On my favorite adventure to date we visited the Famen Temple and were accompanied by a Pure Land Buddhist monk. It is so strange to see a monk in his traditional robes just hop on the bus and join us right off a bustling city street. A short time later on our ride I hear a cell phone ring and he is talking on his phone. What a contrasting mixture of ancient China and the modern day amenities we in the West and East now all enjoy.

The ride to the temple revealed many unexpected surprises from goats along the hillside, solar panels on rooftops, to the family of three riding along a busy street all on one moped. The landscape is breathtaking with many swaying weeping willow trees. There are new roads that are being constructed in many places.

As we continued onto the busy highway the bus stops and an older gentleman, a woman and young girl join us. It is the monk’s father, sister and his niece. Later some of the students gave the monk’s niece an English name, Ashley, and she loved the name. After we arrive at the temple the monk hops off the bus and runs up to the temple to obtain literature to distribute to us. You could see the excitement and eagerness to share this information with our group. The guide and the monk took us to all the sights and explained their significance.

We next went to see paintings that told Buddha’s story from birth to Nirvana. It was told with such wonderful illustrations. As we went around a corner of one of the temples the monk pointed out a large picture of several monks in it and he was in the picture. He has been a monk at that temple for the past thirty-five years. He was brimming with pride as I asked him if I could take a picture of him pointing to himself in the picture. He modestly agreed and later agreed to take pictures with several of the students.

As we were exiting the temple grounds he wanted our group to gather for a picture and he bought us each a copy of the picture, which he later presented to us during our lunch near the temple. He and his family members agreed to join us for lunch. I have seen some truly amazing sites since I arrived here but this one has been one of my favorites to date. I feel so truly blessed to have been able to experience this day.
 

The seven of us (Kailia, Rebecca, Brittany, Samantha, Kea, Dr. Graziani, and I) entered a room with seven adjustable chairs with footrests. We all had a seat, and couldn’t wait to begin. Having us all being together added to the fun. We joked, and enjoyed each other’s company, along with making conversation with our sometimes-humorous masseuses. After we were settled, our masseuses came in and our hour and a half of enjoyment began. We were severed watermelon (a crowd pleaser in our group), and hot jasmine tea. One masseuse gestured for us to try the tea, and then insinuated that that was indeed what our feet were soaking in.

After a great soak we were ready for a rubdown. What was difficult to not smile over was when the seven of us we being pulverized at the same time, and causing a fascinating yet comical rhythm. Our fingers, toes, and backs had probably never been so musical. With every tug came a snap or crack. It was wonderful. The only negative part about this experience was the clock. With every glance came the question of “where did the time go?” Fortunately, our time was not as fleeting as if having a massage in the U.S. We were entranced with pleasure for at least an hour and a half! And for the best part; it was a whole 80-Yuan. Conversion: approximately $12 USD. Nothing can compare in the states to what we had just experienced. When we were all finished and heading back to the hotel we discussed our amazing new experience. Samantha asked if anyone else’s tail end was drummed on, and we all declared no. Unfortunately some of us were not included in this bonus.

People say a lot of things, but one that that can be believed is that the best place to get a quality and ridiculously inexpensive massage is in China. I was sure to grab their business card when I left … if only I could read Chinese.
 

So I’m sitting here in Beijing reflecting on some of the experiences we have had the past few days in China and one particular day comes to mind. While our group was visiting Qingdao, a wonderful westernized east coast city, we had the opportunity to visit the well known Taoist temple of Laoshan that was located high up in a beautiful mountain. This adventure took place on August 20, and had to of been one of the most amazing experiences during our trip through China.

Touched by the Yellow Sea, the mountainous landscape grew to great heights. Looking up the mountain toward the Taoist temple we were relieved to see cable cars that would take us part of the way up the mountain before walking the steepest and highest point to get to the temple. It was a workout but definitely one that was well worth it. The feeling that we claimed after climbing a mountain through nature was one of accomplishment and of being one with our surroundings.

To elaborate a little further on our experiences this particular day and to tie some philosophical meaning into it, I must say this. While visiting the temple on the mountain we were in the presence of the celestial god. Later on this same day we visited another temple containing the governor of the earth and the governor of the sea. At the end of this particular day, Mallory, Brittany, Samantha and I, along with Dr. Graziani, went for a dip in the Yellow Sea. The sky was dark, the water very warm and the sand so soft beneath our toes. At this moment we realized what it truly meant to have a Taoist experience. Having been on the top of a mountain and then the sea, where the earth meets the sky and the earth meets the sea; we realized why China, of all places in the world, embraces nature and all that surrounds it.

Tomorrow morning we head to the airport to fly home. Although most of us are looking forward to being back in the states, sleeping in our own beds and eating some American food, we will surely miss China and all that this country has been and all that it has done to enlighten our minds and senses. We have all made many new friends whom we will miss dearly but hope to host in our country someday. The experience of being in China is one that we will hold dear to our hearts and never forget.

Thanks to Shawnee State University and all of you who have supported us during this trip. We can’t wait to get back and tell you all about it!
 

“If I only knew how to read Chinese!!!” These are the cries of despair that are leaving my roommate’s mouth as I attempt to type this blog. Kea is unsuccessfully trying to turn on the television for a bit of rest and relaxation, after a lengthy day at numerous temples with never-ending corridors, abrupt twists and slippery descents. Kea will spend the evening watching the Olympics, even though every statement is uttered in Mandarin Chinese. After the last few days, we all deserve some lazy hours of television, regardless of the language barrier. And trust me, you really need to see Chinese commercials.

Let’s start with Luoyang. We visited the White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist Temple in China. Garet described the experience with, “As I started to make my way through the White Horse Temple, it all suddenly became clear – I was standing, exploring one of the most important Buddhist sites in all the world!” While adherents to the Buddhist faith come to the location to explore their own belief system, it also holds meaning for those of us located outside of the Buddhist tradition. For Garet, it required him to question his own motives, and even the very nature of his existence – the never-ending “Why?” that every race, religion or nationality must ascertain at one point or another.

I must now proclaim loud and clear: We are officially travelers, not tourists. To begin with, a few days ago marked a particularly vexing point in our journey. We were required to ride a train for two hours, sit in a station for six layover hours, and then ride another train overnight for six additional hours. After fourteen hours, the destination was QingDao, which houses the famous cemetery of Confucius. The train can best be described as an industrial relic straight from railway antiquity. For central air, eight fans dangled half-hazardly from the ceiling of the car. By fans, I mean the kind that your grandparents may have had, made entirely of dense metal, with gaps large enough to slice off any curious finger, or hand. We had to sit three to a seat, basically on top of one another. For SIX HOURS!! I overheard a Chinese man asking one of the students what we were even doing on the trains, stating that they were the cheapest mode of transportation in China. I needn’t describe our demeanor after the ride reached its conclusion.

To elaborate on Chinese trains a bit more, I must state that I am not the only student who was permanently affected by the train ride. Ryan discussed two men located behind him who had bought standing tickets, after having worked all day. Imagine standing on a six-hour train ride after a grueling day at work! For Ryan, the entire ordeal was an “eye-opening adventure.”

“Furthermore,” Leah stated, “The thing that made the situation the most uncomfortable was realizing that this is everyday for some people. We are so blessed here in America.”

I suppose that I could talk a bit about food again. Mallory, Garet, and I have stuck with our oath … we have basically tried everything. In fact, Garet and I were the last two students to cave and eat Western food. You must know that it was strictly for means of comparison, though. Last night marked an interesting turning point for the group. At a large dinner, welcoming the group to QingDao, a particular delicacy was served. A delicacy revered as an excellent source of protein and greatly enjoyed by our Chinese hosts. What might this tasty morsel be? Fried cicadas, well over an inch in length, with legs and eyes intact. Naturally, the three of us with stomachs of steel popped the crunchy insects without a second thought. I have pictures to prove it. But not just us! By the end of the dinner, at least half of the students had tried the treat, much to the delight of our host.

We also visited a Taoist Temple at Laoshan. Samantha described the experience, elaborating on the beautiful scenery engulfing the temple, which was located at the top of a mountain. She exclaimed, “The mountains were humungous. The sea was so blue. The roads were all smooth, and the sky was as beautiful as it could have been.”

The group traveled halfway up the mountain in cable cars, and then finished the hike by foot, on stone steps. Most of us had to take several breathers, but our adrenaline was pumping us along. By the time we reached the top, we were all able to submerge in the natural flora and fauna surrounding the temple. We finally understood the importance of nature within the Taoist belief system.

Another fascinating point that I must share with you was brought to my attention by Brittany, another student on our trip. She discussed her shopping experiences in China, placing emphasis on the importance of bargaining. Have you ever considered challenging the stated price of an item? This is possible throughout most of China, particularly in the markets. Brittany stated, “The best thing about bargaining is that something can be ninety-eight dollars and you can get it down to twenty dollars.” She is certainly right. I must admit, Brittany is the queen of bargainers in our group; I could never compare with her sleek tactics.

The night has come to an official end, after dinner at Pizza Hut and a brief stroll through a Chinese mall. Tomorrow we are set to land in Beijing! We miss all of you and hope life is swell in Portsmouth.
 

The bus we took to the Olympics was packed to its max capacity; and I am sure that if we had been in the USA one or more regulations would have been broken! We luckily were the first ones on the bus, which allowed us to each have a seat. This did not automatically mean comfort considering that the people who were standing were basically sitting on our laps. After numerous stops we were able to get off the bus and catch site of the Birds Nest Stadium! We all were overwhelmed with excitement, forgetting about the terrible bus ride we had just endured.

Then we walked to the gate that we needed to enter, and our excitement had to be put on hold. There was an enormous crowd of people pushing to get through the small gate. People were elbowing and leaning on each other, but remarkably push never came to shove. We finally were able to make our way into the first section where we were caged off with a hundred or so other people. After about five minutes we were allowed to move to the designated spots for people with bags. It was a mad rush, like cattle being pushed through a shoot. It was now five minutes until the games started; but we were held up one more time, as they had a check our tickets and we had to pass through metal detectors. We were then checked with a wand and patted down by a member of the corresponding sex. By the time the security check was finished, it was already past the starting time on our tickets.

Brittany and I sprinted across the park into to Birds Nest where our tickets were checked two more times! Nevertheless, we had arrived! We were finally at the Olympics! Drenched in sweat from pushing and running, we entered the stadium bowl and saw the field! The feeling was overwhelming! The stadium was so huge, the mass of people was overpowering, and when we finally reached our seats we were just in awe. Brittany and I were sitting two rows from the actual track at the 2008 Beijing Olympics! The only seats that were in front of us were the seats occupied by the coaches of the pole-vaulting Olympians! We were in shock. We could not believe that we could ever have been this lucky!

We had to sit and absorb our surroundings for a minute before we could actually believe we were there. We kept saying to one another, “We are at the Olympics!” Then minutes later we would turn around to the seats behind us that were occupied by Garret and Ryan and would repeat, “We are at the Olympics!” When it finally sunk in I was able to see the many different events that were taking place all at the same time. It was just like a track meet except with the best athletes in the world! It was awesome! We watched the javelin throw, pole vaulting, long jump and different running events. The sound of the crowd cheering as well as the diversity that was all around us was indescribable! This was the most astounding competition I have ever experienced! It was the most emotion and passion I had ever seen from athletes. You could see that their heart and soul was in what they were doing one hundred percent.

The most heart breaking experience for me was to see the anguish on the athlete’s faces when they dropped the baton in a relay race. Two teams did this directly in front of us and it was the most heart-wrenching thing I have ever experienced. To see the faces of these women who had trained for years, only to have their dreams crushed in a single moment, was unforgettable. But then to see the faces of the medal winners, to see them feel that all their hard work was worth it, was equally unforgettable. You are able to experience at least part of their happiness because you are so happy for them. This is a remarkable feeling, one I will not ever forget! The 2008 Olympics was an experience that will be with me forever!
 

As the eleven Shawnee State students are all nestled in their tiny chairs among 200 passengers back to Atlanta, I am pulling some reminders from my trip to the Great Wall of China. I am reminiscing back to when I said I was going to walk the full distance that was permitted of the wall earlier in the trip. I gawked at the sight of the marvelous wonder. With great big eyes and anticipation my heart beat rapidly as I squirmed in the cab seat as we approached the entrance. I was looking forward to the climb for many weeks before and had ambitions of reaching the top. All my fellow students I believe had the same idea as me, but I really wanted this bad – this was the Great Wall of China.

As I waited in line, I noticed a tasty looking corn on the cob stick that an Asian boy was eating in front of me. I wanted to ask him where he found it, but my shyness got the best of me. Dr. Li handed everyone a ticket with a big smile, and I think he was enjoying the excitement of the students just as much as we were. I swiftly grabbed the ticket in hopes I could start sprinting, but we were in groups and the crowd was packed as tightly as a drawer in which you were putting away your winter clothes. I finally stepped through the gates with my friends and our journey began.

We started our trek up the wall, one step after the other, taking photos here, there and everywhere – our cameras were getting a workout! The sky seemed so close you could grab it with your hand, and the heavens seemed like they were falling on your head. Up and up the wall we went, and my lungs needed rest. Some other students and I decided to climb out on a short lip on the wall to grab some exciting photos. We all helped each other up, as something like this was too much to miss. Our trek up the wall continued for another thirty minutes. The people all around us seemed to be feeling the burn too, all the signs were apparent, jell-o legs, sweat drops, heavy breathing and a smile. My friends and I stopped half way and took some more photos. We bought a few things once again from the vendors; anyone who has been to China knows what I am talking about.

We all noticed a roller coaster that would take you back down the mountain or as my friends back home would say, “the sissy way out.” Everyone but I would finish the excursion; my intentions got the best of me! Dr. Li tried to talk me out of giving up as though I was on the edge of a cliff getting ready to jump. He wanted me to finish a great feat that would stick with me forever. I couldn’t, however. My legs said no, they had been walking for two straight weeks. It was too much, and my heart could take no more. I went back down and rested. Dr. Li sat with me and treated me to a nice cold coke.

I am happy to say, Dr. Valentine and his wife, Anne, finished the wonderful feat along with a few more students from the group. The smile on their faces said, “thank you Shawnee State for this opportunity.” That is all I can say too. Thank you for giving me the chance of a lifetime and a chance to represent my university in another country.
 

The best thing about this opportunity of a lifetime is that it was a learning experience for me. China has been a great experience for me. There has been a lot of chaos, but there has been some great experience as well. I noticed that China has so many people, so that a lot of things that work for our country do not work for their country. The most amazing thing to me is that there is little organization in the way of forming lines for pedestrians or maintaining lanes for drivers, but they manage their country well. The group has been on taxi rides that were scary and fun at the same time. Most of us felt that our lives were in jeopardy, but after awhile you get used to the chaotic system of the road.

For me, the best experience of being in China for fifteen days was going to the Olympics. The first day we ran a little late and everything was chaotic. Everyone was pushing and shoving one another. There was no organization but it made you realize that this is really part of the Chinese way of doing things. We took a bus that was overcrowded and did not smell too good. But, we were all so excited about going to the Olympics that no one really cared about it. Once we got off the bus, the fun began. We pushed our way through, with some of us being more aggressive than others. It was seven thirty before we got through security and Samantha and I had to sprint across the field to get to the Birds Nest. It was all very tiring, but as soon as we sat in our seats we were ecstatic. There was an immediate adrenaline rush. We sat right behind the coaches’ seats. I never imagined going to the Olympics, let alone being right next to the coaches. I lost my voice within ten minutes of sitting down. I was screaming for anyone and everyone, I was just excited to be there. When the games were over we took pictures and enjoyed the atmosphere outside the stadium.

The second day was very different from the one before. We got there an hour early and everything went smoothly. It seemed as though the security had change its system for this day. I watched the USA win two events; the 4 by 400 relays for men and women. I loved being at the Bird’s Nest so when I walked out that night it was a bittersweet moment. I know that for me this will be something I will never experience again, and I will never forget it. Thanks, Shawnee State.