On this project we will come to understand our world through the eyes of an ancient civilization taking giant steps toward the future. China will be one of the world's most important economic and political forces in the 21st century. Understanding China is essential to a productive and peaceful world.

Monday, 03/14/05 Our First Full Day in Beijing
Monday night, 9:30, and I believe everyone is ready for a good night's rest. Our flights to San Francisco and then on to Beijing were uneventful, thankfully, and a few of us got some solid sleep in. (Frequent fliers count: 1851 miles on United Airlines, 5898 miles on Air China!) Jet lag didn't hit anyone too hard and so today we were able to pack in a full day's events without any difficulty.

This morning at 7:45 we left the hotel for the Temple of Heaven. As we walked the beautiful grounds, many of the students joined the older Chinese in tai chi and dancing (Kyle even took Mrs. Acker out for a spin!). We then visited the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Pearl Market.

This afternoon, we stopped by Beijing Normal University's High School where we visited with students participating in the School Year Abroad Program. SYA students took our students to their host families' homes for dinner - a unique experience not to pass up!

The weather is pleasant - warmer than Chicago!

Tomorrow we have a full day - the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, the Cloisonne Factory, Peking Roast Duck dinner, Beijing Opera, and more! For now, students are improving their ping-pong skills at the hotel's recreation area before bedtime. They're getting very good!

Helpful numbers:

1 U.S. Dollar = 8.27 Yuan Renminbi
Country code for telephoning: China 86
Time difference = China is 14 hours ahead of Chicago time, and is the same throughout the country.

More tomorrow...