Day 7: Art Museum, Beijing, Group Departs

Day 7: Rounding 3rd Base

This is my first time giving an update starting with the previous day's activities, but we hadn't a huge break in the day to post like I had yesterday. So let's cap off last night first.

GREAT MOSQUE AND MUSLIM STREET

We began the evening by traveling to the Great Mosque in Xi'an, which was built by one of the emperors as a gift for the Muslims there who defended him against a coup. The most interesting part of the mosque was the notion that there was NO Islamic architecture except for the mihrab. Additionally, there was hardly any Arabic script in there. After traveling in Turkey and seeing the script everywhere (for those of you keeping score, their language uses Latin-based script rather than Arabic spelling). However, in all the mosques (primarily Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia), the Arabic is everywhere. Here - hardly at all. The place was pretty difficult to take photos, so I'll try and see if anybody got a good one of the group and post it here.

Muslim Street was quite fun. Think of the experience of a street fair, and multiply it many fold. It took a good 45 minutes to travel through the place at a solid pace - of course, the occasional stop to purchase some shish kebab or another snack (I bought yogurt, candy, and a lovely phyllo-dough-like veggie sandwich as well). I think I spent 50 Yuan (or about $7) on all the things for the evening, so that was quite a steal - as is most of the food.

DEBRIEFING

After breakfast, we started off the morning with a debriefing in one of the conference rooms in the hotel. I sat with RIch (Minnesota), Stephanie (South Carolina), Lori (Ohio), Sandy (Delaware), and Maryann (New Jersey, NEA Foundation Board Member), and Gerald (our token teenager on the trip). We had a really thorough conversation, and after a bit of ice breaking, I really got to know each of these Fellows a strong bit more. That was really powerful to learn that they felt their race was celebrated here, they didn't intend to enter teaching, they didn't know they'd be bilingual, and so on. Oftentimes I looks these types of "discussions" with fret, but I could sit down with any of these educators and discuss just about any topic in depth and detail, jest and confess. 

Maryann and Kristen (our NEA Liaison) asked us to consider the following questions:

1. How we're going to bring this back to others? Rich (and all of us, for that matter) had fun asking Gerald this question and listening to his answer. He's your typical, close-to-the-chest teen, so it took some scaffolded questions to get him to reveal his thoughts on this. It's not a surprise that bartering made him feel uncomfortable, but he still needed time to reflect on what were the positives - but he did say that there was something to consider. Some of the other groups mentioned how it's difficult to bottle this experience, and I like that analogy. What goes in? What, if added, would dilute it? That's very much been the point of this blog, so I hope years later that, when I read this, I hope that I both didn't leave anything out or put too much in.
2. How we're going to change? It's pretty intimidating with the idea of going to a country where you can't read a sign, ask for the bathroom, count to 5, or order a beer. Add to that the idea it's a communist, big-brother state, and I'd say many more than the average person would find some difficulty here. But in all adversity is a true testament of character and community, and I think this shared experience here - and being in a collective, social, family-first society, we relied on one another to not just endure, but flourish.

They also asked for three recommendations for global learning to our students:

1. Get out of your comfort zone
2. Talk to someone you don't know every day
3. Build a community by finding commonalities in our relationships

Sharon (NEAF Board Chair) shared a great, heartfelt, heart-warming connection to the Foundation's mission that tickled my heart. She asked us to not just focus on what we saw, but really dig into how we felt. That was really meaningful. Similar words of wisdom came from Robert. He made the analogy that this experience is very much like when we enter places of imperial importance. For each of those thresholds, there's an uncomfortable step for the average westerner, where each is about 1 foot high. But after that initial discomfort entering the room, life - and the experience - goes on. Secondly, he said that after looking at all these ancient, mythological Terra Cotta Warriors, he realized he was standing around 37 teachers who are fierce warriors of education. How great is that?!

CALLIGRAPHY and PEASANT ART

We then boarded our bus for our last official education component of our tour. It feels strange to see these words being typed from my hands, as we've had such an amazing, action-packed assemblage of workshops and visits.

This final stop was at a local art gallery. Here, we were greeted by a museum tour guide with a real great sense of humor. She walked us through the history of the art movement in the area, which is in rooted in the farmers who took up these part-time jobs once their wheat was harvests were said and done for the year. When they needed something to do, they took to creating beautiful art that completely lacked perspective. The pieces were as different as the composers and the periods in which they painted. We learned that the plum tree represents the woman as being beautiful, simple, and scattered among the brush, while the man represents the bamboo since he is hollow for learning humility and advice, grows upright strong, and performs his duty. We practiced our calligraphy script, at my table it was Maria (Arizona), Laticia (Colorado), Al (California), Robert, and Kristen. Probably the best person at the calligraphy we learned was Maria. Her symbols - both new and old - for man, woman, pig, earth, and horse were great. When the guide placed the script for horse up there, I yelled out "Ma," just because it's the only vocabulary word I learned on this trip. She said to me in Mandarin, "Oh, you know Chinese?" And I shrugged my shoulders. Gave us all a good laugh.

The gallery there held a pretty peppering of communist propaganda posters, but there was also a strong focus on the calligraphy as art. From the latter, there's been an art program launched that is now an institute, one of the best in China. As patrons, we weren't just welcome to view the gallery, we were asked to be buyers and sellers in it. That same guide was all up on my grill as I glanced through the decorative pieces. I wasn't sure I was going to buy one or not, but I then purchased one from one of the top students at the university who specialized in drawing little kittens. This particular feline is chasing a butterfly under the guidance of a plum blossom. I really think Devin's going to like it - at 600 Yuan, what I think is a steal, I hope I'm right! I also picked up a few book marks for just 20 Yuan ($3) each.  I waited in a line where one of the artists was going to write our names in Chinese script for 100 Yuan ($15), so Jonah would be able to keep both of these matching pieces as an heirloom. Jun, however, tapped me on the shoulder and said it was time to board the bus and travel to the airport.

I enjoyed sitting with Mandy (Washington) and Lori (Ohio) on our 40 minute rides to and from the museum, as I got to learn more about them, their families, and what they're most passionate about. Many of the group - these two especially included - are excited to go home to replenish their well with the family that makes them that much better. I can certainly empathize, but I'm trying not to dwell on that so much. Otherwise, my 3 days alone are going to be so lonely it makes Tom Hanks in Castaway look like a disco party.

I've enjoyed people watching plenty while here, but never more than our ride to and from the art spot today. Just so those of you who never come here know, the roads here look like chaos compared to those we have back home. Since the government controls where people drive (and most have only learned how to drive less than 5 years), many resort to using a motor scooter or bike. Both are mainstays on the road, but neither are regulated. So, say goodbye to helmets, crossing looking both ways, and, well, lanes for that matter. Still, while the commute certainly has its bumps and bruises, slowness to our cruises, the people just have enough patience to make it work. To what many looks like a complete lack of direction or following the road signs, this, to me, is freedom and community at work hand-in-hand. I've never seen anything like it - and I say that in a good way.

One other thing I wanted to note (in a not so positive way) was that this place is known for noodles, and the electric wiring on the streets looks like noodles itself. We received a letter on our hotel desks yesterday that the hotel was going to be shut down for about 2 hours in order to fix and check some of the electric, and when you look at the birds nest of wires (it's seriously nothing short of 60 wires coalescing in a ball on the pole), I'm surprised they could 1.) figure out what wire they're looking at and 2.) getting it done in that time. In comparison to the United States, I think we might have - as a maximum - 3 lines (phone, cable, and electric) using our telephone poles everywhere. 

RETURN FLIGHT TO BEIJING

On our bus ride over, Li June gave us the opportunity and guidance to purchase some of the things that many people look towards when here in China. I'm not going to go through this thorough, comprehensive list for several reasons, but let's just say that I was one willing to partake in what Li Jun calls "The Final Shopping Party." I'll get to pick up these items in addition to the personalized stamps for Jonah and his grandparents. 

As most of the crew here was happy to see and purchase food from either a Burger King or Subway, I wasn't ready to give up yet. So Rich (Minnesota), Maryann (New Jersey), Kathy (Tennessee Teacher of the Year), and Linda G. (Missouri TOY) stopped at the only authentic Chinese food place we saw in there. I ordered this huge beef brisket noodle soup. It was spicy, filling, and delicious - definitely better than a Whopper, no doubt!

If someone wants to check the character of this group, look no further than Linda G. She and I haven't sat together for an extended amount of time on the trip, but she tends to always be at my table during meals. She's as selfless as they come (and representative of that selflessness most of this group blasts from their veins), and she really is as interested in learning about the Fellows here as anybody, myself and my zany interview questions included. Her careful consideration for others was evident in how she was concerned that Dana didn't make it through customs for whatever reason. So she went to Subway and ordered food for her. I accompanied her because I didn't want her to be alone.

Once we hopped out he plane, I sat with David once more. I wasn't as much the conversationalist because I doped up my bloodstream with some Benadryl and Lorazepam. We also sat with Crystal (Louisiana) who's as kind as smile-filled as she is blonde and Cajun-twangy. When I finally came to from my really long nap (I didn't even realize an hour passed as we waited on the tarmac), I got to laugh at David who was watching some comedy showing on the plane. Though he didn't have any grasp of the language, he enjoyed just watching the non-verbal component of the film. I thought plenty of it was fun, too. We have much the same sense of humor, and I wonder if we'd be fired if we were on the same staff.

Off the plane, it was a straight shot to our hotel, a quick check-in, and then dinner at the Mongolian hot pot. That was a bunch of fun - I'd never done a hot pot before. Our room was quiet because I'm sure everyone was tired from the flight (apparently many got a good photo of me mouth agape, passed out), hungry, and probably ready to go home. But we enjoyed adding lamb, chicken, prawns, veggies, and noodles to our boiling pot of water. Jun told us the myth regarding this type of cuisine stems from the fast Mongolian army rolling through territory on horseback, pausing for camp and a meal by flipping their helmet, gathering water, and then adding meats once the water reached a boil. After he visited Ulanbaatar (the capital of Mongolia), he seemed disappointed that it was a Chinese (and not Mongolian) invention. I'm sure most of my Chinese-food-loving friends will be equally disappointed to learn that General Tso's are an equally mythical invention.

When we returned back to the hotel, it was like Christmas in Beijing with all of us lined up to gather our new belongings. Some of the teachers really went to town, but I was happy with my catch. The electronics I gathered were gifts for me, while I also picked up some Chinese stampers for Jonah and his grandpas.

When I woke up this morning, I got up with Bob and the others who were on the 7:30a bus to the airport. I wanted to have the chance to say goodbye to everybody whom I could, and they were more than 1/2 the group. While I've loved LOVED visiting this land, it wouldn't have been so magical without these people. I didn't open up the eye-faucets, but I felt a twinge in my heart as we waived to them on the bus. You'll notice all of today's pics are nothing but the folks, and, for those who are still keeping up with the blog or just traveling home from the Middle Kingdom, I plan on doing a brief bio of each of the people here, if just for my own keepsake.

As for now, it's 8:30a here in Beijing (8:30p for y'all on the East Coast on the previous day). In about 2-3 hours, I'll hop in a taxi, get to the train station, and board the famous Beijing-Shanghai Bullet Train. I'll cover nearly 1,000 miles in just under 5 hours and be in "the Paris of the East" by dinner time, just in time to walk around the amazing skyline at night. To say I'm a bit nervous is an understatement - same can be said about seeing my family and wanting to go home. However, the mantra of this trip is to live without regrets, and I'm going to drink up every minute of Shanghai that I can.