Our trip up to this point has been an awesome experience that I am so grateful that GOD allowed me be involved with. Today it is Tuesday December 9, 2008 and we are again traveling, by bus to a place called Li jiang. We are still in the Yu nan province just not in Dali. Speaking of Dali, it was one of the most enjoyable places I’ve been blessed to visit. I loved how our hotel looked. The whole complex looked like something out of kid’s storybook. One thing that I enjoyed doing here was bardering or bargaining for merchandise using Chinese. I even helped some of my fellow comrades bargain. This was probably the first time on the trip I enjoyed using my amateur skills; this made me feel really good. Probably the highlight of my last day in Dali was when I purchased an antique sword. It was the coolest thing I’ve seen. Later at dinner three of us guys put on our martial arts get up with our swords and basked in our heroic glory. It just feels like every day in this beautiful country gets better and better. I’m really excited to eventually be able to share my stories with everyone I know.
-Stefan

Today we are leaving Dali to go to our next stop on our trip. Dali was amazing, it showed more of the real China than Beijing did. Dali let you see the regular life of the southern workers, and the way people lived. The market place we went to opened my eyes to the Chinese culture just by the way the people go to get there food, they certainly didn’t go to the grocery store like we do. Other thing that was interesting was going to the Three Pagodas and seeing the monks it was nice to see another religion, though I may not agree with it all it still showed a lot about the people. The trip is quickly coming to an end which in a way is sad but I wont lie I will be happy to go home and see the people I love, but I will never forget a trip like this.
- Andrea LeBlanc

Southern China

Southern China is very different than northern China, just like the USA. It’s much warmer here during the day and the people here are much more rural. They say southern Chinese are more friendly, but I think I felt more of a connection in Beijing. Maybe just because im a city girl or maybe because we haven’t had much opportunity to sit down and talk to the locals (they don’t speak English well anyway). My favorite part of southern china so far has been the trip to the Three Pagodas in Dali. It was uncomprehensibly peaceful there. The grounds were glowing with plant life and the chanting of monks could be heard throughout the whole compound. We spotted several reclusive monks walking quickly by, focused on their meditation beads. The saleswomen in Bai costumes smiled happily and sold beads, goldfish, and candles for prayers. Two walls were dedicated solely to wishes, you wrote your wish down and inserted it into a slit on the wall. Im not sure what happened to them after that, but I think the monks pray over them for you…or maybe it’s just a lucky thing. I don’t know. I wished for a sickly child I know to become healthy again. I really hope my wish comes true.
-Jessica Rijos

Missing You

So since I have emailed you guys I am now missing you more then before, I was able to last the first week but now no such luck. It seems that the second week has suddenly appeared. I want the tastes, sounds and people of home, but at the same time there are so many adventures that I am yet to have here. I seems like we have just begun this quest through China. My video recorder decided not to work the day we arrived, so I have sadly had to share with another student. She’s great about it but it makes it hard to do a video on my own when forced to share the filming device. Besides that this trip has been so amazing, the country side always takes my breath away, and the friends I have made on this trip have made this trip a absolute blast. I cant wait to see you all and get my clock back to normal. Right now we are on our way to Lijiang. I am taking every chance I can to write in my journal about every event that occurs. I cant believe that it is Tuesday already and we will becoming home in only a few days. Well see you soon.
~Love Lucy

7000 miles away

Here I am, 7000 miles away from home, retreating to my Coke and Cliff bars when I want a taste of home. I miss my friends, my family, and even my convenient Internet access. I’m tired and a little sore, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world right now. Id be lying if I said I’m not a better person than the Alex from about _____ (I think 9-ish) days ago. I’m glad this trip is film based because it forces me to create my own perspective of the world around me instead of just temporarily storing the “and this temple was built in 1465…” I believe I am respecting the sights more because I am taking notice of their true beauty. I feel accomplished because I have successfully been able to break down the language barrier through pointing and awkward hand motions. We are currently on our way to Lijiang and I am currently getting car sick so ill finish this rambling later.
Alex

Can I just say how much I love China? Well I guess I just did. There is never a dull moment here. Great times, Great laughs, Great friends. I miss Beijing it was pretty epic not gonna lie. We flew to Kunming, and that was just a pit stop on our trip to Dali. Oh me on my Hello Dali! It was beautiful, and haggling has got to be the greatest thing invented for markets.
Katie =)

Dali

Dali was spectacular. I learned how to bargain with street vendors, and hopefully I wasn’t completely bad at it. The Buddhist temple might be the most beautiful place I have had the fortune to visit. There were giant statues of Buddhist gods that brushed the ceiling. The reflection pools aloud us to see six pagodas instead of the original three. We were able to see a traditional Bai marketplace that sold pigs heads and brains of various animals. It was definitely interesting. The Chinese countryside provides some of the most beautiful landscapes of mountains and isolated villages. I can’t wait to see what Lijiang has to offer!
-Lila Kelso ☺

Dali was quite easily one of the most amazing cities I have ever had the honor of visiting. Between the street and the sidewalk (which was overtaken long ago by street vendors) runs a stream of water, which is wonderful together with the mild climate of the Yun’nan region, especially Dali. As we walked through the streets peeking into little shops, the waterways would grow larger the farther uphill we went; at one point there was a waterwheel and at several others there were fountains. Our hotel was completely open (with the exception of our rooms). Each courtyard was surrounded by a three story building, with around ten rooms each. We stayed on the ground floor, and I had the fortune of staying in room 1109 (nine is the imperial number). In Dali, because the climate is usually so warm, orchids bloom out in the open. In our courtyard there must have been nearly twenty orchid plants, as well as massive bonsai trees half my height. Each open-air passage way opened up to even more courtyards, each also having numerous orchids, several in bloom with around thirty flowers. Possibly the most famous architectural aspect of Dali is the Three Pagodas, which, yet again, was B-E-
A-utiful. Dali is known as the “Venice of the East”, but it reminds me more of Rivendell…
Much Love, Namarïe
-Stefan Ramos, aka “Qin Qin”

Birthday Girl

Hey everybody, I love you guys and miss you tons, but I am having soooo much fun here. Today we left Dali, which is probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I also really enjoyed shopping at the markets and getting to bargain with the venders. One of the days we went to a different kind of market. They had pigs heads and cow brains just laying out on tables. It was quite interesting. This trip has really opened my eyes and I am really thankful for simple things like having clean water, or toilets. Well right now we are on the bus to a different city, which of course I can’t pronounce. However, I’m proud to say that my Chinese vocabulary is getting better. Okay, well I’m going to go now. I miss everyone and I love all you guys. I’ll see you soon.
P.S. ( Mother Dearest, thank you for the crown. It’s quite lovely and I will wear it all day. :D… And I wrote this blog just for you so be happy! ☺ ily!!! <3 )

<3 LOVE <3, Lauren (Tousa)

Hello everyone. Right now we are on our way to Dali where we will stay in the Landscape Hotel. It sounds beautiful. From what I’ve already seen along the way, it really is a photographer’s paradise. There are acres and acres of vibrant green fields filled with such a variety of plants that it leaves me in awe. All of these fields are cut through with dirt roads for farmers to pass and the ever-present mountain range in the background. China is so beautiful. I love it here. I wish all of you could be here to see it. I hope you all are doing well and I’ll see you soon. Tell me how you did at your tournament when I talk to you, ok Keith? Love you.
- Leanna

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LAUREN TOUSA,

With love from your family and The Light Factory.

Hope your Sweet 16 is a great day full of nice surprises in China.

See you soon!

Teens in America/China

Watching teens has never failed to fascinate me. This trip has added a new dimension to that fascination. The Chinese teens and our teens share as much in common as they don’t. The worrisome thing to me is that the common ground all seems to come from an abundant pre-occupation with American pop-culture. Happily when I see our teens spend extended time together, they seem to move beyond pop. Should we be thankful for our pop-culture’s proliferation around the world that it offers common ground to seed relationships? Or, does the world’s impression of Americans as superficial lovers of reality TV who act like folks in movies undermine our ability to create in-depth relationships? I hope that the Chinese and American teens will stay in-touch so that I can continue to watch to see the answer, if there is one. One thing is for sure—the need for The Light Factory’s media literacy education is critical worldwide. Image has certainly created a powerful idea of what it is to be an American.

Marcie

Teary Eyed

Hi guys. Right now we’re on the plane heading to Yunun in southern China and we’ve gotten a little bogging time. My favorite part of our time in Beijing was the trips to the schools. At the school we visited in Baoding, we were paired up in a game we played and little did I know that in just a few hours it would be so hard part with such a close friend. As I got to know my new friend “Lily” and learn more about her and her everyday life, I was introduced to a life much like my own. Listening to music like “Disturbia”, laughing with friends, dreaming of the future, and cafeteria food seem like the universal teenage language we both understand. We exchanged laughs, gifts and many parting hugs as we headed our separate ways. I can only hope that we (Americans) got something out of this; maybe the importance of friendship, or how the wonderful hospitality of a friendly stranger can brighten someone’s day. We were with our new friends for less than 24 hours and we were getting teary- eyed on the bus ride home. It makes me smile how touching just a few hours with these people was to us. Well that’s all for now. I hope to tell you all about it when I get back.
- Love Leanna ☺

Hey everyone, I now have more time to write down what has been happening on the other side of the world. We were able to go to a school in Baoding, a city near Beijing. The students at this school were so sweet and absolutely amazing to us. They greeted us with applause and they were standing at their school gate. They literally gave us the red carpet treatment. I was paired with this one girl who I will never forget. She started crying when we had to say goodbye. I only spent 6 hours with her and I felt like I had known her for quite some time. We have already seen all of the major highlights. Like the great wall, the Forbidden City, the summer palace, and we were lucky enough to be able to see students from our second schools home. All of these adventures I will never forget, this was definitely worth missing two weeks of school. We are now on the plane to our next city. I can’t wait to see what awesome, amazing adventures are just waiting for me to find them. I have many stories in which I will not post because I want to see your faces when you find out. I love you all and miss you more then you can know.
~ Love Lucy “Super Woman” Marshman

My Vision

This trip has had many highlights. Climbing the great wall felt like such an accomplishment. Walking through the Summer Palace was absolutely extraordinary. The tea ceremony was lovely. Meeting our partner students in Bao-Ding and Beijing was definitely the most powerful. Watching my vision of China I-Sights come to life before my eyes has been amazing and inspiring. I hope to continue programs such as this at The Light Factory in future years. To see the students connect with one another and share their thoughts, photographs, films, and gifts has been the most beautiful part of this journey. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to travel with these wonderful students through China. China is not only rich in history and culture; it is filled with the most kind and genuine people I have ever met. I look forward to experiencing the Yunan region of China where 54 minorities dwell and savor their own individual cultures. It will be beautiful I am sure. See you soon. ~ Ms. Jen Crickenberger

Flying to Kunming (Southern China)

Hey everybody! At the moment we are in the air on our way to Kunming. We made sure to say goodbye to Beijing as we left. This has been an amazing experience. I love Beijing so much. We have been rushing all over the place, spending all day out, and seeing so much. Each night I can barely stay up long enough to read. The Summer Palace and The Forbidden City are so beautiful. I think I am ready to move in. I am very tired, but I am also very happy. I cannot wait to return to Beijing,
-Imre Treviño

Great Kids

It is so amazing to be traveling with such a great group of kids. To see their faces and be with them as they experience these awesome sights and sounds is truly a blessing in my life. This is a trip that is so rich in culture and friendship the at this point my heart and my mind are so full I need time to take it all in. You have great kids and I love being here in this land with them. Thanks to all the parents for working hard to send them on this wonderful journey.
Ms. Dean

Okay all I want to say is I AM SORRY ABOUT MY LAST BLOG! We went to the school that we had the art project with and I read my blog out loud and was like ohhhhhhhh dear! Needless to say we have been super busy in Beijing, BUT last time we wrote our blogs it was late and I was POOPED. Yesterday was awesome! I have a Chinese boyfriend, but he doesn’t know. He told me he was going to email me, I feel special. Over all the whole school spoke English really well, and they had a lot of good pictures. Apparently their teacher was some sort of photographer and the kids did a really sweet job on their pictures and presentation. I was really surprised their English was really good for the most part. Speaking with our new bestest friends I found out that many of them have never met an American before and I was like DUUUUDEEE. I felt special to be their first. ALSO the best thing happened to me, yes it is true; one girl asked me if I was pregnant, yes! Needless to say I busted out in laughter that was the funniest thing that has happed thus far to me. I told the girl no. I could tell that she felt really bad about asking me. I can understand why though it was my jacket. My jacket looks kind of like a robe and I can see why she would be confused, but not really. It was funny. So, now I am “with child” yet my child is a one-third Asian one -third panda one-third American. I am having so much fun, and I am so thankful that my parents let me go on this trip! That’s all for now!
<3 Malorie Earles “one with panda/Asian/American child”

So, we are currently flying over the coolest mountain range I have ever seen, somewhere in between Beijing and Kunming. They have huge jagged peaks, and there is a blanket of clouds over everything. One of my favorite parts of Beijing was getting to go to a real students house for tea with his mother. They were so hospitable, and I got to see what daily life was like in the city. The Great Wall lived up to everything that I had anticipated, and Tiananmen Square was really interesting. I can’t wait to see Southern China, and all the different cultures it has. Love you Dad and Joe!
-Lila (Krystal Destiney) Kelso

Learning So Much

Well, we’re on the flight to Kunming!!!! Beijing was AMAZING. We went to Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, a hutong, saw a typical Chinese house, and two schools. I made some new friends named Huang Yi Jui (who wanted an American name so we called her Clarissa) and Pekey! We saw a kung fu show, ate some amazing food, walked around the streets of Beijing in twenty degree weather, and climbed the Great Wall. Everyone treats us like we’re royalty here. Random people on the streets ask us for pictures all the time. At the first school, I learned how to write my name in Chinese, made a paper rose, made some dumplings, played games, drew caricatures, and met so many new people. I learned so much and will never forget anything that happened. I only wish I could see all this amazing culture with my family too! Love you guys!
-Ronald “the Maestro” Wise

Heart Warming

So far the only words that I can use to describe our trip is heart warming and “special.” The Chinese people and students have been so kind to us. Greeting us on the streets, wanting our photographs and making us feel like celebrities. Our welcome at the schools was like a homecoming. Formally, greeted by school officials and lovingly cared for by the students. The Chinese take the idea of “southern hospitality” to another level with close contact and touching as a part of their greetings and affection. At first this felt strange but now you see American and Chinese students walking hand in arm, giggling and laughing through broken conversations. I am proud of our students they have been wonderful ambassadors and representatives of Charlotte and America. They are very informed and open to learning. Experiences such as the China I-sights Project and this trip to China reinforces why I do what I do for a living. Peace - Mr. Charles

When we left Charlotte I was very nervous but you would never be able to know. All the emotions I had were overwhelmed by the new found anticipation. When we finally arrived I thought I had most of the answers, but what I’ve experienced I couldn’t see coming my way. Everywhere we’ve been we are stared at like the people are looking at an unknown species. My group and I, for the most part, are treated like celebrities or some kind of royalty. Tons of people appear out of air wanting to take photographs with us. It is crazy to witness how some Chinese people react to outsiders. There is so much that I love about Beijing and Baoding and some not so much, like street vendors. I feel at times like I’m in America because of some similarities, but when I experience certain aspects of the Chinese culture, it is very different. So far my trip has been outstanding and I wish the doesn’t have to end. – Stefan Weathers

As of now this trip has been amazing. I’ve seen and experienced more than I thought that I would have. This trip has really opened my eyes to the Chinese culture, it has taught me a great lesson. It also shows me that I need to be grateful for the things that I have and for the way that I live, even water that I can drink straight from the faucet is something to be grateful for. I can not wait to finish this trip and see what else China will show me. –Andrea LeBlanc

We were greeted by the cold winds of Siberia. And when the winds blow from the North, they bring with them an arctic chill. When we left Charlotte, we ended up going north over Canada, over Greenland, over the North Pole, and down through Russia into China. Many Chinese people haven’t seen foreigners before, so often we have people we don’t know coming up to us asking for pictures. So far we’ve been in the Forbidden City, we’ve climbed the Great Wall, and we’ve watched Chinese Brush masters paint. Every night I’ve been tired, but every morning I’m more excited to rise and explore further and deeper into the Land of the Dragon. –Stefan Ramos

Eye opening

This trip has been absolutely eye opening for me. China is so different from what we see in America, but in many ways it is the same. I can’t wait to see more of this fascinating country. It was definitely worth missing two weeks of school to be able to go on this trip.
-Lila Kelso

WOW!

WOW! This trip is already one of the best experiences of my life! The old friendships are stronger, the new friendships are lasting ones, the sights are beautiful, the people are so friendly, and the food is delicious. Can you ask for anything better? Well there is one thing, I wish my family was here, but soon enough I’ll share all my stories and hopefully come back to China with them one day :D
~ Claire Black

New Friends

Today we played a game at Baoding Art school to choose our partners for the day. In the rush of the game (somewhat like musical chairs) I picked a boy in a tracksuit and glasses named Jun Yun Fe. At first, I thought I had picked wrong, because of his sporty appearance. I wished I had picked a girl. Later, I was proven how mistaken my first judgement was. Yun Fe was a quiet boy, but a complete gentlemen. He refused to allow me to carry my heavy bag, as he said was common curtesy. He calmly explained all the artwork in his school and taught me how to make dumplings. Later on, we drew caricatures of each other in art class. As the day wore on, I became used to his constant presense right behind me. When it came time to leavc, I gave him a hug, turned my back and walked away. I don’t think he’ll ever know that I cried as I went. In such a short amount of time, he had found a place in my heart. This memory is the most precious souvenior that I’ll bring home with me.
-Jess Rijos

Expectations

Hey everyone. This trip has already met my expectations and soared above and beyond anything I could have imagined. Tanimen square was magnificent, the Forbidden City was so majestic it was intimidating, the great wall was beautiful, and the people are amazing. I haven’t listed even half of the things we’ve done or any of the people that I can now call my friends but you can already see the wonder of it all. Hope you are doing well. See you soon.
- Love Leanna

Hey family, this so far has been the best experience of my life. We have seen the Great Wall of China! Totally amazing is all I can say about it. I miss all of you terribly, and think about you every day. I will go into more detail later when I have more time. Know that I love you and am having the best trip ever. Hope to see you soon, but not too soon.
- Love Lucy

Baoding Middle School

Alright, mark this day on your calendar folks. Below that kindly write “The Official Day Daniel wished he was fluent in mandarin Chinese. The girl who I was partnered with was incredibly nice and we shared a special bond only experienced between the opaque screen that is the ever tricky language barrier. We both enjoyed the perplexing activity of of trying to get to know each other. It was eye opening and a pretty fun time. Otherwise we were treated like rock stars, Greek gods, or what have you. Which to be frank was an extra puff to the old ego balloon, as well as an odd “When did I become so fascinating” experience. So to summerize the last 8 hours, it twas very fun my fellow friends, romans, and countrymen.
- High Chancellor of the Galactic Senate: Dan “il padrino” Rosenberg

This country is amazing and most of it leaves me in awe. I really honestly didn’t know what to expect when we arrived, but awh man! We arrived at the school in Boading and I could tell that the students had been waiting for us for a long time, they were excited to meet us. Like the rest of the people we have met in this country they took a billion pictures of us/ and with us I feel like a famous person (its really kind of odd). I can’t wait to share my pictures peace I feel like they are worth more than the words I could say. The students we met with were very sweet. I was paired with a guy because of the game we played, to be honest I couldn’t say his name the least bit. He was very sweet and nice he even offered to carry my bookbag which was very heavy filled with camera gear. Every one was so kind, although this visit made me wish I knew Chinese very very very very badly. <3 malorie

Baoding

Boading, Boading, Boading! I have never felt so welcomed before. When we arrived they all cheered and clapped (we even had the red carpet treatment). After the principal spoke we were asked to play a game in which we found our partners =) Her name was Lijiang. Her English was very good, and she even did an interview with me in front of the camera. I learned so much today, and I am sure other people will tell you all about it in their blogs. –Katie Viniconis

Baoding Middle School

Today we visited an Art School in Charlotte’s sister city Baoding. We were had a very warm reception, they even clapped for us as we walked in. The principal of the school spoke to us, and then we played a game in which we grouped together with the Chinese students. At the end I was paired up with a Chinese girl named Wei Wei. She was very sweet and took me around the school gallery, excitedly showing me her teacher’s paintings, as well as teaching me phrases in Chinese. She even gave me a Chinese name meaning smile. We were both very sad to leave, and she told me that she liked me very much, and that she would practice her English so that she could come to America to see me. It was a very nice visit. –Imre

After a long drive (about an hour or so) we arrived at our destination. Upon arrival, a teacher from the art university came on our bus and said, “Welcome to Baoding!” It was interesting seeing the people and they treated us with such great hospitality and reverence as if we were celebrities. It was an honor being before them. I met a one Wu Di, he practiced his English with me, and I practiced my Chinese with him. The best part of the day was the fact that I barely knew my person, but I feel strange now that we’re apart. It was great to have my profile painted and for one of the faculty members to say that they are my [fans]. [Mind you, this is my first time meeting them]. This is one of the first times since I’ve been on this trip that I didn’t feel like such an outsider to the Chinese.----Nkiruka.

We made it safe and sound! We are in China, everybody!!! All of us are tired, but so excited we just don't care.

Turning in for the night - talk to you tomorrow. In the meantime, check us out - we were on the news as we left the airport in Charlotte to make our way here:

WSOC – http://www.wsoctv.com/news/18173059/detail.html
News 14 (bunch of cool interviews - hope we don't look too tired) – http://news14.com/content/headlines/601963/mecklenburg-students-head-to-china/Default.aspx (Thanks for forwarding, Ben!)

Talk to y'all tomorrow!

Students at the International School at Garinger met with Weimin Yuan and Jen Crickenberger to learn about China and the China I-Sights Photography Program.