Our first reflections are from Amber who writes about our two days of travel to finally arrive in Shanghai.

Amber writes:  April 6, 2008. Day 1 of China Trip. Tonight we arrived at the LaQuinta Inn in Hartford, CT. After getting our room assignments we departed to our rooms. I was partnered with Cheyenne! We were all asked to gather at the lobby an we went over rules and plans for tomorrow. We were assigned to groups or pods. My group consists of Alex, Jackie, Racheal, Mr. Perrin and me. We’ve named our group the PeaPod. It was Mr. Perrin’s idea. We are getting up at 4:20 in the morning and will be leaving the hotel at 5:30. I am excited but nervous at the same time. I’ve never flown before and will be flying for close to fifteen hours.  Well, I know it will be fine. I worried about my dad however. He actually had tears in his eyes when he said goodbye to me. I hope he is going to be okay.

April 7, 2008. Day 2 of China Trip. We started bright and early this morning at 4:30. After a few minor computer difficulties we proceeded through security and boarded the plane for Chicago. This was my very first time flying so the experience was amazing. I was lucky enough to have gotten a window seat. The view from the plane was incredible. In Chicago we go to relax for about an hour before we boarded our plane that would take us to Shanghai.The flight was about fifteen hours. I took the opportunity to take pictures from the plane of Canada, Alaska, and Siberia. I also recorded a video. The entire group found something to do. Some slept, some listened to music, some watched movies, did homework, or even played some card games. After a long time, we landed at Pudong Airport in Shanghai. After going through immigration and finding our luggage, we followed our guides to a bus. The ride to the hotel was almost two hours. At our hotel we had a chance to settle in to our rooms and exhange U.S. dollars for Chinese yuan. Then we went to dinner. The food was great. Most of us, however, were so tired we didn’t have a very big appetite. As excited as we were to be in China, we were all more than happy to retire to our rooms an go to sleep.

Ms. Sopper writes:

Wake up in the hotel airport and catch an early morning shuttle to the airport. Fly to Chicago. Run to new gate. Note time change. Buy water. Buy coffee. Buy snacks. Get visas stamped “OKAY” and board 747 for Shanghai. Hours and hours pass and it never gets dark! That’s odd. We view snow and ice landscape for hours. Great travelers all, the students from both schools merge and nap and play musical chairs. One movie follows another. Then there’s another meal. Lots of babies on this flight. Naomi colors with one little boy while another toddler finds Cheyenne fascinating and almost climbs over his seat to keep an eye on her. Homework is getting done. Henry takes a test. It is still light out and we’re still far from China. Another couple movies and another meal or two (noodle soup served with chopsticks! we must be getting closer).

And finally an easy landing in Shanghai. Our guides scoop us up and take us to the Tianping Hotel in Shanghai. Easy check-in and easy money changing and delicious dinner on the second floor. Now the only trick is staying awake long enough for curfew check. No joke, that’s going to be difficult.

First school visit tomorrow. Must get some sleep. Why are we so tired?

Chicago layover, waiting, waiting.


View of the Arctic circle from the plane

Smile everybody! On the way into the city from the airport in Shanghai.

Dinner in Shanghai, everyone is jet lagged and very very tired.
Ten hours of sleep coming up!