Health & Fitness
Brewster High School China Trip: May 21 and 22, Days 3 and 4
A look into the thoughts of Brewster High School students and faculty after they've arrived in China trip.
The twelve hour time difference is taking a bit to get used to. Many of us began waking up very early in the morning. Since Shanghai is twelve hours ahead of us, waking up at 12:30 am
translates into 12:30 in the afternoon the day before.
Time to sit and share our time in China is a precious rare commodity. We had not anticipated the significance of our visit to our hosting schools. Each night officials from Jian Ping High School have arranged special activities for us culminating in meals at prepared especially for us. We are being treated as honored guests.
We spent most of one day visiting Yu Gardens in Shanghai. Yu Gardens is a historical garden in Shanghai built as a space to promote serenity and contemplation. The buildings were amazing, with their high, curved roof corners and utilization of placement on the Garden
grounds to maximize feeling of calmness and comfort.
On the roof of many buildings were sculptures of animals. Sculptures ranged from local animals to mystical representations.
Throughout the Garden, workers diligently maintained the grounds. Sweeping unobtrusively with bamboo and straw brooms, paths were always cleared of any falling leaves. Workers did
not pick up any garbage, as there was none visible. People visiting the Gardens would
never think about dropping garbage on the ground.
In the evening we visited a building under construction in Shanghai. We were able to
get a bird’s eye view of Shanghai’s building boom, as we were shown the new building.
At night, boats along the river are lit up, making them look like floating festivities.
The following day many of us visited the 2010 World Expo Site. While getting to the Chinese
exhibition hall was not difficult, there was a three-hour wait to enter the building. Realizing
our time was limited, we chose to enjoy the architectural view and visit other sites in Shanghai.
We visited an old shopping area and was again impressed by the building methods. This time, we saw seamless melding of old, new, and practical. Scaffolding of bamboo poles and
strips were used in the same way steel pipes are used in the United States. The scaffolding was sturdy and unobtrusive.
Winding our way through narrow streets of the local shopping district, we stopped
in a local tea shop. Greeted warmly by the shopkeeper, we sampled several varieties, each leaving us with senses full and palates curiously bathed in cultural welcoming.
We will update our next blog with our learning how to make Chinese knots, visiting the Shanghai Museum, local fountains, and our many other adventures.
Click on the PDF to the right for photos and the original entry.
