Category Archives: China 2018

Three week trip to San Francisco, Hong Kong and Beijing China.

China, Day 2 – May 28, 2018

We awoke to a sunny San Francisco morning. Soon we discovered that my Fitbit charging cable  had been left at home. We walked to two Walgreens stores, and  then to a Target. It was at Target that we found a charging cable that fit my Fitbit.

 

Nicholas was taking the train to meet us on Market Street. There was a mall there that we had never entered before, but we learned that it’s one of Nicholas’ favorites, Continue reading China, Day 2 – May 28, 2018

Day 4 – May 30, 2018

I always wear two watches when we travel. One is my traditional Boccia watch. It is set to the time back home. I didn’t need to reset it, because Hong Kong and Connecticut are 12 hours apart. I also wear a Fitbit. In addition to telling me the time, it keeps a record of the steps I take each day, and also of how much sleep I get. When we crossed the International Dateline and “lost” a day, the Fitbit got confused. Nick was able to straighten it out. Continue reading Day 4 – May 30, 2018

China, Day 7 – June 2, 2018

We awoke at 4 AM and were in the hotel lobby, ready for our cab to the airport by 4:30 AM. We weren’t tired; we were excited to think about the schools we would be visiting in China! All airport procedures went smoothly.  At our gate, we met a young  American woman who had taken time off from her job to backpack through Southeast  Asia. Our son has the same adventurous spirit, having done that a few years back. We conversed happily until boarding time. Continue reading China, Day 7 – June 2, 2018

China, Day 9 – June 4, 2018

This would be our first day at the preschool in Gu’an! We were picked up by Yaya, a teacher at the school and our local driver.  The school was a few miles from our residence,  and we were met there by Arla. The school’s entrance gate is majestic and imposing! The preschool is called a kindergarten, while at home,  children go to kindergarten after they finish preschool. Continue reading China, Day 9 – June 4, 2018

China Day 10 – June 5, 2018

We were picked up at 8:10 AM and brought to our “office” at the kindergarten.  Arla has tried to find things we would enjoy eating and drinking. She  had asked if we would like coffee, but we aren’t coffee drinkers, so they ordered milk for us. I was touched by their efforts! It came in a plastic pouch, like Capri Sun juice drinks.  The rest of our breakfast consisted of vegetables, chicken and celery,  a bean paste filled bun,  something we could not identify but tried nonetheless, and rice porridge. We enjoyed our meal. Our main concern was that the temperature outside was predicted to be 106° F. Continue reading China Day 10 – June 5, 2018

China, Day 17 – June 12, 2018

Today we were going to the other  Pleasant Preschool, which is in Langfang, about an hour from Gu’an. It is situated  in a city, among rows of restaurants and businesses. In the lobby, we were greeted by Candy, a teacher at the school and our contact person with whom we had been corresponding. This school had fewer students than the one in Gu’an, so of course the staff was smaller. Candy began to take us on a tour of the school. Continue reading China, Day 17 – June 12, 2018

China, Day 18 – June 13, 2018

Several years ago, while trying to lift a student, I felt a pain in my lower back. That was the beginning of a problem that  has popped up occasionally,  for years. I always travel with my medication and heat packs, and typically, I feel better within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. During the night I felt the familiar lower back twinge, so a I applied my heat pack and took my medication immediately, hoping for the best. Continue reading China, Day 18 – June 13, 2018

China, Day 20 – June 15, 2018

Now my back was  completely normal.  As I mentioned, today was to be a special day at the preschool. This was the weekend of the Dragon Boat Festival, which  commemorates a Chinese poet who lived more than 2,000 years ago. It is a cultural festival as well as  a public holiday. It was also Fathers’ Day weekend. Today, the children’s fathers had been invited to visit the school. In some cases, mothers attended, and in other cases, both parents, but every child had a parent present. Continue reading China, Day 20 – June 15, 2018

China, Day 21 – June 16, 2018

On Saturday , we were going to the Forbidden City.  a palace complex in central Beijing.  Containing more than 900 buildings, it was the home of emperors and their households from 1420 to 1912. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, having the largest collection of preserved wooden structures in the  world. It was given its name because ordinary people were forbidden to enter it.  Today there can be up to 80,000 entrants each day.
Continue reading China, Day 21 – June 16, 2018

China, Day 22 – June 17, 2018

Liang, the driver who had picked us up at the airport two weeks ago, would be driving us to the airport today. Julian and Eric woke up early to help us with our luggage, and to say good-bye. Liang took us out for breakfast. He ordered twelve dumplings, fried bread, chicken soup, and more. Even though we knew that if we didn’t eat everything, he would think we didn’t like it and order more, we were too excited to  eat too much. Continue reading China, Day 22 – June 17, 2018