2. CHINA JOURNAL: ST. LOUIS TEACHERS' REFLECTIONS

June 18, 2002 was departure day from St. Louis. United Airlines took everyone to Chicago and then direct to Beijing, arriving after a long flight-at least three meals and four movies. Although the Beijing airport was most people's first experience of Asia, it was hard not to find it very similar to St. Louis.

We were enthusiastically welcomed by our hosts from Beijing University who immediately took charge of us and our luggage, and helped everyone change money. On the way to the university guesthouse we heard the plans for our first week. Part of each day would be spent in seminars presented by faculty from the University and part would be spent seeing the world-famous sights of Beijing. After a welcoming dinner, everyone departed to sleep off the effects of jet lag.

During the first week in Beijing we got accustomed to traveling as a big group, to eating Chinese style, and to seeing the ever present contrasts of old and new in China. We visited Tiananmen, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the hutongs in old Beijing, and several temples. We also shopped in Wanfujing, a downtown pedestrian mall with Starbucks and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Visits to schools rounded out the week's activities.

After a week in Beijing, we packed up and started on our adventure. The first stop was Xian, then a three-day excursion to visit Tai Shan including sunrise at the top of the mountain and sharing the last game of World Cup soccer with a group of Korean fans. Because of the St. Louis Sister City relationship with Nanjing, we were able to spend time with the Deputy Mayor and his staff and to visit the Nanjing Foreign Language School. We left Nanjing to move to Guilin and cruise along the Li River on the Fourth of July. Our last two stops were Hangzhou and Shanghai before we returned to the U. S. on July 8.

Teachers from the China in Missouri Schools Project kept a group journal during their stay in China. The project is funded by the Freeman Foundation and offered to teachers by the International Education Consortium of the Cooperating School Districts. Over the coming weeks, teachers will share their experiences in China and the ways they have included China in their classrooms since their return.

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