Things I Love About China

Ok, it’s time to be nostalgic. Here are some random pictures from my trip to China last summer. This is just a taste of some of the things I love about China:

 The architecture

This is the local museum.

Beautiful scenery

I'm pretty sure this is called Dragon Lake.

 Elaborately decorated cakes

We were teaching our students about American birthdays, so we threw a party on my birthday.

 Cake fights

Apparently, it's a custom to throw cake at people. So, we had a cake fight with about 80 high school students.

Awesome umbrellas

Me and my sun umbrella. Everyone has one.

Weird Chip Flavors

Yes, revitalizing kiwi.

The value of culture and history

We would often see and hear students practicing on large drums and cymbals out in the courtyard. In the background, more students are getting ready to practice some type of acrobatics.

Here is some Chinese calligraphy done by students.

Hospitality

The school and government officials were always making sure that we were comfortable and had everything we needed. They also took us on various sightseeing trips throughout the county. Here, some government officials are showing us a local greenhouse that was built to boost the economy.

 The food

I'm not really sure what this is, but apparently it's a traditional Hui meal.

I love having all the dishes on a giant lazy susan.

Need I say more?

I didn't really know what to label this as, but I just love it. This is a snapshot of a student's desk.

 Ice cream

My team and I got ice cream nearly every day, and we almost always went to the same place.  This picture is taken with the lady that we usually bought ice cream from. Eventually, it seems that the entire town learned that the foreigners really like ice cream.

 Hot Pot

Raw ingredients are placed on a table, and each person cooks them in a boiling pot of broth. So delicious!

 The people!

We met this couple while sightseeing. They were proud to show off their twin girls to us, as well as their son, seen offering flowers to his sisters.  I think the mother's smile is beautiful.

Two old men wait outside the local museum with their stools.

Here, of course, is my class.