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

Global Volunteers

Eleventh Day Teaching

Annette and I taught English to the English Club today.  We based our lesson on the sports meeting held Friday and Saturday.  We enjoyed listening to the students tell us what they did at the sports meeting and why the sports meeting was important.  We learned that the sports meeting contributed to healthy bodies, student unity and school spirit.

 

After class we attended the wedding of two teachers.  We were special honored guests.  We were introduced to the 150 other guests (mostly teachers and administrators of the school).  We were even invited to the small stage to give a toast to the happy couple.  A big banquet followed with great food, drink, and conversation.  Since there was so much joking during the ceremony Annette asked if this was really the wedding, or if the actual ceremony had occurred earlier.  It turns out that the ceremony did occur amid all the joking and laughter.  This was quite different than the solemn exchange of vows that is customary in the U.S.

 

After the wedding we visited the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.  This was judged the nicest pagoda seen so far in China.  There were many beautiful wood and jade carvings on the walls of the interior buildings.  These carvings told many stories of Buddha’s life and the journeys of Buddha’s followers.

 

As discussed in the journal last week, the picture of China is emerging more clearly.  As the people, the culture, the food, the religion, and the hopes and fears of the citizens are being discovered, the picture of China is becoming clearer.

 

Note:  We found out latter that this wedding was one of three celebrations for the happy couple.  The wedding in the home town would have been a more solemn event.

 

Submitted by Wes

Wes at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

Date: 04/13/2009

The wedding.