Dear All,

We started our first day with a high note and ended with a huang mei diao! 🙂 Last program last night was learning how to sing the famous local style of music and was pretty fun for us all. They also sent us experienced teacher teaching us how to do the paper cut as well. In the afternoon, all of our students got a chance to do their presentation to their 6th graders for once and they did great job and audience were really delighted. After that, we were invited to play soccer with local students. The kids who played had lots of fun and all the rest kids were cheering for them.

We also went to take a shower in a nearby shower place. It is quite an experience for our students taking shower in a public place (only us though, no other customer). Oh, it felt great after 3 days without warm shower (and yesterday was 31C). It costs 28RMB a person. They all think it is quite worth it.

OK, today. This morning, we had a brief time using the computer room, but I was not able to log in, only a few students able to send email to their parents and I told them to forward to you all.

We had all our activities in High School area today and the weather was great, with beautiful breeze and blue sky. This morning our students were divided into groups to attend some English classrooms and some of them got to demo and lead the local students how to read and some got to share their personal learning experience with local students. Local students are very friendly and our students are very kind and it really warms my heart watching them communicating each other.

In the noon time, our students took a quick nap. Then some of us were invited to play basketball with them. Our team worked very hard, maybe due to the cement floor and  wind, we lost, pretty big loss. 🙂 Any outdoor opportunity our kids can grab,. they would play football, frisbee, etc.

This afternoon, the school hosted formal ceremony welcoming our team and welcoming the supporting education gesture. Many local leaders came and gave speech, our Principal Liang delivered speech too. Their student representative had a very impressive speech and our kids were very encouraged. The reason our NCLS get to connected with this school is due to Professor Liang  (Nan’s father), who graduated from this school many years ago and who thought about his hometown and would like to find ways to provide better opportunities for students here.

Before dinner, our students played ultimate frisbee, led by expert Bryan Xian. Wow, very intensive game! After watching for a while, some local kids joined us too and it was lots of fun!

The cafeteria here gives too big of portion each meal and our students quickly found their way to solve the problem: either two are sharing or three are sharing and they really get along so well, just like they are old buddies. We are so grateful to see that. Of course, after each meal, they love to have some icecream bars, soda (all bottled and well packed from the store). They said it was yummy.

OK, I got to go to the evening event now and more later.

All kids are doing great! So long!

Jieying

Dear All,

Although due to the airplane delayed at the Beijing airport, we arrived at HeFei 2 hours later than expected, it was almost 1am, students are all in good spirit and very flexible with the arrangement. The CuoZhen School Principal and Admin team were all waiting for us at the school gate (even the school billboard having the English welcome flashing at the mid of the night which made us really feel welcome!). They quickly led us to the dorm, 3 people in a room, with newly purchased bedding sets, and students found their room mates quickly. Then we headed to the cafeterial to have our first free warm meal after spending 40 hours on the road! Yummy! (we found Wei Qian La Mian at the Beijing airport and had a bowl soup noodle there already)

Students all had a short but sound sleep and the alarm clock woke us up at 6am. What a beautiful morning, warm breeze and sunshine! We walked to the cafeterial, students using their 100 RMB meal card purchased their first breakfast, many choices, and warm and fresh. They were super satisfied and said much better than their own school at America! 🙂

Then we walked 15 mins. crossing some morning farm market to the Middle School campus of their school, to attend the Flag Rising Ceremony! Very formal and educational. Their Principal made a welcoming speech in both English and Chinese, our students are impressed.

They are well prepared for our coming and quickly arranged students into 4 groups (3 each group) and sent them to different classrooms (English classroom). They will rotate to different classrooms after each 45 min. block. So, we will spend whole day today at the Middle School campus.

Everybody is in happy mood and can’t wait to jump in and help out. Everybody here is very friendly and nice. Especially Principal Liang’s father came to the airport, stayed with us the entire time till 1:30am and came to greet us again this early morning! Without his thoughtful arrangement, it could have been a more bumpy trip! We are really grateful for that!

Students learned how to use lian pen to wash their face and feet 🙂 And we are getting our way to pick up hot water on our way in and out. I told them the dorm is better than their parents college life 30 years 🙂 Hopefully we are able to find a way to send pictures to you soon.

It is very safe here, the entire school has security guard at the front and only entrance (next door is the police station 24/7). Then, each dorm building is locked at night with security guard living inside. Each room has a lock for us to lock up when we leave the door. So, we are all set for now.

Your packing are very helpful and students seem to find everything they need. 🙂 This is for now and more updates will come (we have to find internet in their school teaching building or teacher’s office, a bit slow internet).

Thank you all and we will have a wonderful time here!

Cheers,

Nan and Jieying

Again, if you need to reach any student, call my cell phone here 13958097099. I am always with them. –Jieying

We are heading to JFK airport tomorrow, and will take a flight from Air China to go to Beijing.

Here is our packing list:

1. 护照，签证。交纳护照、签证复印件2份
2. 洗手液，消毒擦手纸， 卫生纸，zip bag for clean cloth。
3. 牙刷, 牙膏，毛巾，洗头水，肥皂 , 梳子等洗漱用品。
4. 朴素舒适的衣物。 鞋（运动鞋，拖鞋，T-shirts, shorts, jeans, socks, underwear, sleeping ware, T-shirts 2 Long-sleeve shirts）
5. 乐器和乐谱
6. Insect repellent, sunscreen， first aid
7. 雨伞
8. 水杯
9. 现金(300人民币, 100 美金)
10. 笔和小记事本
11. Contact Lens, personal medicine; allergy medicine, such as Claritin, Benadryl, Tylenol, Advil; Airborne
12. Camera good, make sure extra battery, memory card, 电源转换头。
13. Candy，American classroom games， some small token to show and tell and give away
14. No laptop, ipad, DS, PS2, those type of game related electronics on the trip. phone is OK.