-
Xi'an: Terracotta, Muslims & a cameo by Lao Shi Tuda
Xi'an may have been the capitol of an empire 2,000 years ago but today it is one of the many Chinese citys that must be wondering what the big deal is with the "growth" in China. The population is around 7,000,000 give or take a few hundred thousand and there is little forigen or domestic investment in the area. With only one real tourist draw, the Terracotta Army, and a few other sights that can fill time on a weekend trip this is not a vacation destination. I spent a few extra days wandering the back streets and the unique Muslim quarter but the real bonus was meeting some great locals who helped me understand the history of the city in relation to the rest of China. Provincial pride is strong in China, a reminder that untill this century each provence was a country.
Today I "taught" my first class in China. My new friend Leo (who won't let me pay for anything) works at a small private school in Xi'an. The class was about 20 kids from 6 to 10 years old. Most had only 20 days of class with a local teacher before and had never met a foreigner. After getting over their initial shyness they were very friendly and curious. I wrote my name on the board in Chinese and they all liked that a lot. I had them each ask me a question (via their teacher) which I repeated in English and answered for them. Then we played the counting game and what color is this. it was a lot of fun and I even learned a few new colors (in chinese). They wraped up by singing "london bridge" and "B-I-N-G-O" to me. I gave my camera to the teacher so I think there are some fun photos to share. After the class the teacher asked me if Chinese children are different from American kids. After a moment I replied that they are not as different as Chinese adults are from American adults. Photos:
Xi'an photos
Terracotta Army photos
- posted at 11:05 PM 
