Dancing and Disney

How time flies! Two weeks have already passed since our last blog entry. Last week was busy for us. We had our second session of parent-teacher conferences on Thursday and Friday. Everyone was telling us how the second set of meetings would be much easier than the first. How true this statement was. It seems that at the beginning of the year the parents are very concerned with meeting the teacher that will be working with their child for the upcoming year. If things go well at this meeting it really sets the stage for a good relationship with the parent. Later, if things are going smoothly for the teacher and student in the classroom then parents either decide to come for a quick check in or not come again at all. Adan did have one parent he needed to meet with about a troubling student but the meeting was very productive.

Dongguan-Shekou School Dance
Parent teacher conferences officially ended Friday at noon. However, Adan and Pazi kept working as the secondary students had a school dance and sports games in Shekou that same night and the following morning. Adan and Pazi accompanied one of the school's directors, another teacher, and sixteen students. We took two school buses down to partner with our "sister" school and have a social.

When we arrived in Shekou we had a little bit of free time so we took the kids to a local mall so that they could hang out for about an hour and a half. We decide to get a small snack to hold us off until dinner. Pazi saw a mouth-watering mango crepe-layered cake. This thing was very appetizing. It was cream filled and with several crepes stacked inches high. Best of all the cake only cost around three dollars at fancy eatery in a upscale shopping complex.

Next, we met back up and went to the school for meet and greets. Shekou has the largest student population in the world network of QSI schools. It now has over 800 students, 150 of which are secondary students! For this reason, they recently opened the first of three wings to their new secondary school. This is where we were to have all the evening's activities. When we arrived at the school it seemed unreal for China. The facility looked very similar in style (and size) to the Caldwell Y Adan used to work at. This school was done right. Great location on visible street corner with moderate traffic flow. It was very spacious and with bright colors and quality bricks and mortar.

We were greeted at the school by the director. He took us on a quick tour of the state of the art library, weight training room, and main floor offices. It was impressive to say the least. Then we gave the boys and girls half an hour to get dressed for the events. Since the leadership students of Shekou were in charge of everything with almost little teacher assistance, the organization was a little off. Our students wanted and were under the impression that this was to be a formal (or at least semi-formal) event. However, the Shekou students seemed to leave it up to the discretion of the individual. This became very apparent when all of our kids looked sharp in button up shirts with slacks and girls in dress or skirts. The Shekou students arrived some in shorts, others in jeans, and a decent amount of ladies in dresses.

To get to know each other, the Shekou students divided the students up into small groups for ice breaker activities. Pazi and Adan sat in on different groups but the consensus was that the students did a decent job of making sure everyone was participating and having fun. These games went on for about an hour. Then the students had a pizza party. This was a huge let down for our kids because we were hoping for a sit down meal to go with formal attire. Unfortunately, the Shekou group decided to keep things simple and informal. The kids at and mingled for the next thirty to forty-five minutes until they all went to the schools rooftop for the dance.

Shekou school has three rooftop areas that have both seating and meeting space. The set up of these location was quite nice and made events such as the dance a piece of cake when it comes to space. It appeared that things were off to a great start until about fifteen minutes into the dance the deejay blew a speaker. It was thirty minutes until a student ran in with his guitar amp as a replacement. No matter, the kids used it and the dance was back on. Pazi and Adan made several observations when it was obvious the Dongguan students seemed intimidated by the Shekou kids. Shekou students played all hip-hip and rap music. The dance had a real "western" feel to it. Seeing how truly "international" their school is made it clear to us how sheltered our kids our. Almost all of the Dongguan students had no concept of dancing to this kind of music and probably half of them did not know the majority of the music played. No matter, our kids eventually found a groove and made the most of their evening.

The next day we ended up playing volleyball, basketball, and some soccer. Pazi was awesome. Adan was so happy to see her get out and play. She did very well too. She has a great shot! All the kids enjoyed seeing all the teachers and directors engaged in all the activities with the students. It made for a great morning of fun. Since we had only scheduled for two and a half hours of sports it seemed like no time before the event came to a close. All the kids said how much fun they had and said their goodbyes to new friends they made. What an experience.

Hong Kong Weekend
Since Shekou is so close to Hong Kong, and our school obligations ended Saturday at noon, we decided to hang out at Lantau Island for a day and a half. This island is one of the larger islands that make up Hong Kong, yet it has a lot less people than Central or Kowloon. We wanted to get a different view of HK than the typical massive skyscrapers and crowds so we chose to hang out here. It didn't hurt that Pazi really wanted to go back to Hong Kong Disneyland and it just so happens to be located on this same island.

We crossed the border in Shenzhen and caught a bus to Central. It was a smooth commute and it only cost us about $30 US dollars. Once we got into Hong Kong we decided to have lunch at this really nice shopping mall called "Elements." The food was okay, nothing really to brag about. From here we jumped on the subway and took it all the way out to Disneyland. The metro system in Hong Kong is incredible. It has to be one of the best designed systems in the world. The routes are fast and convenient, the terminals are super clean and easy to navigate, the whole process is a breeze.

Once we reached Disneyland, the next five hours was Disney magic. Pazi and Adan arrived just in time to see the Main Street parade with all the stars of the Disney hit movies. Later, we spent about two to three hours going on rides and experiencing the theme shows. There was even some time to do shopping. Pazi found some great bargains and made sure to buy some goodies. Marissa will sure enjoy the clothes we bought her when we arrive later this summer.

The night ended with a decent firework show presented by the theme park. Adan and Pazi found a nice open area away from the crowds and enjoyed the show with background music from the movies Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. It was a perfect way to close out another great experience at Hong Kong Disneyland for us.

Trip to Big Buddha
The next morning we woke up early and got ready for another jam-packed day. After breakfast we left the hotel around 8 a.m. so that we could get a head start on other tourists. Our destination was the Ngong Ping 360. This cable car system is designed to transport tourists on a twenty-five minute, 5.7 kilometer long journey up Nei Lak Shan Mountain. Once at the top, visitors have access to the Po Lin Monastery and the highlight of the attraction--Tian Tan Buddha.

The experience overall was a good one. The village was very well designed with shops, restaurants, and cultural centers. The monastery was interesting even though parts of it were under renovation. The downer for us was climbing 268 steps to the Buddha temple then learning that fog rolled in and made it impossible to see the Big Buddha's face. This was especially disappointing after we learned that this 34 meter (110 foot) tall statue is the world's largest outdoor bronze seated Buddha. Oh well, guess that means we will just have to make another trip over.

After walking the village park, we decided to take the cable car back down the mountain. Once we reached Tung Chung Station we did some shopping and had a bite to eat. Then we decided to head back home and get ready for the upcoming school week. This was only our third time to Hong Kong but after having so a great time we have decided to visit more often. Stay tuned for more weekend getaways.

Antique Road Show

This past weekend Pazi and Adan were invited to go antique shopping with friends. The two other couples from school had done some research about a small town about an hour and a half south of Dongguan called Zhongshan. This area is well known for antique Chinese furniture making and restoration. We decided to give it a try and see what Zhongshan had to offer.

Our day started early for a Saturday morning. We hired a driver and he picked us up at our apartment complex at 8:30am. Unfortunately for the Grants, Terese became very ill the day before and decided not to make the trip. That meant our group went from six to five. We bought some snacks at the nearby convenience store and we were off.

The drive from Dongguan to Zhongshan was quite relaxing. The scenery on the way was fabulous. Getting out of the city really allowed us to take in the views of the rural sites of south China. We saw several marshy wetlands with all kinds of crops from rice to bananas! We also took in views of the famous Pearl River Delta. Best of all, the traffic on this particular Saturday morning was especially good.

After about an hour and a half we arrived in Zhongshan. The town is known for its tens and tens of furniture factories, but three showroom markets are set up for the average buyer. We first stopped at Ming Qing Furniture Market. This complex consists of over 400 hundred shops! The market literally covers a full city block. This market by far had the best selection of actual antique furniture. The majority of dealers had an abundance of door panels either completely intact, or if damaged then sold in pieces. These items were priced according to how detailed the wood carvings were and their condition. Most of the real antiques probably dated back 150 years at most.

The second market, Hua Cai Market, almost butted up to the first marketplace we visited so it was extremely close. Here we found just a few items of interest. This market appeared to be new and was just being developed into a full-fledged market. Sue and Prentis purchased a beautiful Chinese plate for their home in Colorado here. Pazi saw some decorative Chinese balls that were 6 yuan each (less than a dollar!). This "find" grabbed the attention of both Sue and Warren, and after seeing Pazi's purchase they decided to buy some too. This market was really lacking so after no more than an hour we left.

The last market was called Huge Dragon Curio City. This complex was by far the most developed. The entrance and buildings leased by the shop owners seemed to be new and of a higher quality than the previous two locations. There were even numerous gazebos spread throughout the market for resting. Unfortunately, what this market lacked most was not aesthetics. It lacked realistic dealers. The "antiques" we looked at were in the 7,000 RMB price range! That is roughly $1,000 dollars. We knew this market was not for us when at one shop Sue accidentally stepped on a carved antique panel and split it in half. The owner demanded she pay for it but Sue felt it was the owner's fault for putting it on the ground. She walked out with an angry shop owner fuming. We decided to take off at this point before the authorities could be called in.

With time to spare before going back home, we decided to go back to the Ming Qing and browse a bit more. This turned out to be a good idea for Pazi and Adan. The second time around the market gave them the opportunity to uncover a gem. Pazi really liked one shop and bought a few pieces, but more importantly made sure to get contact information. The larger furniture they had was very affordable and of high quality. Adan and Pazi are contemplating buying furniture to ship back home to the states.

Guangzhou Zoo
Pazi and a couple other teachers from QSI decided to take their classes to the zoo. It was a fun and exhausting field trip to China’s third largest zoo. Pazi’s 4 year old class took an hour long bus ride to the zoo. After arriving, they hopped on a train and took a tour of part of the zoo. They got a chance to ride along side spitting camels, gigantic giraffes, happy and playful elephants to lazy kangaroos, lions and white tigers. With only 4 hours to tour the spacious zoo, Pazi’s kids had serious trekking to do. After 2hours of excitement, the group decided to find some shade and eat lunch. Later the kids headed to feed the giraffes. That was definitely the highlight of the trip. Unfortunately because of time restrictions, we didn’t get to see the entire zoo and the over 200 animal species it holds. Guess that means Pazi and Adan will have to make a special trip to Guangzhou together to see the rest of the animals.

Fun in Foshan

Last weekend we had another fabulous trip in China. This time we had the opportunity to experience Chinese pottery from all aspects in the small town of Foshan. We viewed pottery exhibits, toured ancient kilns, watched professionals make amazing pottery items, use the pottery wheels ourselves, and then buy incredible pieces of one of a kind pottery.

The whole trip was the idea of one of our fellow teachers at QSI. She had taken her 11 year old students on a field trip to learn about ancient Chinese pottery and had a ball taking them there. Upon returning, she pitched the idea that our school should consider taking a "teacher excursion" to Foshan. It was put to a vote and unanimously it was decided that we take a day long trip to experience the ceramics.

Foshan is a town almost exactly two hours away from Dongguan. Our group met on a Sunday morning at 8:30am outside the school. We departed shortly after on a chartered bus with about twenty five people in all. When we arrived in Foshan we took a brief tour of the "ceramic district." Here we viewed several art exhibits with pottery, watched a demonstration about pottery's early beginnings in China, and viewed a gigantic kiln hundreds and hundreds of years old. Everything was very interesting.

Soon after we attempted to start working on the pottery wheels but they were completely full with another tour group. Since it was around 11:45 our group decided to have lunch. The site had an "on-campus" cafeteria. At first everyone in our group was a little apprehensive to eat there, but much to our surprise the food was quite good. This was especially true considering that the cost was 6 yuan (less than a buck)!

Once we finished lunch the pottery wheel area had lost some traffic so we were able to get on. Adan started working the wheel first while Pazi observed him and several others in the group. It did not take long for Adan to get the hang of things. He learned that it takes firm and steady hands to make the clay do what you want. Later, Pazi jumped on and was just as successful. She did a great job of making many shapes and sizes. In one sequence she went from making a vase to a plate. We had fun but decided not to purchase our work. It was too spendy and would take several weeks to get to us for the business only fires up the kiln once very two to three weeks after it's completely full.

After we finished working on the wheel and cleaning up, off to shop we went! Since Pazi and Adan didn't spend money on their mediocre work, they had extra money to buy amazing artwork. It took us some time but in the end we found what we wanted. It was a very funny story of how things ultimately unfolded with our purchases. It all began when Adan came across a jade vase that caught his eye. We began to bargain with who appeared to be the shop owner. A tall, large Chinese man with a shaved head in his mid-twenties. Unfortunately, Adan and Pazi felt he was charging too much and when it became apparent he was not willing to negotiate the dealing went dead.

Pazi and Adan continued to browse other stores but nothing seemed to grab their attention. Then finally, about two blocks down from the shop with the jade vase, we saw some beautiful vases with vibrant pearl and pastel colors. The uniqueness of them really drew us in. We had not seen anything like them around. A little old Chinese woman helped us find just the right one, and then another that we liked so much. She was a great seller and negotiated fair yet firm. Towards the end of the purchasing Adan happened to notice a couple of jade vases like the one he had seen before. He asked the shopkeeper the price with his back to her. Suddenly the woman began speaking in Chinese with another man who seemed to appear out of nowhere. When Adan turned around who did he see? It was the same guy from the first shop! Only this time he negotiated a lower price than before. Why you might ask? Well it turns out that the shopkeeper was his mother and she put him on the spot to make the sell and swallow his pride. It was all too funny to see the situation end the way it did.

Home Game for Dongguan Basketball

The other big highlight of the week was our school hosting its first-ever boys and girls basketball games. We played the same school as our first game, QSI Shekou, mainly because there are very few schools for us to schedule games with in our area. Nevertheless, it was a very eventful evening that we can look back on for a long time.

Adan refereed the girls game, while Pazi helped at the score's table. The game ended up being a thriller. The scored was 25-25 at the end of regulation! Unfortunately in overtime Shekou scored on a lone free throw and their experienced defense shut down our girls. Overall, it was a well fought battle to the end.

As for the boys, Adan's squad started out very strong. In fact, they lead for about the first four minutes of the game, but ultimately Shekou's depth and experience prevailed. Two boys on our squad scored in double figures. The final score was 47-37. This was a much better showing for the boys then the previous 45-29 outing a month prior. When you consider that we are lucky to get to practice one time a week and play a game once every month, the improvement being made is remarkable.