2005 CHINA TRIP - DAILY DIARY

4-19-05 - The Foreign Language School and Yunnan Normal Middle School

text: Jan Each of our students was dressed in a minority culture vest, given a bouquet of 16 roses, and a shoulder bag with the name of the school embroidered on it. This picture shows Katlyn and Kate beaming as they wait for the speeches to begin in the auditorium filled with students and teachers. Many student performances followed the welcome speeches. Yang Tao, a UVM visiting scholar last year, was our host. This is only one of dozens of group pictures taken. We are the first foreigners to visit this school and they went all out to make our visit memorable for us as well as themselves and they certainly succeeded! Next we were taken around to classes where we tried the activities the students had arranged for us, and the AACE students did their presentations on American Culture (which were a great hit). Here, Katlyn is working on a paper cutting. Basketball always offers a way to communicate. AACE students organized an impromptu rehearsal of "Lean on Me" during our lunch rest time, which they then performed that night for teachers and administrators.

Note the marching band to the left, and colorfully dressed students in minority cultural costumes greeting our students. What a reception! After short welcoming speeches by the superintendent, Mary Greene, and our friend from VT who teaches at this school, Jenna gave the student welcome. Ryan shows skateboarding and snowboarding prowess helps master the stick dance. The two fellows on either end of the sticks clicked them together in a syncopated rhythm that one had to match jumping in and out of the spaces. This was one of 3 pairs of sticks. These two young women played a duet on traditional Chinese instruments. Katlyn giving out her email address to future keypals. Just in case you didn't know...this is how Mary Greene keeps all those "plates in the air": she powernaps (on this occasion during our lunchtime "rest period") AACE in the spotlight performing "Lean on Me" on stage at the restaurant where had the banquet with administrators, teachers, and students after our incredible day at the Foreign Language and Middle School.