China

We’re sorry that we were unable to access our blog while we were in China.  We have now arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam.  Here’s a summary of our wonderful 12 days across China.

Urumqi (where we spent one day en route from Dushanbe to the rest of China) surprised us both.  Lee had been expecting a Uighur town with a Turkic feel—but found a huge bustling city (of 2 million) where Uighur culture is limited to certain neighborhoods, has been recreated by Chinese in a touristy market square, or lingers simply in food and women’s dress.  Kitty had been wondering how China had changed in the 30 years since she taught there from 1980-82. Urumqi’s modern airport, soaring high rise apartments, busy freeways, and jammed shopping districts made the progress powerfully apparent.  We also appreciated the people we met there: a former student from Biola and her family, and several of their American/British friends.  People are working in a variety of ways there: studying Chinese, teaching English, working in a TexMex restaurant, translating Uighur folk tales, working with local health officials on an HIV/AIDS project, and marketing custom-made guitars from local wood.

Pingliang.  We got to this small town in Gansu province by taking an early-morning flight from Urumqi to Xian followed by a four-hour bus ride.  Kitty’s Chinese began to reappear.  The Chinese countryside revealed some things that hadn’t changed in 30 years (farmers tending apple orchards and wheat fields by hand) and some progress (good interstate roads, solar hot water heaters and satellite dishes on village roofs, and fewer people in the fields since many have gone to the cities to earn more money after planting crops).  Our reason for visiting Pingliang was to see the Oasis Training Center, a ten-year old project which our friends Peter & Ruthie Dutton have recently been asked to help oversee.  It’s a two-year immersion-in-English experience for young people from the countryside and/or the local vocational high school which houses OTC.  We enjoyed meeting the volunteers teaching there and the eager students, observing classes, and considering some of the issues inherent in continuing such a program.  We also got to take a hike to Kong Tong Shan, a Taoist center. Another difference between now and 30 years ago—the number of Chinese tourists and the number of Chinese trying out religious practices. In this small town and relatively poor school I saw more familiar sights from the past, like students going to get hot water in thermoses.

Taiyuan.  Our next stop was a city near where Kitty taught in Shanxi in ‘80-‘82.  Her friend from those days, Gordon Xu, lives there with his wife, daughter, and granddaughter.  We enjoyed dinner together, lots of reminiscing, and insightful conversation about China today from the perspectives of three generations.  --There may be a lot of new roads in China, said Gordon, but “we need to build a super highway to moral excellence.”  “Listen to this—it’s my favorite song from High School Musical,” said his granddaughter.  “Excuse me, I’ve got to go back to work for a bit,” apologized his daughter, an editor for a TV program about Taiyuan traffic.

Beijing.  We had another reunion with four of Kitty’s old friends from Shanxi days, now living in Beijing.  The comfortable three-hour high-speed train ride from Taiyuan to Beijing made us very envious of China.  The taxi ride between the train station and the airport through Beijing’s smog and an incoming dust storm evoked the opposite feelings.  Our afternoon in a beautiful airport coffee shop talking with the two couples, one retired and able to travel all over China, one still working in prominent positions in agriculture and education, was a delight.

Zhangjiajie.  Our time in this pleasant town In Hunan province was facilitated by Beth, a former student of Kitty’s.  Her employer, the Foreign Languages campus of Jishou University, was thrilled to meet the teacher of one of their favorite teachers, and went out of their way to show us incredible hospitality.  Kitty gave a talk on Current Trends attended by many teachers and students (future English teachers and others aiming to use English in business or become Chinese teachers in foreign countries).  She also held a Q-A session with teachers and observed several classes.  She and Lee both participated in Beth’s office hours, where we had a chance to talk with small groups of students.  Lee also met some friends of Beth from Singapore who operate a bakery in town.  

The university got us two-day passes to Wu Ling Yuan, an incredible national park about 45 minutes from the university. We went on both Saturday and Sunday. Imagine the kind of landscape seen in the movie Avatar, or classic Chinese landscape paintings, or Bryce Canyon in green instead of red.  There are dozens of areas within the park, each with views more amazing than the next.  We hiked a lot, but also took advantage of a shuttle bus, giant elevator, and cable car to cover territory. The weather was a bit drizzly, so the views were enhanced with wispy clouds floating around the columns and mountains.

During our five days there we also ate very well.  Whether a simple restaurant outside the university gate that Beth frequents, or one of the several dinners for us hosted by the university, there seemed to be no end to delicious new dishes.  Good reminder of the psalm: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”  From Beth, staff and students we also got the sense that many people are hungry at many different levels.

Next stop: Vietnam—our last country.  Now that Kitty’s Chinese is thoroughly stirred up, it’s time to go to a completely new place and have a new adventure. J