April 14: Just when things are starting to feel normal

For today’s entry there will be less writing and more pictures. The heartwarming effects of saying goodbye to our Chinese counterparts is way too difficult to put into words.

We began the day by directly traveling to Beijing 57. We again started with an hour of music followed by two hours of marching exercise. Things are starting to feel normal and I really wish we had a little bit more time to further learn how to work with one another. 

During break some of the boys organized a basketball game. The really cool part about it was that the games weren’t Valley vs. Beijing 57. The teams were intermingled and they used sign language and body language to communicate. 

The marching portion of the practice went really well. We are starting to learn how to form straight lines even whilst turning! The heat burned the tops of heads and throats of us all, but the marching students managed somehow. After marching, we all got into uniforms in order to take pictures. In an unbearably slow process, we were lined up in order to take a group shot.

After we got out of uniforms, it was time to say goodbye. We mingled together and took loads of pictures. I said goodbye to Jackel, a friend on the film crew who I exchanged emails with. Actually, many emails were exchanged as well as other gifts. In fact, Ben got a gourd! Please know that the smiles in the following pictures were not staged. It was such a wonderful, joyous, fantastic time. I can’t wait to see them again in December, I really can’t.

After Beijing 57, we traveled to an acrobat show. It was actually highly interesting. The production did not have as high a budget as Cirque du Soleil, but it was fantastic nonetheless. The movements that the actors made were very staccato and cute. My personal favorite act was one with an acrobat doing several tricks on a wire.
We had dinner at a fancy restaurant and then returned to the hotel for the evening. We only have one day left and that makes me incredibly sad. I love this country, the food, the sights, and most of all the wonderful people I’m spending this trip with.