Team  172, Xi’an China, March 29 through April 18, 2009

Global Volunteers

Ninth Day of Teaching

As we departed the hotel today, we looked forward to working with our students, since yesterday’s attendance in the afternoon was quite low.  On the way, Nan and Annette talked about quilting and Wes explained patterns to our companion teacher Dana.  In class, our students enjoyed talking about their hometowns, but at break many left to practice for the following day’s Sports Day.  Annette and Wes combined their classes to review the lesson, but Nan’s class remained together since they had completed the lesson first.  At noon, Julia invited Wes and Annette to a wedding feast next week and told us that she had arranged for three white costumes so that we could join the opening Tai Chi ceremonies in the morning.

 

Wang Baoli organized a sumptuous lunch of Peking duck at a restaurant located next to the Small Goose Pagoda.  It is a popular local restaurant evidenced by the quantity and quality of ducks prepared and served.  In contrast to the ducks in Chinatown in the U.S., the ducks in Xi’an are steamed and hung in preparation for final browning over a wood fire.  The chefs were dressed in fancy white jackets embroidered with dragons and topped off by a tall chef’s hat; all visible in their open kitchen.  The duck was succulent and delicious with crispy skin for our pleasure.  Duck soup was served at the end – A pleasing way to clean the palate and fill any gaps in the stomachs.

 

We were then re-energized and visited the Small Goose Pagoda, an original Tang pagoda.  The grounds were impressive with lovely old buildings displaying wares for tourists.  Wes and Annette found their shadow puppet as well as calligraphy prepared especially for them.  A view from the top of the pagoda provided an overview of modern Xi’an in contrast to this 8^th century site.  A new museum is also located on the site and contained superb examples of early Buddhist sculpture, carved jade, and seals and painting and calligraphy.  After spending almost two hours at the site, we decided to move toward the hotel.  Nan stopped at the Museum of the Stone Tablets while Annette and Wes picked up their laundry and caught up on the internet.  We all look forward to participating in the Sports Day on Friday.

 

Submitted by Nan

A student guide.

Date: 04/09/2009

.Artist and calligrapher at the Small Goose Pagoda

Small Goose Pagoda