So it started to get a little warmer here this week so Cui Guo Hua decided we would take the students into the hills that surround their town and go “mountain climbing.” I was so excited to get outside and march around in the hills even though they were basically big dirt mounds. So 34 of our students showed up at 8:30 Wednesday morning and Cui Guo Hua had them get into four lines and we marched through the middle of town out towards the mountains. We climbed up steep trails and explored all over the mountains. Cui Guo Hua, being a philosopher, a tad crazy and the proud owner of a rather severe superiority complex wanted to make this little outing difficult for the kids so that they would “know what it is to be tired, hungry and in pain” I was not really buying into this idea so I told him I would lead and he should stay behind. He agreed after I pretended not to understand him long enough that he got frustrated and said okay. We gave the kids lots of rests but he still managed to make them scale some pretty steep hills and go down some pretty steep and uneven drops. He managed to make a few girls cry and I remembered hiking with the family and being scared of heights and Dad making me walk up morro rock anyways, so I decided that if I survived it they could and let him teach his little lessons while I disagreed in my head. The kids were exhausted by the time we got off the mountain and headed back into town. I made them sing “If you are happy and you know it” as we walked through a little farming village and all the people came out and watched us walk by like we were a parade. When we walked through Ping Quan lots of people just started following us to listen to me talk to the kids. It was pretty funny. I loved being outside and hiking around but am amazed that we made it back to the study center at 1:30 pm with all 34 students still alive.
This is me walking down one of the streets in Ping Quan with the students.
This is the students walking along the trail with Ping Quan in the background.
This one is Cui Guo Hua (He is the one with both of his arms up standing at the highest part of the rock) and the students.
I was loving the warmer weather right up until about two hours after we got back and it started snowing. For those of you who live in Bakersfield, in a place as cold as Ping Quan it has to warm up in order to snow. It snowed for several hours last night, which made the air a little cleaner and made the town seem a little cleaner temporarily.
8 comments:
aren't you there to teach english?
Another great blog. Thank you. The pictures of the hills remind me of Southern California. The kids are so cute, and so young to be mountain maraching! Glad you are enjoying yourself.
So,is warm a relative word? As in it had to warm up to above zero to snow? How warm was the walk?
That looks like a great time, especially you marching the kids in a parade through town singing. How fun. I bet the kids think you are so cool. That director guy sounds a little ridiculous. I'm glad you can sometimes help him out.
How's Alicia doing? I'm thrilled that there is a little chinese girl with my name. Does she like it?
Wow- sooo cool. Those kids are so cute. The one with all the arms in the air looks like an ad or something. Who is taking the picture of you marching through the streets? Keep the blogs coming. Every time I read one I just sit back adn say wow.
yo--china might be cold by try canada. i'm freezing my butt off so i've decided to retire early and move to florida. you look great! seriously the picture of you by the beach--that's one for your hot little link up profile!! (ok i'm kidding about the profile thing but it's a great picture of you). i just want you to know that i feel like a major stalker looking at people's blogs onine....but i'm so happy to see that you are doing well!
am i the only mean person in this whole world?
where do all the kids come from, I thought in China they only have one or two?
Since I was mentioned in the blog, I thought I should provide some more information so Jessica doesn't feel abused.
1. The path on Moro Rock was built in 1930 and is a gentle grade and the path is either asphalt or rock.
2. I held her hand the whole way.
3. She walked on the inside of the path, with me between her and the edge.
4. She was glad she went when she was on top and received an abundant amount of praise.
5. If it were not for that defining experience, she might not have had the courage (craziness) to go to China. Yes, I am taking full responsibility.
6. From Wikipedia "Moro Rock should not be confused with Morro Rock on the Pacific coast in Morro Bay."
7. Morro Rock is home to the endangered Peregrine Falcons and is closed to hiking.
8. Just a note to Soo, there are only two of us.
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