes.Then we met and spent some time with our host students.
The primary teachers and principal treated us to a fabulous feast at a local restaurant which included the famous Peking Duck.
After breakfast in the school cafeteria, we gathered at the Haidian Schools' Welcome Center for speeches and a video about Haidian Shi Yan foreign language school. We all received a school jacket as a gift. We participated in the morning assembly and then went to classes with the Chinese students. After lunch we had some free time, then had Chinese dance and singing classes.Then we met and spent some time with our host students.
The primary teachers and principal treated us to a fabulous feast at a local restaurant which included the famous Peking Duck.
Sunday March 27
We started our first full day in Beijing with breakfast in the school cafeteria, then hopped on the school's bus for a trip to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We enjoyed a sack lunch and then returned to the school where we painted masks to look like the face painting used in the Chinese Opera. Next we met up with our Haidian friends, had dinner and used the internet.
Saturday, March 26
WOW! That was a long trip, from KMS at 4:00 am on Friday to Detroit Metro airport, to Chicago O'Hare airport to finally arrive in Beijing on SATURDAY March 26 at 4 pm.
Staff members from Haidian Foreign Language School met us and brought us to the school where they had a wonderful welcome dinner ready for us.
Stay tuned - we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow...
Staff members from Haidian Foreign Language School met us and brought us to the school where they had a wonderful welcome dinner ready for us.
Stay tuned - we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow...