From Andrew Goodman

May 14, 2010

China has certainly been an interesting experience so far. Spending the first few days in Beijing made the transition to the Chinese culture very easy for me. Where we stayed in Beijing reminded me of Times Square, with the exception of the people walking around eating starfish off of sticks.

Climbing the Great Wall was an accomplishment for me, and I was happy that we had the opportunity to do so. Also we were fortunate enough to make some great friends at a small bar in Beijing. They were extremely accommodating and made sure we had umbrellas and makeshift ponchos from trash bags when we got stuck in the rain. Many of the Chinese have gone above and beyond to make us feel welcome.

Now that we are here in Chongqing, our role has switched from tourist to guest. All of the students at CTBU are elated that we are here. Last night, we attended an event called English Corner, where the students congregate to practice their English skills. We were honored to be their guests this week, and the students were equally as excited to be able to speak with us. I spent over an hour talking to different students about music, basketball, spicy food, pandas, and whatever else they could come up with. Until next time…